The ocean has power and fury; Yosemite National Park, majesty and grandeur; Yellowstone, raw volcanic energy, but Zion National Park has eternity. It is a place held sacred by many cultures and its mountaintops carry the names of many religious figures like the Court of the Patriarchs, the Great White Throne, Temple of Sinawava, and the Watchman. These eons old Navajo sandstone cliffs were built from 4,000 foot high sand dunes, washed by an ancient inland ocean, built up by geological forces of the Colorado Plateau and carved by the 10 million year old Virgin River—amazing.
We were last here in 1997 and the beauty remains unchanged but the park functions more efficiently with free propane shuttle buses providing the links to all the sites and eliminating the previous chaos of 4,000 cars searching endlessly for 450 parking spots. Here is a picture of our campsite under the gaze of the sentinel Watchman Mountain. It was a great place to greet the morning sun, return to rest and read after a day of hiking and enjoy a campfire under a blanket of endless stars.
There are hiking trails for every ability and inclination and here’s Bob trying to decide which trail to take. You can take the paved Pa’rus Trail, Riverside and Grotto Walks along the canyons, or medium hiking treks to the upper reaches to the Emerald Pools or the Watchman, or go all the way and defy gravity and stare down 1,400 feet of sheer cliffs from a 4 foot walkway on Angel’s Landing. Bob was not so sure of this one and told me, “Peg, I know Zion is heaven but I am not sure I really want to meet my Maker” but he did it! You will meet fellow hikers from all over the world and it is fun to share the trails, encourge each other on to the top and then share lunch overlooking the spectacular canyons.
Springtime is a fantastic time to be here as the high desert is blooming with wildflowers like the red Paintbrush especially in the Hidden Canyon area where you find hanging fern gardens, towering waterfalls and gentle streams.
One of my favorite activities was to get up early and ride my bicycle to the end of the canyon and experience the solitary pleasure of seeing the landscape wake-up to the sun with shadows giving way to light and color. There is so much to do here at Zion National Park—ranger-led hikes, ranger presentations throughout the day and evening, technical rock-climbing, backpack camping, an interpretive museum and visitor center, horseback riding, plus restaurants and accommodations at Zion Lodge. There was even a presentation on Saturday night by the current artist-in-residence, Mark Graham, about how Zion has been depicted historically by artists and his own work on trying to capture the essence of this special place. Add in the charming little town of Springdale which also provides a free shuttle service to its inns, restaurants and shops and you all have it all.
We were last here in 1997 and the beauty remains unchanged but the park functions more efficiently with free propane shuttle buses providing the links to all the sites and eliminating the previous chaos of 4,000 cars searching endlessly for 450 parking spots. Here is a picture of our campsite under the gaze of the sentinel Watchman Mountain. It was a great place to greet the morning sun, return to rest and read after a day of hiking and enjoy a campfire under a blanket of endless stars.
There are hiking trails for every ability and inclination and here’s Bob trying to decide which trail to take. You can take the paved Pa’rus Trail, Riverside and Grotto Walks along the canyons, or medium hiking treks to the upper reaches to the Emerald Pools or the Watchman, or go all the way and defy gravity and stare down 1,400 feet of sheer cliffs from a 4 foot walkway on Angel’s Landing. Bob was not so sure of this one and told me, “Peg, I know Zion is heaven but I am not sure I really want to meet my Maker” but he did it! You will meet fellow hikers from all over the world and it is fun to share the trails, encourge each other on to the top and then share lunch overlooking the spectacular canyons.
Springtime is a fantastic time to be here as the high desert is blooming with wildflowers like the red Paintbrush especially in the Hidden Canyon area where you find hanging fern gardens, towering waterfalls and gentle streams.
One of my favorite activities was to get up early and ride my bicycle to the end of the canyon and experience the solitary pleasure of seeing the landscape wake-up to the sun with shadows giving way to light and color. There is so much to do here at Zion National Park—ranger-led hikes, ranger presentations throughout the day and evening, technical rock-climbing, backpack camping, an interpretive museum and visitor center, horseback riding, plus restaurants and accommodations at Zion Lodge. There was even a presentation on Saturday night by the current artist-in-residence, Mark Graham, about how Zion has been depicted historically by artists and his own work on trying to capture the essence of this special place. Add in the charming little town of Springdale which also provides a free shuttle service to its inns, restaurants and shops and you all have it all.
