Hike + Heal Zion National Park

 
 

Coming Spring 2024

Hike + Heal Zion National Park is a Wilderness Wellness retreat facilitated by Hiking My Feelings, in collaboration with Zion Forever Project, the official non-profit partner of Zion National Park.

This retreat offers a perfect blend of adventure, self-reflection, and relaxation, all while immersing yourself in the awe-inspiring landscapes of the American southwest.

 
 
 

Healing with the land via environmental stewardship.
Mindful hiking through a diverse and breathtaking landscape.
Guided self-discovery activities to help you reconnect with yourself.
Adventures to help you remember what you’re capable of.
Making memories with friends who feel like family.

 
 

Returning Spring 2024

Hike + Heal Zion National Park is a Wilderness Wellness retreat facilitated by Hiking My Feelings, in collaboration with Zion Forever Project, the official non-profit partner of Zion National Park.

This retreat offers a perfect blend of adventure, self-reflection, and relaxation, all while immersing yourself in the awe-inspiring landscapes of the American southwest.

Our retreat begins in Cane Beds, Arizona at Land Beyond Zion - a woman-owned and operated glampsite 50 minutes from Zion National Park. Whether you’re taking a roadtrip from your home or flying into Las Vegas and renting a car or campervan for the weekend, we look forward to welcoming you to our picture-perfect basecamp. After you get settled in, we’ll gather for dinner before we start our evening workshop under the stars and around the fire.

The physical adventures begin on Saturday morning. Grab your breakfast and join the sunrise caravan to Zion National Park. Once inside, we'll embark on a guided hike to the summit of Angel's Landing, one of the park's most iconic and challenging trails. As you make your way up, our guides will provide insights into the park's geology, flora, and fauna, making this hike not only physically invigorating but also intellectually enriching.

Upon reaching the summit of Angel's Landing, you'll be rewarded with panoramic views of Zion's majestic red cliffs and the sprawling valley below. Take a moment to absorb the grandeur of the surroundings and revel in your personal achievement. After descending, we’ll grab lunch at a local pub near the park, and return to our basecamp for an afternoon of relaxation before dinner and our evening programs.

In addition to the physical activities, the retreat offers self-discovery workshops designed to enhance your well-being and foster personal growth. These workshops include meditation sessions, mindfulness exercises, and group discussions led by experienced facilitators. Engaging in these activities amidst the serene wilderness of the region allows for a deep connection with yourself and nature.

As night falls, you'll have the unique opportunity to camp under the starry night sky. Picture yourself nestled in a cozy tent, surrounded by the peaceful sounds of nature. The lack of light pollution creates a spectacular backdrop for stargazing. Gazing at the twinkling constellations, you'll feel a sense of wonder and tranquility, truly appreciating the vastness of the universe.

On Sunday, we’ll explore local trails to integrate our experiences before returning back to basecamp for brunch. Throughout the retreat, the focus is on fostering a supportive community of like-minded individuals. You'll have opportunities to connect with fellow participants, sharing stories, insights, and laughter on and off the trail. The shared experiences create a sense of camaraderie and provide a space for meaningful connections to form.

This retreat offers an unforgettable experience, where adventure, self-reflection, nourishing meals, and connecting with nature intertwine. It is an opportunity to rejuvenate your body, mind, and soul, leaving you with lasting memories and a renewed sense of well-being.

 
 

Mindful hiking through a diverse and breathtaking landscape.
Guided self-discovery activities to help you reconnect with yourself.
Adventures to help you remember what you’re capable of.
Ultimate relaxation at our fabulous glampsite. 
Delicious meals to fuel your journey.
Making memories with friends who feel like family.

You are capable of incredible things.

How long has it been since you’ve felt on top of the world?
When was the last time you impressed yourself by achieving something that once seemed impossible?

Real talk, I have some unfinished business with this hike.

