Shruti Ranganathan Jothi

The best gift I can ever give my son is being present with him. To be able to just sit with him and hold him and experience the mother son bond is the biggest gift I've experienced.

One of the most fulfilling experiences in my life has been motherhood. My son is 8 years old now and his birth and our journey together in the last eight years has pushed me harder self-reflect and to invest in myself and my growth as an individual so I can show up for him as the mom he deserves. In my journey, I have come to realize the wonderful connection a parent can form with their child by being present and by prioritizing quality time together. This trip that we took to Zion National Park in the Spring of 2025, was to do exactly this.

We stayed at La Verkin, a town roughly 10 miles away from the national park, quieter than Springdale and yet close enough to avoid driving too long into the park every day during our stay. We flew to the Harry Reid International airport in Las Vegas which is the closest airport to the national park. We rented a car and drove about 2.5 hours to La Verkin. It felt thrilling to cross borders from Nevada to Arizona to Utah all within a span of about 45 minutes during the drive. The view of the rocky structures along the drive gently welcomed us into the grandeur that is Zion.

On day 1 at Zion, we rented bikes in Springdale and biked into the national Park. Renting a bike also meant we could park at the rental place and skip the search for a parking spot which is tedious during peak seasons. We explored the Pa’rus trail, an easy trail that is perfect to hike or bike with a little kid. Spotting a deer up close on the trail truly gave us the feeling of rubbing shoulders with nature in a way we don’t often do. When we tired ourselves out biking, we returned to the visitor center for a break before exploring other trails in the park.

We made sure to carry plenty of snacks and water, it was pretty hot even in the middle of Spring, so it’s safe to say that a summer visit is not in the cards for us. The visitor center does not sell food or snacks, but does have water refill stations.

Once we replenished our energy levels, we boarded a shuttle to explore the Riverside walk, another easy paved trail along the Virgin river. It is this trail that also leads to the Temple of Sinawava which is the entrance to the Narrows — the highlight of Zion National Park and one of the most famous and sought after hikes in the US. However, we weren’t really dressed for the Narrows, so we strolled through the Riverside walk and picnicked along the Virgin river and made a fulfilling day out of it.

On day 2, we were motivated to check out the Narrows, so we woke up early and rented gear to be prepared for our hike in the river. We walked into Zion and boarded a shuttle to the Riverside walk once again, this time all geared up for the hike in the Narrows.

As for our experience hiking the Narrows, I’m afraid my words won’t do justice conveying the magnificence. I hope the pictures show a glimpse of the awe-inspiring narrows enclosed by canyon walls.

After two full days exploring the Zion, we left with a heavy heart. On the way back to the airport, we stopped by the Fiesta Family Fun center in St.George for a few hours of Go karting and mini golf. With some time to kill in Las Vegas before boarding our flight, we visited the botanical garden in Bellagio to checkout their Spring arrangement.

The trip was one of heart warming memories for both of us, mom and son. I returned home, richer in my connection with my son and with beaming gratitude in my heart for the entire experience.

This journal is also available to read and share on Medium.