The southern area of Zion National Park is crossed by the spectacular Route 9. The central (n-s) road can be traveled
only by using the excellent shuttle busses. These stop every 5-7 minutes at
well-marked locations (unlike at Grand Canyon) - and the viewing was easy from
these well-designed busses. There are a couple of SPECTACULAR motels in
Springdale, just outside the Zion SW entrance, with views on both sides of
steep, multi-colored cliffs. Busses go from
these to the Zion visitor's center where the free shuttle busses can be boarded.
We spent about 20 minutes driving around the parking areas at the visitors'
center - and just before giving up and driving to Springdale to park, we got a
parking spot. Bob bought David a hat at the lodge further up the canyon for sun
protection, a most useful item in the intense sunshine here and at most of the
other SW locations. We got off the bus at several of the stops, and took a short
walk to the Virgin River, which was flooding, and up a short way into the slot
canyon at the end of the road. Bob convinced David not to take the horse ride in
the park, which was in hindsight a good thing, given the heat and other
considerations. The second day, we drove east on Route 9 across the southern end of
the park, going through Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel, at the end of which we parked
and walked the spectacular Canyon Overlook trail. We saw many prickly pear cacti
in bloom along this trail, and we stopped at a cool cave at the halfway point
and talked with a woman for a while, then continued to the overlook. The
ceilings of these overhangs drip water that has taken over a thousand years to
move through the rock from the surface - so the cooling drops are
extra-precious! Hikers returning on the trail told us that the overlook at the
trail’s end was breathtaking (it was), being at the edge of a sheer cliff,
with the canyon walls rising sharply (and colorfully) on all sides. We agreed
that Zion was our favorite park on the trip (number two tilted back and forth
between Arches and Grand Canyon). The park looked so green and wonderful that it
is no wonder that the Mormons traveling west thought they had found the perfect
place to settle - but the
Virgin River flooding made life in the canyon too difficult, so the farms were
eventually abandoned).
Our
motel had a pleasant rear deck with a cactus garden and a view of a red mountain
beyond (viewed over a miniature golf course and a partially obscured housing
development).
After leaving Zion
we ate lunch at a small restaurant and trading post on the left
side of Route 9. A delightful cook/waitress with an excellent voice, named Rusty,
sang along with the radio as she prepared and delivered our sandwiches.
Sometimes it is the unexpected delights that impress one's memory the most…
We
then drove on to Bryce National Park.