When we attempted to summit Angel’s Landing back in 2019, I got to the last set of chains before the top and sat down. My body was not having it. I was shaking from Walter’s Wiggles (soooo many switchbacks), my hands were freezing because we started at some ungodly pre-dawn hour, and I didn’t trust myself or my skills. I don’t regret sitting that hike out, as I learned a valuable lesson about listening to my body and lived to hike another day. But now, nearly five years later, with thousands of miles and some massive mountains under my belt, I’m ready to give this another go. This is one of many reasons why we’re having Shanti from Land Beyond Zion guide this hike. I’ve never completed it. She’s an expert. And whether this is your first or 10th time kissing the sky above Zion National Park, just know that we’re all in it together, there’s no shame in sitting it out if you get scared near the top, and we’ll all be there to celebrate and cheer you on, no matter what!

Trip Itinerary

 

Friday, October 13

Check In

You can arrive between noon and 4pm at our glamping oasis in Cane Beds, Arizona. Whether you’re traveling in a camper van or setting up a tent, we’ll help you get settled in and ready for the weekend.

Welcome Ceremony

Once we’ve settled in, we’ll circle up for a welcome ceremony and kick off the weekend and get to know one another. We’ll go over safety information and our weekend itinerary.

Dinner + Campfire Chats

Barry’s cooking up an epic feast for us to fuel our adventures on Saturday morning, and after dinner, we’ll circle up around the campfire for group introductions and a pre-hike briefing.

 

Saturday, October 14

Summit Angel’s Landing

Grab your breakfast and join the caravan to Zion National Park, where we’ll be summiting Angel’s landing. Along this 5.4 mile round-trip hike, you will gain 1,488 feet in elevation.

Lunch + Chill

After our summit selfies, we’ll descend back to our cars, grab lunch at a local pub, and head back to our glampsite for a relaxing afternoon.

Dinner + Campfire Chats

Barry’s cooking up an epic feast for us to refuel after our adventures on Angel’s Landing, and after dinner, we’ll circle up around the campfire for group reflections and conversation.

Sunday, October 15

A Hike Through History

On Sunday morning, we’ll gear up for a walk through history on a local trail that features evidence of thousands of years of human activity, a mindful meditation, and self-reflection exercises you can use on the trail when you get home.

Brunch + Closing Ceremony

Barry’s brunch is the perfect way to refuel after our morning adventures and fill your belly before you head home. We’ll circle up for our final session to share some tools that you can take home with you, and close out our time together with group reflections. Checkout is 2pm.

 
 

$899

Bring Your Own Van, RV, or Tent

If you’re traveling in a van or RV and require shore power, please let us know in the registration form as power slots are extremely limited. Otherwise, bring your rig (26 ft or shorter) or bring your own tent and everything you need to sleep comfortably (sleeping pad, sleeping bag, pillow, extra blankets).

 
 

Try #vanlife!

If sleeping on the ground isn’t your jam or you’re ready for the roadtrip of a lifetime, try vanlife for the weekend with Escape Campervans!
Save 10% on your booking when you use our code: HIKINGMYFEELINGS!

What’s Included?

 

  • Since everyone has different needs when hiking, you are encouraged to bring your own lunch and hiking snacks. We’ll take care of breakfast and dinner! NOTE: You will be responsible for your lunch after we summit Angel’s Landing.

  • We’re partnering with Land Beyond Zion (formerly known as Wild Utah Tours) for a guided hike to summit Angel’s Landing. Your registration includes the fee for the guide and entrance to Zion National Park.

  • Your retreat registration includes your camping reservation for two nights at Land Beyond Zion, which features an outdoor shower, flush toilets, a full kitchen, and electricity to keep your devices charged.

    Detailed accommodation choices are listed in the registration section.

  • The research is clear, spending time in nature is beneficial for the body, mind, and spirit. On our guided hikes, you will learn techniques to turn any outdoor activity into a mindful experience. Experience the healing power of nature via guided self-discovery activities all weekend long on and off the trail. Participants will be provided with a small journal to take notes in as they hike, and we infuse self-reflection into all aspects of the event.

