Leaving Zion

(Continuing the recap of my mid-October trip to southern Utah and Northern Arizona...)

On the road again.....

The third morning of our trip, my hubby and I awoke to rain and foggy skies.  But the previous night we'd chosen a cozy motel room over our tent, and now smugly watched fat raindrops patter the ground outside.

The scenic Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway

Due to the lousy weather, we were in no hurry to leave.  Heavy clouds and rain equaled no views.  Glad we'd seen most of Zion's sights already, Roger and I lingered over a fabulous breakfast in the nearby restaurant (included with our room).  Then we took our time packing our now-dry gear back into the car. 

Mile-long Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel

Today's destination - the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  Only 125 miles away, we planned a leisurely drive via the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway for a final look at Zion National Park.

Canyon Overlook Trail

The Zion-Mount Carmel Highway leads visitors from Zion National Park to all points east.  A winding, narrow road, it's a spectacular climb from the canyon floor, traversing a series of six sinuous switchbacks and a mile-long tunnel.  The Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, built in the 1920s when vehicles were much smaller, requires larger vehicles (RV's and trucks) to pay an additional fee to drive through.  Due to narrow lanes, the park service shuts down the tunnel to all traffic for large vehicles, allowing them to take up the entire road width.

Lots of steep drop-offs!

Luckily, by the time Roger and I left Springdale, the rain began to taper off.  Dry skies greeted us as we began our ascent of the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway.

Looking down into a narrow Pine Creek Canyon

What an outstanding drive!  The scenery was spectacular.  Huge sandstone monoliths rose directly upward from the roadside.  As we slowly climbed the switchbacks, the entire Zion valley began to spread out below.  I looked forward to driving through the famous tunnel, and even though there wasn't much to see, it was still very cool.  It was a mile of darkness punctuated by an occasional window offering quick glimpses to the outside world.

Can you see the mountain sheep?

On the east side of the tunnel I spotted a large pullout, providing access to the East Rim Trail.  Of course I wanted to hike it, and since today's journey was a short one, we had time.

Still a few puddles to trek through

According to the trailhead sign, it was supposedly a half mile to the viewpoint.  Roger and I headed out first traversing a steep, slippery sandstone hill and then following Pine Creek Canyon's scenic rim.

White sandstone peaks gleam in the light

The East Rim was a fun trail.  I enjoyed winding through the rocky outcrops and climbing over sandstone boulders.  Around every turn, the scenery kept getting better until we arrived at the designated viewpoint at trail's end.

Overlook photo op

Oh my what a fabulous sight!  The entire lower Zion valley opened up before us.  We spotted the white sandstone cliffs of Bridge Mountain, Streaked Wall, and East Temple.

Can you see the twisty road below?

And far, far below we could see the sharp switchbacks of the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway.  Such an amazing panoramic view!

Scrambling across the rock

What can I say, lots of photo-taking ensued!  Roger and I lingered awhile at this fabulous place, soaking in our last great views of Zion National Park.

Row of sandstone pillars

Then we reluctantly retraced our steps back down the trail.  The return trip also had some nice surprises.  One of the other hikers spotted a herd of mountain sheep high on the cliff and we had fun watching them.

Roger looking for the tarantula

Then another hiker warned us of a tarantula on the trail ahead.  He said it was on a rock wall "about head height."  Ugh!  I let Roger go first....I didn't want to come face to face with a huge spider!

Almost done!

Of course, Roger thought seeing another tarantula would be cool and eagerly searched the rocky walls as we passed by.  I lagged behind, hoping that spider would just crawl away.

Red rock close-up

But, Roger found the creepy crawly thing, sitting on a nearby rock ledge.  Although I took a few camera shots, (again, thank goodness for zoom lenses!) I don't think anyone really wants to see another tarantula photo.  You'll just have to take my word for it.

Fantastic layered sandstone formations

Back at the car, we continued our drive through the remainder of Zion National Park.  I'd expected a quick trip, but the scenery was so wonderful I made Roger stop for more photo ops.

Fall color just starting

Large sandstone monoliths rose high in the sky.  Colorful rock layers made interesting patterns on the hillsides.  And along the narrow river valley, trees were just beginning to change into their fall colors.

