With just a half day of meetings the last day of the conference, I woke up at the crack of dawn to pick up my rental car from the airport to hit the road a little quicker at quitting time. Plus, I figured National would have a better selection on the aisle with the late night and early morning returns. I happily snagged a brand new BMW 330i from the aisle and loaded up my bags as soon as I got back to the hotel.
At noon sharp, I was wheeling out of the garage at the Park MGM and heading into the beautiful late winter day. The sky was crystal clear, and the temperature delightfully crisp. It was an absolutely perfect day for a drive. Besides, in my hands was a near perfect partner to tackle the beautiful winding roads that would eventually take me to Springdale, Utah.
A little over three hours after leaving Vegas, I was pulling into my home for the next couple of nights, the Cliffrose Springdale. The chance to stay the Cliffrose swayed my decision to stay in Springdale. It’s set right along the banks of the Virgin River with the cliffs of Zion National Park providing a dramatic backdrop. Best of all, the hotel is just a couple of minutes away from the south entrance to Zion National Park. And it was all mine for incredibly palatable rate of $87.
The Cliffrose is part of Hilton’s Curio Collection. My Hilton Honors Gold status got me an upgrade to a Riverside room and breakfast in the morning, the pleasant front desk agent explained.
I was assigned room 127. It was very nicely appointed, and a welcome departure from the typical Hyatt/Marriott/Hilton etc.
The bed was super comfortable.
Since I was upgraded to a Riverside room, I had a patio with one heck of a view.
I got so excited when I stepped out onto the patio that I locked myself out. Welp, I might as well take the scenic route back to the front desk.
There was a herd (?) of deer grazing right by the pool area.
With my friend running late, I decided to head into Zion while I waited. It was simply stunning.
I eventually pulled off into a parking lot to take some pictures, when I noticed a trailhead. Just 1 mile and only 163 feet in elevation change… Seems like a nice quick hike to kill some time. Let’s go!
All I had on were a pullover, jeans, and running shoes. I was a few minutes in when the trail went from a relatively moderate climb to a narrow ledge. There were some second thoughts, but the views kept drawing me in.
The final climb was a bit steep, but I managed.
The view from the top was phenomenal and well worth the climb.
Funny enough, going down was more difficult than climbing up. I made it in one piece eventually and headed back to the hotel to meet my friend. Eating options are slim pickings in Springdale especially during the offseason. But we found a pizza joint that was actually open and enjoyed a well-earned pizza with a pitcher of beer.