Zion Side Trip

When I was planning for our trip to Zion National Park, I noticed that we would be just about 100 miles from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

I’ve been to the South Rim several times, but never made the trek around the canyon to see the North Rim. We decided to make it a day trip.

We started out in the morning by driving out the West gate of the park. It’s quite the drive, a steep climb with lots of hair pin turns.

After leaving the tunnel (which is quite the engineering feat), the drive is pretty easy. We stopped for lunch at the Jacob Lake in Arizona, about ½ way to the Grand Canyon.

We were amazed at how much of the forest has burned recently.

After a little more driving we arrived at the entrance to the North Rim.

We drove to several look-out points and wandered around. It was much like the South Rim, just less crowded and 1000 feet higher elevation (we wandered out to point Imperial, at 8800 feet the highest point in the park)

The roads are pretty narrow, and the jerks in SUV’s and large trucks speeding around corners using both lanes can make for some white knuckle moments, but it was worth the drive.

The River Walk Trail

I made sure that for our second day we had a reservation for the shuttle bus in Zion National Park. To keep traffic down to a minimum, they don’t allow most visitors to drive into the park (the exception is visitors staying in the hotel in the park).

Making the reservation was easy, I made sure I was online the day before at 9 am sharp to get the tickets as soon as they went on sale. Each ticket cost $1.

When we got to the shuttle area, I overheard one person complaining that you had to get to the park at 6 am to get in line for a chance at a shuttle ticket. I’m not sure how she came up with that idea, but she was angry, and I wasn’t about to tell her she was wrong.

We planned on heading up to the Temple of Sinawava and taking the River Walk trail, and maybe trying part of the Narrows trail, which starts at the end of the River Walk. My nephew told me he had taken the Narrows trail a couple of years ago, and he suggested that we should give it a try.

Along the River Walk Trail

He also mentioned something about regretting not getting the boots before trying to walk in the river.

I had read, and the bus driver confirmed, that there was a toxic algae bloom in the rivers and that you should try to stay out of the water.

On the way up the canyon, we noticed that a lot of people had the same type of hiking boots. Turns out they had rented the hiking gear my nephew had mentioned.

The River Walk trail is mostly paved, but in several areas you can get off the cement trail and walk along the river.

Overall a nice hike, no real hills so it is a really easy trip.

Zion Day One

Zion National Park doesn’t allow automobiles in the park for most of the year. Visitors are required to ride on a park service shuttle bus or in one of the approved shuttles. Currently you must purchase a $1 ticket and make a reservation to board the bus.

The reservation can be made a few weeks in advance or after 9 a.m. the day before you want to go.

We missed the early reservation window, so I was up before 9 and on the computer at exactly 9 a.m. to secure our ride.

Since we didn’t have a reservation on the first day, so we went to the Northern Entrance of the park at the Kolob Canyons.

A stop along Kolob Canyon Road

We drove the Kolob Canyon Road to the scenic overlook at the end of the road. From there we hiked the Timber Creek Overlook trail.

The View from the Scenic Overlook

It’s not a long hike, but it was a great way to start our Zion adventure.

One of the rougher parts of the trail

Arriving in Zion

As we left the Seven Magic Mountains, we had made it approximately half-way to our destination. The remainder of the drive was fairly uneventful, save for the credit card fraud we encountered just a few miles into Utah. Yep, my card got scanned and I got a fraud alert almost immediately.

A selection of merch at the gas station where my card got compromised. 

We arrived at the hotel about 7pm, checked in and then went to the front desk for suggestions on where to have dinner.

View of the hotel taken the next morning.

That’s when we found out that most of the restaurants in Springdale close at 9:30 pm. We headed to the steak house nearby, I figured that being the more expensive option, they may still have an opening.

We were told that we would need to wait, which we didn’t mind.

Turns out we made it just in time, the next couple got turned away.

The bacon wrapped meat loaf at the Switchback Grill.

It was a really good meal, we made up our minds to make a reservation and come back at least one more time.

Seven Magic Mountains

A couple of years ago, I noticed some very colorful rock stacks just off Interstate 15 just outside of Los Vegas, NV.

Since we didn’t have any real plans for stops along the way, we decided to pull off the main road and take a look. 

 

Two of the Seven Magic Mountains

According to the interpretive signs, the “Seven Magic Mountains elicits continuities and solidarities between human and nature, artificial and natural, then and now. What centers this amalgam of contradictions is the spiritual aspiration, one the bruises, elevates and transcends.”

