Looking for a good day hike (or more than one) in Zion. The kids and adults are in good shape and have hiking experience. We are equipped with good shoes, socks, hydration and daypacks.|||This is one you are going to have to decide for yourself. All roads past the visitors center must be traveled by shuttle. Plus you must check in at the visitors center to hike the trails within the park. While there take the car trip through the tunnel over to Kanab. The tripis worth it, also stop and have a buffalo burger at one ofthe stands along the way. Going into Zion on highway 9, between La Verkin and Virgin, on the North side of the road is a large mesa and hanging halfway off the cliff is a mobile home. Upon further research, I found this to be a rocket sled test site from the 1960's space program. Also to the West near St. George, UT is Snow Canyon Park, site of many volcanos. Many interesting trails there also.|||I will restrict my comments to the Zion Canyon area as I have not done any hiking in the Kolob Canyons and the Kolob Plateau areas of the park. Go to the web site shown below and download the map of Zion Canyon. Based on your description of your group you should be able to do most, if not all, of the hikes in the canyon. Go to the other URL below for a listing and description of Zion trails. In my opinion, the two best hikes are Angel's Landing and the Zion Narrows. The Angel's Landing hike is not one to be taken lightly. The trail description is found under the link for "Strenuous to Technical Trails: Zion Park Hiking" of the second URL. It is steep and the upper part of the trail has a very high exposure risk. The young ones must be kept under control at all times as a fall from the upper most section of the trail will likely be fatal. If anyone has the slightest fear of heights, think twice before attempting Angel's Landing. There is a chain anchored into the rock along the last quarter mile of the trail. This chain provides stability on this narrow section of the trail along sheer cliffs. It can also be your life line should you slip. The Zion Narrows is a very enjoyable and fun hike. I think the kids would really enjoy it if they like the water. That's because for the most part, the trail is the Virgin River. The description of the trail is found under "Canyoneering in Zion: Zion Canyoneering". Day hikes are done bottom up meaning that you start at the end of the River Walk Trail and work your way up into the canyon for a few miles before turning around and returning to the River Walk Trail. Hiking in the river is generally slow and you should figure on about 1 mile per hour. River level and water temperature varies according to the season. When I did this hike back in October of '05, the water temperature was in the low 50's but not unbearable if you have the proper footwear. The deepest section of the river I encountered was about 4 feet but for the most part it鈥檚 about 1.5 to 2 feet deep. River depth is constantly changing so it's hard to predict what it will be during your visit. If you can't see the bottom of the river, it's probably more than 3 feet deep. If you run into a deep section, the adults will have to piggy back the kids to shallower water. Deep sections are usually short stretches lasting 50 feet or so. For more information see the Zion Adventure Company URL below. Zion Adventure Company rents the gear you will need for the hike into the Narrows and can give you information on current conditions and weather forecasts. The most important gear you will need are Canyoneers (river boots) for grip on the slippery rocks, neoprene booties for warmth and walking sticks for balance. You can also rent waterproof backpacks and other gear like dry suits as conditions dictate. Quick drying clothes are also a must so you don't become chilled in the shadow of the 1,000 - 2,000 feet deep canyon. This is a slot canyon so a weather check before starting is an absolute must. I think the kids might also enjoy the Upper Emerald Pool hike. I took my kids up this trail when they were about the same age as your kids and they had fun. The rest of the day hikes in the canyon are pretty much river bottom hikes. They're easy hikes and can be enjoyable but not as much fun as those that I've mentioned. Have a good trip but be safe, especially if you attempt the Angel's Landing hike and the Zion Narrows.

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