Zion National Park
After a very good complimentary breakfast at the Best Western Motel in Kanab we departed at 8:15 for Zion National Park. It was cool, in the 50's, under blue clear skies. Thirty miles later we arrived.
Chris and I drove through the park once before (in the winter) but we had never done the scenic drive accessible only by shuttle buses. Today we did it. It is a beautiful area as you'll see from the pictures. It is so immense, however, that pictures don't really do it justice.
The shuttle bus starts at the visitor's center and makes 9 stops up into the canyon. We got off at stops #8 (Big Bend)
#9 (Temple of Sinawava)
and #5 (Zion National Park Lodge.
Carl and Marge wanted to get home earlier than Chris and I do so, when Chris and I got off at stop #5, Carl and Marge went on back to the visitor's center and started the long ride home. Safe travels to them. It was great traveling with them - again.
Chris and I took a short hike up to the Emerald Pools and waterfalls. The waterfalls were just a trickle and the emerald pools were brown. Oh well, it was a pretty hike. There was some excitement involved too. As we were approaching the start of the trail a park ranger came speeding into the parking lot, exited his vehicle with a medical kit (backpack), and hustled up the trail. We did not go far enough up the trail to see where the problem was but while we were looking at the waterfalls a group of 5 or 6 EMT folks arrived with a stretcher on one large rubber wheel to transport somebody back down. We could see through the trees where they stopped beyond the waterfalls. We headed back down and never saw any of them again. I assume they were stabilizing the patient before making the trip back down. The ambulance was waiting for them in the parking lot.
Chris and I ended up in a Quality Inn motel in Hurricane, UT. The high temperature today was 94 so I'm hoping to hit the pool this evening. We hope to hit Bryce Canyon National Park tomorrow.
To see all the photos taken today click on the following link: Zion NP
Chris and I drove through the park once before (in the winter) but we had never done the scenic drive accessible only by shuttle buses. Today we did it. It is a beautiful area as you'll see from the pictures. It is so immense, however, that pictures don't really do it justice.
The shuttle bus starts at the visitor's center and makes 9 stops up into the canyon. We got off at stops #8 (Big Bend)
Carl and Marge wanted to get home earlier than Chris and I do so, when Chris and I got off at stop #5, Carl and Marge went on back to the visitor's center and started the long ride home. Safe travels to them. It was great traveling with them - again.
Chris and I took a short hike up to the Emerald Pools and waterfalls. The waterfalls were just a trickle and the emerald pools were brown. Oh well, it was a pretty hike. There was some excitement involved too. As we were approaching the start of the trail a park ranger came speeding into the parking lot, exited his vehicle with a medical kit (backpack), and hustled up the trail. We did not go far enough up the trail to see where the problem was but while we were looking at the waterfalls a group of 5 or 6 EMT folks arrived with a stretcher on one large rubber wheel to transport somebody back down. We could see through the trees where they stopped beyond the waterfalls. We headed back down and never saw any of them again. I assume they were stabilizing the patient before making the trip back down. The ambulance was waiting for them in the parking lot.
Chris and I ended up in a Quality Inn motel in Hurricane, UT. The high temperature today was 94 so I'm hoping to hit the pool this evening. We hope to hit Bryce Canyon National Park tomorrow.
To see all the photos taken today click on the following link: Zion NP
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