Zion National Park

Zion National Park is a beautiful park and gets lots of visitors. The main road (Route 9) through the park is one lane each direction. Just before entering the park, you go through the town of Springdale. It too is one lane each direction with pay parking spots paralleling the road. 

Quite frankly, I'm not sure I'd care to go to Zion during peak tourist times. I think traffic and trying to find parking would be an absolute nightmare. That said, the town and Zion offer a free shuttle service. In fact, the scenic drive to Zion Lodge and the ever-so-popular Angel's Landing Trail (permit needed) and The Narrows is accessible by shuttle only during much of the year. No personal vehicles allowed. 

Cyndy, a friend of Harold's from high school and a local, joined us for the day. This time we took the road that is closed to personal vehicles much of the year - an advantage to off-season visits. At the end of the road, we walked the paved Riverwalk trail to the start of the Narrows. We had not rented waders and waterproof shoes and so we didn't venture into the river waters. 

Even though we didn't hit the most popular trails, we were still impressed with what we did see. If you just drive Route 9 without stopping, you'll see amazing beauty. 

Where Are We Going Next?

Bryce Canyon National Park

It was our third national park within a week! It was another longish day. Bryce Canyon National Park is every bit of a two hour drive from the St. George, UT, area, especially if you go through Zion National Park at reduced park drive speeds. So technically, it was four national parks within a week. Thankfully, the roads were not crowded, even through Zion. You could easily imagine hordes of people though. 

This time, we had the tour guide assistance of a local. Cyndy, a friend of Harold's from high school, was along to show us her favorite stops in Bryce. Not biased at all, she thinks Bryce is better than Grand Canyon. Bryce may not be as grand in scale, but it's features are closer, making the views amazing. Despite the wind and colder than expected temperatures, we had a wonderful day. Thanks Cyndy!

Where Are We Going Next?