Now, I don't consider myself to be an expert on art. In fact, I think I was about to be asked to leave the MOCA in LA for making a comment about a large installation piece during a tour. It was a joke, but the docent didn't find it particularly funny (although my wife did, and she is the only audience that matters).

I tried to elicit "continuities and solidarities between human and nature," but was left instead with a strong desire to find some colorful marshmallows. 

Heading to Zion

So, after being locked down for months, after having three scheduled trips cancelled, we finally are hitting the road once again.

After Hawaii extended the two-week mandatory quarantine, we dropped that trip and made plans to head to Zion National Park in Utah.

There were several reasons that Zion made sense. First, it was on my list of places I really wanted to visit. Also, my wife has mentioned that she wants to see most, if not all, of our National Parks.

Looking at the Covid maps, the area around Zion is almost virus free. It doesn’t mean that there are no risks but driving to an area and partaking in outdoor activities seemed like a pretty safe plan.

When we left for the 5 ½ hour drive to Springdale, Utah, we planned on stopping several times along the road to get out of the car and stretch our legs.

The first stop was in Baker California, home to the “World’s Tallest Thermometer,” and yes, it’s a thing.

Instead of checking out the 134’ lighted thermometer, we headed over to the “Alien Jerky” store.

Even the lights in the parking lot are Aliens. 

As if a 134’ thermometer wasn’t kitschy enough, Baker is home to an “Area 51” inspired store that specializes in all types of dried meats. 

Detail of the hotdog stand

They must be making some money, as they are currently expanding by adding a themed hotel and hot dog stand.

The Hotdog stand isn't open yet, but looks like it may be soon.

 

Getting Ready To Hit The Road

It’s about time.

 

After having the last three trips we planned canceled, we are finally getting ready to hit the road.

We had planned on going to Vancouver right as the virus hit.

Then we had planned a flight to Florida and a Panama Canal cruise. When those both went south, we scheduled a trip back to Hawaii, which we haven’t been to since we were stationed there in the early 1980’s. 

The 18 year-old sexy version of me in Hawaii in the early 1980's. 

All those trips would have included an airplane flight. So, since that is still a bit shaky, we are hitting the road in our shiny new Jeep. 

I don’t remember the last time we did a long road trip, but it might have been when Kenny and I drove across the entire country, which I reprinted the blog entries a couple of months ago.

Canon at Shiloh from my trip to Washington DC.

Now we are getting ready for a slightly shorter trip, we are only trekking a mere 345 miles to Zion National Park.

I’m looking forward to the trip, but as usual I may be over planning a little.

I know the main activity at Zion is hiking. I have been walking as much as I can, but mostly on level ground. I don’t think that will be the case in Utah.

The first thing I bought was a paracord bracelet, with a compass, emergency whistle, small cutting edge and fire starter. When unwoven it gives you about 6 feet of 550 cord.

I then found a new first-aid kit. I used to have one when I shot a lot of off-road races. You never know when you’ll need some bandages and medical supplies. Better to have a complete kit.

Also, I injured my right ankle about two years ago, and I’m still having issues with it. So, I did some research and bought a new ankle brace.

And then I got to thinking, we are going to be hiking, and there won’t be a ready supply of safe drinking water, so I bought us new backpacks with hydration systems.

Then, I thought, I need a way to mount a GoPro camera to my backpack, so I bought a new camera strap mount.

I knew that I would want to have at least one camera (cuz I am a photographer after all). But I realized that my current camera strap would bind in the straps for my backpack. So, I found a camera mount that attached to the straps on the backpack.

I already had the GoPro 8 Black and the enhanced audio mod. I thought, well, maybe I needed a lav mic. I did pick one up, but the test audio was better with the GoPro audio mod.

Me with the new hydration system, GoPro 8 with backpack mount and Canon camera with backpack mount.

I then did some reading about the hiking trails around Zion and checked with all my friends and family that have been there for recommendations. One of the things I learned is that using “trekking poles” can reduce the strain on your knees and ankles, as well as helping prevent falls. So I bought us both new trek poles.

Now, I figured that getting lunch might be an issue. After all, we planned to be hiking in the “wilderness” so the nearest fast-food offerings might not fit with our plans. For that reason, I included paper plates, silverware, solo cups, an ice chest, and some other culinary comfort items into the plan.

Did I mention that we are staying in a hotel? Well, I’m running out of time, but I think we may have to stop at the Bass Pro Shop in Las Vegas to pick up some last minute gear/supplies.