The super-easy paved trail to Lower Emerald Pool was a little underwhelming, to be honest, but at least I had it to myself. When I visited Zion National Park in January I had already spent nearly a week in the deserts of southern Utah and had come to expect less people, but when I didn't see anybody on one of the most popular trails in the park, I knew I really was visiting during the off-season. Not that I was complaining. The trail to the pool and the waterfall that fed it was paved and had little elevation gain, and was more like a stroll through a pinion-juniper forest than a hike. I have to confess, I hiked this trail due to the lure of a "frozen" waterfall, promised by the ranger I stopped to chat with when I first entered the park. When I arrived, however, I found that the waterfall itself wasn't actually frozen but the drips and spray from the main falls had solidified into icicles and flow-ice reminiscent of flowstone found in limestone caves. The falls pounded onto the trail, which I'm sure would be a welcome respite in the summer but caused the surrounding trail to become slick and icepacked. The trail itself was closed due to ice, and I turned around at the falls instead of continuing on to Middle and Upper Emerald Pools. I'd do that hike another day.
Leave me a comment below and let me know if you've ever had the pleasure of witnessing a frozen waterfall!
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