  • Through guided self-discovery workshops, participants can look forward to a weekend of disconnection from every day life to facilitate a deep reconnection with themselves and each other.

  • While our healing journeys are deeply personal and unique to our lived experiences, we all have at least one thing in common: we’ve survived everything life has dealt our way so far. Healing in community reminds us that we are never alone in what we’ve experienced and that together, we rise.

 

What to Bring

Retreat Facilitators

We’re here for you.

Hike & Heal Beyond Zion is a Wilderness Wellness retreat facilitated by Sydney + Barry Williams of Hiking My Feelings and Shanti Hodges of Land Beyond Zion. Together, we bring decades of experience in community building and facilitation, outdoor education, and guiding experience. 

 


  • ABOUT SYDNEY
    When former collegiate athlete and competitive skydiver, Sydney Williams, unexpectedly found herself on the receiving end of a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis, while grappling with unresolved trauma from a decades-old sexual assault, she set out on a mission: turn her pain into power. Two hikes across Catalina Island and 80 miles later, she founded Hiking My Feelings® to help others tap into the mind-body connection and healing power of nature that helped kick her self-limiting beliefs and disease into remission.

    Having more than 15 years of communications experience with Fortune 500 companies and emerging brands, Sydney serves up her “truth juice” style of storytelling to break wide open tough conversations with practical, powerful content and experiences. Over the years, she’s been featured on the SXSW stage, as well as in Health Magazine, Diabetic Living Magazine, San Diego Union-Tribune, Huffington Post, Psychology Today, US News & World Report, and numerous other publications. Today, she is the author of Hiking My Feelings: Stepping Into to the Healing Power of Nature, and she travels across the country empowering others to summit their personal mountains on their way to becoming Well Beings.

    Sydney is a certified Wilderness First Responder, an instructor at the Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park, and the Field Institute at Sequoia National Park. Sydney facilitates guided self-discovery exercises, and is here to help you blaze your own trail to self-love.

  • ABOUT BARRY
    Barry was living in the Upper East Side of Manhattan selling technology to banks and working with Fortune 100 companies when he had the opportunity to skydive the first time. That first jumped changed his life, and within 18 months, he went from living in the same building as Derek Jeter to living in a trailer in the backwoods of Maine, pursuing his instructor ratings in the skydiving industry. After a 16-year career as a professional skydiver, Barry was all-in on Hiking My Feelings.

    Hailing from New Hampshire, he spent his life hiking and backpacking in the White Mountains, where he also earned his Wilderness EMT certification. Barry lives by Bruce Lee’s recommendation; “be like water” and finds inspiration in the works of Alan Watts and Jiddu Krishnamurti. When he’s not leading hikes for Hiking My Feelings, producing content for our weekly videos, or driving the van, you can find him on his paddleboard, at a local reggae show, or cooking up an incredible meal.

    Barry is our chef for this event, making sure we’re nourished and ready for our adventures, and usually pulls up the rear on the hikes to ensure no hiker is left behind.

  • ABOUT SHANTI

    In 2007 I wrote my first book, Women Who Run, which was published by Seal Press. In 2018 I had a book come out with Falcon Press called “Hike it Baby: 100 Awesome Outdoor Adventures with Babies and Toddlers”.

    In 2013 I had a baby, which took me out of the workforce, but inspired me to found Hike it Baby. This is a nonprofit dedicated to getting families out with birth to five year old kids. The organization is still running and can be found in over 300 cities across America. For 5 years I was very involved with Hike it Baby first as the Executive Director, then a few years as the board president.

    Currently I live in the Zion National Park area where I operate a guide business and manage my boutique glampground (Land Beyond Zion). Both of the companies I own allow me to work on various projects periodically through out the year.