Cool rock patterns

It was such an enjoyable drive, I was disappointed when we finally passed by the Park's east entrance.  Goodbye Zion!

Rock layers encircle this butte

But more good stuff awaited us a couple of hours down the road.  Passing the Utah-Arizona state line, I reveled in the fact that I was finally going to give Arizona a proper visit.  (The only western state I'd yet to set foot in.)  And I was finally going to see the Grand Canyon, a place long on my bucket list.

We made it!

The drive to North Rim was a long, boring one.  There's not much to see between the Utah state line and Jacob Lake, a tiny resort town 40 miles north of the Grand Canyon.  But slowly, the sagebrush-dotted plains transitioned to lovely forest, and I felt a surge of excitement as the park sign came into view.

Hello Grand Canyon!

Be sure not to miss my next series of posts all about this wonderful National park.


And if you've missed any of my Zion National Park posts, here's a list:

Zion National Park - The Adventure Begins
The Emerald Pools
A Stormy Night
Angels Landing
Zion's Hidden Canyon

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Zion's Hidden Canyon

(Continuing the recap of my mid-October trip to southern Utah...)

Angels Landing conquered, my hubby and I had most of the afternoon to fill.  Wanting to see as much of Zion National Park as possible, we discussed our options for the next destination.

Hidden Canyon trail begins

While on Scout Lookout, I'd struck up a conversation with a man from Connecticut.  A frequent park visitor, one of the hikes he'd recommended was Hidden Canyon.  Although more climbing was involved, it was described as a short hike with big rewards.

Sharp switchback (but not Walter's Wiggles!)

Good enough for Roger and I!  From Angels Landing, we took the park shuttle one stop to the Weeping Rock Trailhead, which also doubled as the starting point for Hidden Canyon.

The higher we climbed, the better the views

The trailhead sign noted the round-trip distance to Hidden Canyon as two miles.  Perfect!  My hubby and I began climbing up a steep, rough dirt path.

The entire valley opened up

It didn't take long for tremendous views of the Virgin River Valley to open up below.

Remnants from yesterday's hailstorm

After a short distance, I began to notice a white mound at the corner of a switchback.  It looked like a snowdrift.  Moving closer, I realized the white stuff was a pile of hailstones, remnants from yesterday's storm.  Located in a shady spot, these little ice balls had been slow to melt.

Hmm...good to eat?

Of course, we had to get a couple of photos of this unusual sight.  And, no I wasn't that hungry!  (I'd have to be really desperate to eat one of those dirty hailstones.)

The trail became narrow

We climbed steeply, rounded a switchback and climbed some more.  As time and distance wore on, it seemed to me I'd already traveled at least a mile.  That canyon had to be around here somewhere!

Lovely patterns on the rock

But we'd round another switchback, and the trail still rose upward.

Trees growing out of the rock!

Finally, we topped out on a ridge.  Was this it?  Nooo.....the trail contoured across a narrow gully, and then traversed up the the opposite side.

Park road and bus waayyyy down below!

The "path" climbed up the side of a cliff face.  This narrow route hugged the steep wall, with only a chain for hikers to hang onto.  Oh, I didn't like the looks of that at all!

Virgin River Valley

I know for sure we'd traveled much farther than one mile.  And by the looks of it, we still had at least another half mile to reach our destination.  After climbing Angels Landing that morning, I was tired and footsore.  I told Roger I'd had enough.  We agreed to turn around and hike back down.

Close up of these cool rock formations

Although we didn't reach the famed Hidden Canyon, the fantastic views from this trail alone were worth the climb.  We could see the main park road wayyy down below!  The Virgin River wound in between some impressive rock formations.  And the weather cooperated, keeping things dry the entire time.

Tree-lined trail

Back at the trailhead sign, Roger and I both agreed it had to be wrong.  We'd traveled way farther than the 2 miles that was stated.

Dependable Zion shuttle buses

But it was time to board another shuttle for one final destination.  Chased off by the previous day's big thunderstorm we didn't get to visit the Human History Museum.  Behind the museum was a stunning view of a group of sandstone formations called the Towers of the Virgin.  I didn't want to leave Zion without a photo of these huge monoliths. 

