Zion National Park, Utah

[monik7]

My last stop in Utah was Zion National Park. It's definitely a place of awe and wonder. Humans have inhabited Zion Canyon for 10,000 years. In 1776 Spanish priests Dominguez and Escalante were the first Europeans documented in the region. American Jedediah Smith explored the area in 1826. The canyon was formed through the action of the very swift-flowing Virgin River and reveals how rushing waters shaped its narrow and twisting walls. In 1858 Brigham Young directed Mormon scout Nephi Johnson to explore the Upper Virgin River. His recommendations led to further Mormon settlements. In 1863, Isaac Behunin was the first non-Native American to settle in the canyon and the first to call it "Zion" - a Biblical reference to "a place of refuge."

In 1930, the federal government completed the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway and tunnel which are used when entering and exiting through the eastern entrance. If your rig measures more than 11'4" in height and/or 7'10" in width, you have to pay an extra $15 and they will stop traffic in the opposite direction so you can drive down the middle of the tunnel because it's so narrow. I guess in 1930 they didn't envision RVs and MHs. I thought my rig was small enough so I wouldn't have to pay, but the ranger got out his measuring tape and said, "Pay up and you'll thank me when you get in there." He was right!!!

Zion National Park is certainly, as they say, "A sanctuary for the soul."

The Virgin River


Rock Wall


Weeping Rocks. You can't see it, but there is water dripping from the upper edge of the overhang. Water from the upper plateau soaks through the porous sandstone. Here, where it encounters a more solid layer of rock, it flows out of the rock and drips down like a heavy sprinkle of rain.


Golden Columbine hanging on to a crack in a rock wall


This may be hard to see, but I just had to include it. This was taken from my campsite. If you look just above the green bushes in the foreground, you'll see a horizontal, very red layer that looks like bricks. It's below the upper layer of lighter sandstone. Dinosaurs walked on that dark red layer. Isn't that fascinating?


So ends my tour of Utah national parks. On to Grand Canyon!
Sandi

[Liz]

Beautiful pictures. Zion is a place still on my bucket list.

[snowball]

Love Zion it's so pretty we had a family reunion there a few years ago got to walk
that canyon that has the water seeping down it's so..... not sure the word quite wouldn't be it
as there was lots of kids in that group and anything but quite... just a neat place to visit
glad that you have enjoyed Utah!!!
sheila

[Rufflesgurl]

Nice pix Sandi. Thanks for sharing some of the beauty of Zion. Did you hike up into the Narrows? Where are you off to next?

Linda

[monik7]

Did you hike up into the Narrows? Where are you off to next?

Linda

No, didn't hike to The Narrows. I saw people starting out and they had to cross the river waist-deep. Wasn't prepared to do that nor did I want to. Grand Canyon is next.
Sandi

[chalet05]

Another walk down memory lane! Late DH and I hiked Angel's Landing - quite an experience. Thanks for once more sharing!

[BirdbyBird]

I so love those rocks. Thanks for the share.

[Nasoosie]

More beautiful pictures, and I love seeing where dinosaurs once walked! Gives you a feeling of being connected to those prehistoric creatures, does it not?

Glad you paid the extra bucks to go through that tunnel! I guess I need to write down the height and width of my trailer when I begin to make miles back to the western states next year. I don't think I have any idea of those figures right now.

Thanks for another great share!

[JudyJB]

Zion was one of my favorites. I am thinking maybe I will be back there for another week or so in a year.

There are some great bike trails in the Grand Canyon--some right on the edge of the South Rim and some through the woods. You can put your bike on the front of the shuttles, also, if the high altitude wears you out riding.