Utah Day 11: Boots on the ground in Zion

Best birthday present ever! Steve dropped me off at the shuttle a little before 7.

I rode up to the top of Zion Canyon and walked the very tame, but very beautiful Riverside Trail.

Breakfast spot.

I SHOULD have taken a change of shoes. Many walkers headed up the Narrows wading in the creek. I had the impression that it was all (10-12 hours with equipment from an outfitter) or nothing. I'll have to come back. (In fact, Steve gave me a book of hikes in Bryce and Zion as a more concrete birthday gift.)

The plan was to meet up at the Visitor Center at 11:30, so I had time to fit in a couple more easy walks. This one was to Lower Emerald Pool.

When I got there the pool was small, but the water coming over the rocks sparkled in the sun.

I saw deer a couple times, but they tend to stay in the grass and shadows and don't come out for photos. But this guy did.

I was glad someone else put his hand near to show the size and I didn't need to.

One more quick hop off the shuttle to climb to the Patriarchs overlook. Beginning in the middle of this panorama shot, that's Abraham, Isaac and Moroni there with Jacob peaking over Moroni's shoulder.

I know. Moroni isn't in my Bible either. The Mormon's named the peaks.

After yummy crepes in a local cafe, we took the road to Kolob Reservoir. It goes in and out of the park past a variety of trail heads, but is MUCH less crowded than Zion Canyon itself. We passed a house with this view. Can you imagine what they must have paid for the lot?

The asphalt ended at the reservoir.

Water level is down a bit. I'd be happy to contribute some of our lake water that currently completely drowns our beach.

This is our last national park for this trip. Tomorrow we start home--by the scenic route, of course--up I-15 to I-70. No more hiking, but maybe I'll convince Steve to stop at a few scenic pull offs.

Utah Day 10: Rt. 89

At breakfast in our hotel we heard Korean and German. In the park we heard lots of French as well. If you are a foreigner visiting the US, this is a great part of the country to visit.

After breakfast we took off west on 12 back along the north edge of the park. It was cold--37--but it didn't stay there.

You don't have to be in a park to see beautiful scenery around here.

We turned south on Rt. 89, but the Hardys never go anywhere in a straight line if there is a scenic route nearby. We turned west on Rt 14 at Long Valley Jct. (a gas station). We made a loop north on Rt. 148, back east on Rt. 143, and south again on Bicycle Rt. 70 to return to Rt 14 and 89. We've seen a lot of bicycling around here. Definitely not the kind of up and down I would choose. The other day coming over Boulder Mountain on Rt. 12 we saw a whole group of bicyclists. Apparently a tour group. Probably with someone taking their stuff to the next stop. But near the bottom of the mountain we came upon a man pushing his bike. He had miles of uphill ahead of him. He must have been REALLY wondering what he got himself into.

Our loop was mountain country similar to what we saw on Rt. 12 over Boulder Mountain. We came upon an area of resorts, but I suspect they were places where Utah people go for a get-away, not foreign tourists, since there was nothing unique about them. It wasn't as scenic as it might have been since in places there were more dead trees than live. One entire mountainside seemed to be nothing but dead trees--a forest fire waiting to happen as Steve said. I suspect the cause is the pine beetle that has been devastating western forests.

The other interesting thing we saw was rocks--piles and piles of them in a ring around a mountain. There was a sign for a "cinder cone," so we figure a long-ago volcanic explosion.

Turning back south on Rt. 89, we hit the first road construction we have seen the whole trip. One way traffic, but not a big delay.

Coming west on Rt. 9, we pass through a 1.1-mile-long tunnel to enter Zion Canyon. We had to wait our turn. It's a one-way tunnel so the buses (which are considerably larger than when the tunnel was built in 1930) can go down the middle

The tunnel is unlit. Signs remind you to turn on your lights and take off your sunglasses. There are a few windows that open onto the canyon.

On the far side are a series of switchbacks down into the valley.

From one of the switchbacks, we could see one of the tunnel windows on the cliff face above.

Lunch was in front of the shopping area outside the Zion National Park Visitor Center.

Steve went to the bathroom before lunch. After lunch we stopped at the information booth. While we were asking questions, someone came up with his wallet saying, "Someone left this in the bathroom." Steve Hardy's guardian angel to the rescue again. It had probably been half an hour, but all money and credit cards were there.

Due to the crowds, cars aren't allowed up the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. You have to take a shuttle. Even the shuttle parking lots were full, with instructions to park in the town of Springdale and take a free city shuttle to get the free park shuttle. We were concerned about Mom getting on and off a bus and were able to get a special permit to drive in but not stop. At least Mom could oggle the views.

Supper at China Buffet in Hurricane. Nice change. (How on earth does a town in the middle of the desert get the name of 'Hurricane'?)