The Towers of the Virgin

Then we happily headed into the nearby town of Springdale and checked into a local motel.  Knowing we'd likely need to shower and charge electronics, I'd booked us indoor accommodations for the third night.

Another view of the Towers

Oh it was so wonderful to be in a dry, heated indoor room!  With showers!  After three days without bathing, my hubby and I were both mighty ripe (Yeah...I think people on that last shuttle were giving us a wide berth)  We laid out all our wet camping gear to dry and it looked like a sporting goods store had exploded in our room.

Sunset view from our motel room

But the best was yet to come.  The back patio off our motel room had the most wonderful view of more colorful sandstone cliffs.  As we sat outside, enjoying a beer, the setting sun colored these rocky pillars the most vibrant shade of red.  People popped out of their rooms and stared in awe.  Cameras clicked.  Truly a perfect way to end our stay in Zion National Park.

Tomorrow we would bid Zion goodbye, and head to our next destination - the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. 

Angels Landing

(Continuing the recap of my mid-October trip to southern Utah...)

In my last Zion National Park post, Roger and I experienced a very stormy night while camping in the park.  We'd planned to hike the famed Angels Landing trail the following day, and I was worried this bad weather would force us to cancel.

At the trailhead

Luckily, the next morning dawned dry and thunderstorm-free.  My hubby and I awoke to a sopping wet tent (which had leaked onto our sleeping bags sometime during the night).  We'd planned to spend tonight in a nearby motel, so our camp had to be broken down and packed into the car for the day.  Crabby from lack of sleep, we both groused our way through this unpleasant task.  But finally, with all our damp gear crammed into my poor car, we parked in the Visitor Center lot, and caught a shuttle bound for the Angels Landing trailhead.

Roger rockets ahead

Angels Landing is one of the most famous hikes in the National Park system.  A nearly 1500 foot tall rock formation located within Zion, it's a 2.5 mile one-way climb to the top.  The views from the summit are magnificent - stretching down the canyon in each direction.  To access this spectacular panorama, the park service constructed an amazing trail that in some places is cut into solid rock.  One portion of extremely steep switchbacks is known as "Walter's Wiggles" after the first superintendent of Zion who helped engineer this section.

Muddy Virgin River

Today's trek began in the same location as yesterday's Emerald Pools hike.  Crossing the same bridge, I noticed the Virgin River was a totally different water body from the previous day.  Thanks to last night's rainstorms, this placid, clear, meandering stream had been transformed into a wide, muddy torrent.  On the opposite shore, the paths parted, and instead of heading left to Emerald Pools, today we took the right fork towards Angels Landing.

Fall colors just beginning

Scenery was absolutely stunning from the start.  The trail followed the Virgin River's banks, and wound through a wooded area, with fall colors just beginning to show.  Colorful sandstone peaks rose from the river, Angels Landing jutting prominently in front.  Although clouds lingered in the sky, diffused morning light was fantastic on the nearby rock walls.  Right off the bat, I was stopping and taking photos, and Roger, not wanting to wait, zipped ahead.

Halfway!

After a half mile, the path begin to climb, switchbacking steeply up the first sandstone cliff.  Puffing while ascending the steep grades, I took lots of photo (ahem-rest!) stops.  These frequent breaks provided chances to take in the fabulous scenery that kept getting better the higher I climbed.  There were some great views looking back down the trail.  The switchbacks were so tight, I mistakenly thought we'd already reached Walter's Wiggles.

Sinuous path upward

After a mile, we got a break from the climbing as the trail leveled out and passed between Angels Landing and the adjacent Cathedral Mountain.  This gap between the two peaks, known as "Refrigerator Canyon," was named for it's continuous cool breeze and shade.  During hot summer days, this canyon provides welcome relief for hikers.  Today, however, with cloud cover and temps comfortably cool, overheating wasn't a problem.

The trail was hewn into the rock

Roger would rocket ahead on the trail for awhile, and then wait for me to catch up.  Sometimes, I'd see him gazing down from an upper switchback.   Once I'd been spotted, he'd continue on.

Switchback in Refrigerator Canyon

After a scenic stretch through Refrigerator Canyon, I turned a corner and there before me were the famous "Walter's Wiggles."  A set of 21 very tight switchbacks, literally stacked on top of each other, the trail seemed to rise straight up.

