Bryce Canyon and Zion







I am a little behind here but I definitely wanted to share a few photos of Bryce Canyon NP and Zion NP. On our first visit to this part of Utah we missed Bryce Canyon National Park. We were waiting for our kids to join us and that is about the time we got flooded out of the area. It's a good 2 hour drive from Sand Hollow State Park where we were staying but well worth the drive. Really all we had time for that day was to drive the scenic byway and stop at all the viewpoints (or most of them anyway).  It is a beautiful place and rock formations here are as amazing as all the photos I have seen. Hoodoos galore! I will let the photos speak for themselves:




When last in this area we did visit Zion National Park several times and had hiked many of its trails so this was a repeat visit. On that first visit we were almost alone in the park as it was December. The shuttles weren't running and we drove in those days. This time we parked just outside the gates on Springdale and walked into the park. From the visitors center we used the shuttle to get us to the places we had decided upon. We hiked the Emerald Pools (lower, middle and upper). We enjoyed that hike the first time and again this visit. Our experience was different though, in that this time there were lots of other people on the trails. It wasn't crazy busy like I am sure it is in the summer and early fall but busy enough. This park may be my favorite of the national parks we have visited. Being at the bottom of this amazing canyon is an experience I wish everyone could have. If you want the park to yourself I would recommend December, just dress a little warmer and know that some trails will be closed. Still, for the solitude, it is worth it. Again, I will just let the photos tell the story.





Happy Trails!!!!


Comments

  1. RV Khronicles of KevelynNovember 10, 2016 at 5:51 AM

    Great pictures. Love the one of Janie at the end. We loved touring the National Parks in Utah. So much beauty!!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Time for me to learn to drive this rig.

Image
Trail at Squaw Creek park Yesterday we moved back to Morgan Creek park (about a 15 mile drive) and I drove the rig! We have always said that I needed to start doing this but I never seem to do it. The first year I think John just felt he needed to get proficient at all the driving & parking things before he had me do it and then we just got lazy. It was just easier for him to do it. Recently friends of our that we met in Tucson, John and Terri had a very harrowing experience that reminded us why we both need to be able to drive this rig. John they think had a seizure while driving, luckily not towing but still it is amazing that they survived it. What this meant is that now Terri had to do the driving back to their former home town Sacramento and like me she had not done much driving. She did great and they are now coming off the road and starting a new phase of life. All of John's test look good so far and we wish him the best and hope that it was just a one time isolated...
Read more

Three plus years of full timing....what have we learned

Image
Zion National Park,  Utah, December 2010 Harris Hawk at Sonoran Desert Museum, Tuscon Feb. 2011 When we left Cedar Rapids it began our 4th year of living and traveling in our RV. The last three years have flown by and we are still not ready to go back to a sticks and bricks life. We have traveled a lot of the western US but even with time out there all three years there are so many places we have yet to discover. This year will be our first going south and east, all new places for me and many new ones for John. I think one of the things that I learn every time we find somewhere new is how beautiful this country is. If you slow down and take the time you will find amazing things everywhere. I think the thing I appreciate the most about this lifestyle is that freedom to take it slow. BLM land near Quartzite, AZ in January 2011 Putah Creek, Winters CA in Jan.2013 Crater Lake, Oregon, fall 2012 Diamond Lake, Oregon, fall 2012 When we first took off we w...
Read more

The Urban Life

Image
The view from our balcony I have been thinking about this post for awhile. When we are not traveling I find it hard to sit down and write but I have wanted to tell you about our new digs and what living downtown has been like for us. Another balcony view We moved into a one bedroom apartment on the west side of the river in the downtown Cedar Rapids area. This is a brand new building that actually they are still working on. The first floor is businesses, floors 2 and 3 are apartments and floors 4, 5, & 6 are condos. We love the building. Every apartment and condo has a balcony that looks out over the river and the McGrath Amphitheatre. Our little apartment in this building is 767 sq. which, after living in our 5th Wheel for 7 years, seems huge. We feel these apartments were well thought out. The kitchen is wonderful. It has a large island (all  solid countertops - quartz I think) with a large sink and plenty of seating room . We started by buying 3 barstools but f...
Read more