Dave & Dru Zion National Park
Zion actually came at the end of our trip, but it's listed first since it is one of the most well-known attractions. We chose to "splurge" and stay in a resort, gullibly enticed by internet ads. The "resort" turned out not to be a resort at all. It was a nice motel (if you like cabins), but definitely not a resort. Our cabin is pictured on the right. Judge for yourself. The "resort" was on the east side of the park; not a good choice because one has to drive a considerable distance (10+ miles) over a very winding road to get to the main part of the park each day. To make matters worse, the restaurant at our "resort" did not open until 8:00am, so we made the daily trek on empty stomachs.
As spectacular as Zion is, it can really be seen in one full day unless you want to do some hiking or linger over lunch at the magnificent lodge. At this point in our trip hiking was not at the top of our list, so we reduced our stay to just two full days instead of the planned three. However, there are some magnificent hikes to make, so if you are so inclined, you should allow time to enjoy the spectacular beauty they offer. As far as accomodations and amenities are concerned, the lodge is really the best place to stay. However (as we learned), you do need to make your reservations well in advance - like six months to a year. Enough of the travelog stuff. What did we see?
Part of that winding road that enters the park from the east is a 1.2 mile tunnel. The tunnel runs parallel to vertical edge of the mountain. Above left is a view of that mountain side. If you look closely, almost in the center of the picture you can see one of the ventilator openings, which in the early days of the tunnel was a scenic view where tourist could pause and take in the scenery. Today one is not allowed to stop. On the right is the view at the end of the most benign hike (the Riverside Walk at the Temple of Sinawava) in the park, located at the upper end of the main canyon. Actually, the more adventurous folks can continue off to the left for another couple of miles through the narrows. However, it does require some wading as well as caution if there is a chance of rain and thus flash flooding. Below left is a rock face that is the second most climbed precipice in the U.S. Believe it of not, there were eight climbers on the rock when the picture was taken. Apparently, it takes two full days to climb the clift, which means each team spends the night swaying in hammocks. And whatever they take in, they must take out, in whatever form. Once they reach the top, there is no band awaiting them in jubulous celebration. Instead, there is a four hour hike back to civilization lugging all of their gear. One of the intriguing things one encounters while touring southern Utah is interesting trees. It's amazing how they can survive. I couldn't resist them. Below right is an interesting, twisting tree silhouetted against pink, gray and reddish rock, all combining to give a rather surreal look.
Below left is a "rock" right in the middle of Zion Canyon known as Angels Landing. Believe it or not, there is a hiking trail that makes its way up from the lower left to the top. Although it's classified as a strenuous hike, it's a challenge I would like to take on when we next return. You are on your own, so you can set whatever pace you can maintain. The beauty is the second half of the hike is all down hill!! At lower right is a view which apparently appeared on a postage stamp in years past. The photo was taken in late afternoon in an attempt to highlight the white mountain against the darker foreground.
During the fall semester of 2004, I was enrolled in a Photoshop course at Palomar College. One of our class projects was to produce a panorama, wherein we "stitch" multiple photographs together into one. What better place to look for panorama opportunities than the desert? The picture below is of a scene called the Three Patriarchs, for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. What you see is two shots merged into one picture. Can you detect the seam? If so, humor me and don't tell me.
Go to Bryce, Canyonlands, Natural Bridges & Hovenweep, Canyon de Chelly, Navajo Nat'l Monument, or Monument Valley
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