Walter's Wiggles!

Although I'd met lots of people on the trail, thus far I'd been hiking by myself.  But everyone seemed to congregate at the Wiggles.  I began my climb in a crowd of people, and passed many more on my way up.  These sharp switchbacks seem to slow many hikers. I was surprised by a few of the people I saw trying to climb this trail - they didn't appear to be fit enough to attempt such a strenuous hike.

This trail is crazy steep

Of course, I huffed and puffed plenty all by myself.  The Wiggles was an extremely steep climb.  It was kind of freaky to look back down and see the switchbacks nearly vertically stacked on top of each other.  It was quite a view!  Yeah, I took a lot of "photo" breaks to capture these unique sights.

Scout Lookout (aka "chicken point")

Then suddenly I reached the top of Walter's Wiggles.  The terrain flattened out into a broad saddle.  I'd reached Scout Lookout, a wide area of sandstone leading to the final steep push up Angels Landing's very top.

Final precarious route to the top

Scout Lookout is also known as "chicken out point."  Many people, upon reaching Scout Lookout, get a glimpse of the final half mile scramble trail and decide they've gone far enough.  I told myself I wasn't going to chicken out, but when I saw the "route" (it wasn't a trail!) to Angels Landing's summit I decided there was no way I was going to attempt it.  The route was a nearly vertical climb up very slippery wet sandstone, with only a chain to hang onto.  And it was crowded with people going in both directions.

Amazing view below

Roger debated continuing on to the top.  But the large amount of people swarming the summit made him reconsider.  My hubby and I decided we'd climbed high enough.  The views from Scout Lookout were mighty fine, and we didn't have to risk our lives for them.

Wall of red rock

Roger and I found a place on the rocks, ate a snack, and enjoyed the amazing scenery below us.  We also were entertained by our fellow hikers, some beginning their climb and turning around, others waiting for companions to return from the top.  A group of chipmunks stealthily scurried amongst the crowds looking for crumbs, and boldly climbing into unattended backpacks.

Proof we made it

The cloudy skies, which until now had remained dry, began to drop precipitation upon us.  Now Roger and I were doubly glad we hadn't attempted a climb to the very top.  This rain would only make the slippery sandstone even slicker. 

Roger admires the white sandstone

Roger noticed another trail leading away from our perch, that appeared to contour the top of this saddle.  Not many people were hiking this direction, so he suggested we follow it for a bit.  Growing weary of the mass of humanity parked at Scout Lookout, I was more than happy to leave.

Rough trail

We followed this rough path through rocky landscape for a half mile or so.  The rain let up, and I enjoyed the views of adjacent rocky peaks.  But Roger's knees were beginning to bother him, so he suggested we head back down.

High altitude bathrooms

I was surprised to see two small restrooms perched above Scout Lookout.  When I decided to use one, Roger said he was going to head down, and he'd meet me on the trail.  Approaching the bathrooms, I was disappointed by a sign that said these restrooms were for emergencies only.  (Apparently they are difficult to keep clean - big surprise)  I decided I could wait.

Back down Walter's Wiggles

So it was back down Walter's Wiggles!  The descent was much more fun now that I wasn't gasping for breath - and the views pretty darn spectacular.  But there were still mobs of people climbing up.

Quite an amazing trail!

Here's a photo showing the intricate rockwork lining these sharp switchbacks.  As you can see, constructing this trail was quite an engineering feat!

Fantastic views going down

The canyon views were even better as I descended down the first steep cliff.  By now, the rain had stopped, and I even glimpsed a bit of blue trying to break out.

Looking down the canyon

I caught up to Roger and trailed him down the final sinuous switchbacks.  Although his knee was still aching, he'd been taking it slow, and it was doing okay.

White dome

As the trail leveled out, and began to follow the Virgin River once more, I began to see sunshine lighting up the canyon.  Turning around, I got a final view of Angels Landing, beautifully lit up by the sun, with a bit of blue sky behind.  A wonderful scene, I captured a few final images to remember this fabulous hike.

Blue skies to finish our hike

My favorite trail in Zion so far, I was glad the weather cooperated.  But now it was early afternoon, and there was still time for another hike.  Where should we go next?  Come back for my next post, as my Zion National Park trip continues....


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