Zion National Park

Zion National Park - July 23

Monday morning (after I slept in till 9am or so...lazy bones), we headed about an hour and a half  southwest to the east entrance of Zion National Park. To get there we had to pass through the tunnels we spent so much time debating about when we arrived to Ruby's Inn so I was able to snap some pictures. We also brought the bikes just in case there was time to ride the great bike trail that went through Red Canyon on Hwy 12 (same one with the arch tunnels). Zion was so different! Its main attraction are all these HUGE rocks with these distinct and different layers. The park is a great place for the incredibly experienced climbers as well, but we didn't see any because climbing doesn't happen in the summer months for the protection of some animals.

The so labeled 13'6" arch tunnel on Hwy 12

Red Canyon on the scenic Hwy 12 drive. None of this is even in the park!

My best driving sign shot of the whole trip!

The first view after entering the park is at Checkerboard Mesa. It's hard to tell in this picture but the roads are red to blend in with the rocks. A very nice touch.

More of the huge rocks in Zion

This is right on the side of the road......straight up where the shoulder is.

The 1.1 mile tunnel that was built in the 30's. Traffic only goes one way at a time so if some crazy in their motorhome wants to take it through, they just take the middle and go on. I say crazy because the road in Zion was a lot of switchbacks with no guardrail of any sorts, so a tough drive in a motorhome.



The view out of one of the little windows in the tunnel



We were there in that tunnel! So awesome.

We went to the Visitor Center at the south entrance of the park and looked inside, and Dad bought a great book with pictures of Zion to match the Bryce book. We boarded the Zion shuttle.  We rode to see the Zion Lodge and other views of the park. We decided at the last minute to take this easy one mile hike, and we noticed many other tourists had made the same decision!! It was still a great little walk along the Virgin River and down in between the rocks.

The Virgin River on our river walk

Looking like an idiot carrying my designer bag on a hike. At least I had on tennis shoes.

The fattest squirrel I have ever seen in my life. People feed them all the time.

I promise Dad is on this trip too even though it looks like I am doing it solo.

More rock. So awesome.

We really enjoyed Zion and were so glad we weren't in the Newell. What a disaster that would be for anyone to show up in their rig that is too big to go through that tunnel with just about no place to turn around?? It is a fairly small park and since we weren't doing any of the hikes where you basically hang off the mountain (where fatalities DO occur the authorities made sure to mention) the trip didn't take all day.  We were able to get ready to leave the next day!!

Oh, for the extremes.

Rain on the way back to Ruby's Inn - we could see different rain pockets all over the sky on the way in so there was no need for the bikes.

UTAH ROCKS!!!!