10/1 Today we went into Zion National Park. Okay I'm not feeling this post because I was three quarters of the way through it and it just deleted itself. Zion was incredible and it was one of my favorite parks.
Even the drive into the park is beautiful. The whole area is just stunning.
Once we got into the park, we turned into the visitor's center and found a parking place. To go into Zion Canyon, everyone rides a bus so parking is at a premium. We were able to find a spot after someone else left and we went into the visitors center. Then caught the bus into the Canyon. The buses area all handicap accessible so you can catch anyone and the bus drivers don't have a problem booting people off the bus or out of seats to make room for the wheelchair.
I took all these pictures from the bus window so they aren't perfect but they still are beautiful.
These peaks are called the "Three Patriarchs" after Abraham, Issac and Jacob in the Old Testament. The original settlers of Zion Canyon were Mormons and many of the names are religious in nature. The name Zion comes from place of rest because the Mormons had found a place of rest free of religious persecution.
This rock formation on the right looks to me like a couple of hands steepled in prayer.
This rock is called Angels Landing because it was thought to be so high that only the angels could ascend it. Now there is a trail that goes to the top that is hiked by thousands of people every year.
We took the bus all the way to the end of the line at the Temple of Sinewava. Here there is a paved trail along the Virgin River to the beginning of The Narrows.
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| Becky wades in the Virgin River! |
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| Not the best picture. The water at the bottom of this area is washed out in light. It was a pretty beautiful view. |
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| The exit for the above pool. |
The paved trail has a few ups and downs and in several places in steep. It isn't as steep as Devil's Tower and these I could get up by going backwards. Sometimes its easier than pushing forwards. The trail has a covering of sand on it because everything is sand in the canyon from the beach to the rocks. Several places the sand was an inch or more deep and made for rough sledding but it was never for very long.
In some places I had to let the people pass so I wouldn't play one of my favorite games, wheelchair bowling. That's where I just run over people.
Lots of "hanging gardens" on the sides of the cliffs.
At the end of the trail you could continue into the narrows by wading in the river. People left their socks and shoes behind on the rocks and ledges. Many had special rental shoes that they wore to and from the water. Yikes hiking a mile out in wet socks and shoes isn't fun.
Lots and lots of people make this hike. You are never alone.
A glimpse into the Narrows. Go up far enough and there is a water fall and several other little slot canyons. The ranger told me I couldn't put floats on the wheelchair because they didn't allow floats on the river in the park.
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| That dude shows up everywhere, always sitting too; he's so lazy. |
The great part about the hike back is that you get to see things from a different angle.
We completed the two mile hike (one in, one out) in about two hours. Lots of rest stops, picture taking and time for Patrick to scramble over the rocks and blaze his own trail. After a quick refill of water bottles, bathroom breaks we were back on the bus.
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| A bunch of real turkeys hanging out near the rest station. |
We stopped at the Zion Human History Museum and watched the short movie (had nap time). Then it was back on the bus.
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| 'Merica! |
We thought about taking the walking path between the museum and the visitor's center but the map said it was a mile and it would take two hours(?). So bus it is then. The driver gladly kicked some people out of some seats to get me on. The buses get pretty full on the return trip. I felt bad that a family with two small kids had to wait for the bus. I know what its like to wait fifteen minutes while trying to entertain a small child (still have to entertain the teenager and that is almost worse).
We made it back to the car and decided to go up and see the Zion-Mt Carmel Tunnel.
The tunnel was started in 1927 and completed in 1930. At its opening, the tunnel was the longest of its kind in the United States at 5613 feet long. That's more than a mile, people. It was built to connect Zion directly with Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon. It is narrow and all over size vehicles have to pay an extra fee because it requires that the tunnel be shut down for one way traffic. Gotta pay the rangers some how. There is a ranger station at each end of the tunnel to manage traffic.
The road also takes you past some of the famous Zion landmarks such as the Arch, Checkerboard Mesa and Canyon Overlook Trail.
The road up to the tunnel is pretty spectacular. An engineering achievement in itself.
One of the tunnel windows viewed from the road.
West entrance
View out the windows.
East entrance
There are two tunnels on the road.
Checkerboard Mesa. Nature making straight lines.
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| Another beautiful arch. We saw lots of these, some little and some big, all beautiful |
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| Hoodoos! |
We made it back down the mountain and headed out of the park. Even going home as the sun was setting was awesome as the rocks changed colors in the fading light. Some people love Sedona and it's beautiful red rocks but this place to me is even more spectacular. Red rocks everywhere. We relaxed around a fire, drank some adult beverages and roasted some marshmallows.
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