Hi! Moving on from Arches NP, we are now in Zion NP, in Utah, USA, my favorite park of the entire 2012 Desert Park trip! We stayed in Zion for 1 day and 2 nights. Zion National Park is simply amazing. It is well known for its stunning views, Angel’s Landing, The Narrows, and its abundant wildlife. There are services (such as gas, food, and lodging) in the nearby town of Springdale. It was (once again) very hot, at 105 degrees out.
It took us 8 hours to get here because of a fire detour. There had been a huge fire, and a whole city was being evacuated. We got caught up in the traffic, and ended up having to drive 100 extra miles. In the end, we got to our campsite at 2:00 in the morning. I have discovered a new dislike. I hate having dinner after midnight, in the dark, when I have just spotted a huge, shiny cockroach. Anyway, we stayed in Watchman Campground, in site F008. There was water, dish washing stations, and well kept up bathrooms. Watchman Campground is named after the huge rock face that towers above it, of the same name.
Me hiking in the Narrows
In the late morning, we woke up and went to the visitor center. The ranger suggested that we take the Narrows hike that day, and Angel’s Landing the next. There was a shuttle to the Narrows in 15 minutes. We waited, and eventually the shuttle came. We got on, and we saw a lot of wildlife along the way to our destination. We saw 3 deer families (of 2 fawns and 1 doe), turkeys, foxes, and squirrels. Finally, we reached the trailhead. We started along the trail, which was paralleled by a refreshing river. Many people were swimming in the cool, fresh water. We kept walking, and found ourselves being swallowed by a deep canyon. It had gotten darker, and the temperature dropped drastically. It was a great break from the sweltering weather. The farther we waded through the river (most of the trail is wading), the less people we saw, until it was just us and 4 or 5 other people. We stopped when we reached a waterfall, and it was about 3 in the afternoon. Then we headed back, feeling really refreshed.
The incredible view from Angel’s Landing
The next day before we left, we hiked Angel’s Landing. Warning in advance: This is NOT a hike for people who are afraid of heights, or falling off cliffs. A few people have died doing this hike. We got up really early to beat the heat, and it was a pleasant temperature for about three-quarters of the way up. We crossed a river, and then went up, and up …and up. There are a lot of switchbacks before you get to Refrigerator Canyon (RC), but they are not as famous as Walters’ Wiggles (which are right after you exit RC). RC is really like a refrigerator. As soon as you step inside, it becomes green, lush, and a lot colder. It feels really good walking through there. After you exit, you must climb up Walters’ Wiggles. They take a while, but when you get to the top there is a place to sit and rest. If memory serves, there is a Porta-Potty there as well. If you choose to snack, PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE CHIPMUNKS!!!! Yes, there are adorable, but many problems come from feeding animals. Here is some more information. http://www.nps.gov/zion/naturescience/encountering-wildlife.html After you have a snack (don’t forget water or you will become dehydrated), you may start up the hardest part of the trail. The part with chains and cliffs. Here is the dangerous part where every so often, people fall off. Luckily, I did not. You hike across the steepest rock slopes imaginable, only clinging onto very strong metal chains. Once we got to the end, it was amazing. We were standing on a huge rock super high up in the air, with a stunning view of the valley on three sides. There were just as many chipmunks here as at the place to sit and rest. We sat at the top for a while, then began to trek back down.
Once we got to the bottom, we got in the car, and drove out of the valley, towards Bryce National Park!
NatVenturesUSA 