Magnificent Zion

Another day, another magnificent National Park (although I do have one gripe National Park Service, but I'll come to that later).

Zion National Park is yet another example of staggeringly beautiful geography and wilderness. Situated in south west Utah, it was almost impossible to miss on our mission to stay warm and south as long as possible. On the edge of the Colorado Plateau, it's a short climb into the mountains from St George. I thought we had left the traffic behind when we turned quickly off I15, but that was until we reached the car park. To be fair to the NP Service they manage the numbers that want to go up the valley really well, by banning cars and making you use the shuttle bus. But (here is my small gripe), why oh why do they make you queue up for a map? This is apparently a covid restriction, but requires loads of people to stand in a line in close proximity to simply be given a map by a ranger in a mask! I can think of several better systems - like simply putting them on a table, or hand them to you on entry (they require to see your pass!). Anyway, gripe over, we didn't actually have time to take the shuttle up the valley, although we have done this previously, hiking the legendary Angel's Landing Trail, which requires a traverse on a precipitous ledge. As it happens the trail is currently closed for rock fall - so I've dug this one out and here is Nareesa on it nearly 20 years ago!!

But as ever turning the situation to our advantage we ascertained from the rangers that really quiet trails in the eastern part of the park, which did not require the use of the shuttle, were open for exploration. We need no second bidding. Beautiful scenery away from the hordes - bring it on.

In between we stopped countless times for breathtaking views and just to spend some quiet time, which is surprisingly easy considering the number of people in the visitor centre car park. It appears that the vast majority of visitors spend their time in the main canyon, close to their car or the shuttle bus. It doesn't take much to get away from them and enjoy this park in relative solitude. In fact, to date that seems to be possible in all of the parks - perhaps because they are generally so big. Not far from the most popular spots are places equally beautiful but much less crowded. So despite the gripe about map issuing, I'm still a massive fan of the NPS. As ever we have a thousand pictures, so here are just a few...

Rock fall

The Checkerboard Mesa - caused by cross bedding of ancient sand dunes and vertical cracking due to contraction and expansion of the sandstone in winter. Now you know!

It's hard to know where to look

From Zion we headed further east through Kanab where we stopped for an ice cream soda (well I did), so undoing the healthy diet of yesterday in one go. No e-numbers or sugar in this!

Finally for yesterday we crossed the Arizona border and arrived in Page for the night, close to the iconic Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado River, just before it enters the Grand Canyon.

I'd hoped for an award winning sunset photo, but the sun didn't quite cooperate (and I didn't have a wide enough lens anyway!). So I took a few snaps on the phone and just enjoyed the moment. So here they are...

And something tells me I will get in trouble for this. It was bit windy!