One Word... ZION!

"We leave something of ourselves behind when we leave a place, we stay there, even though we go away. And there are things in us that we can find again only by going back there." - Pascal Mercier

Only three places were on my list when I started thinking about my trip and where I might like to travel. They were #1 Zion, #2 Washington, and #3 Joshua Tree. The rest I knew I would figure out as I went along. I am embarrassed to admit Zion was only on my radar within the last year. Being new to the adventurer scene, catching up took me a minute, but I'm SO glad I did!

I struggle to find the words to adequately describe one of the most amazing places. It's a lot of pressure to get this right. I was continuously overwhelmed the entire time I was here, and the feeling never left me. Every turn presented another magnificent and breathtaking view I had never experienced before. It was moving and deeply spiritual for me.

If you look at the size of the car relative to the canyon, you can begin to get an idea of just how enormous it is. This was my first glimpse of what was to come.

Again, look at how small the cars are. Imagine standing at the bottom and looking up at this view. Talk about overwhelming. You cannot drive in many places within the park and must take a shuttle. Zion is located just outside a small town called Springdale.

Every turn was just breathtaking, and the colors were beautiful.

We took the shuttle to the Zion National Park Lodge to visit the Emerald Pools. There are three pools, the lower, middle, and upper. Round trip to all three is just over a two-mile moderate hike. The hike started past the trees and towards that big beautiful mountain. I could have stared at this view for hours.

The North Fork Virgin River carved these magnificent canyons over millions of years. The canyons are over 2,000 feet deep, and this beautiful little river created all this! We crossed it on the way to the Emerald Pools and enjoyed the gorgeous view.

Well, hello! We were hiking toward the lower pool and came across this spectacular rock in all of its glory.

This was the area around the lower fall. The trail wrapped around these curved cliffs. The colors were stunning, and it was incredible.

The middle waterfall was lovely but less impressive than the lower and upper waterfalls. This is the upper waterfall. I had no idea what to expect, but it took my breath away when I hiked to the top and entered this magnificent area. In the fall, the waterfall wasn't as strong as it usually is in spring or summer, but to me, it was still incredible.

Many rocks piled around the water, so we just sat here for a long time, taking in this tranquil oasis before we started our hike down again. I will never forget how I felt in this portion of the upper waterfall. I was partly in awe of the magnificent surroundings and felt so peaceful and grateful for the experience.

This is me just taking it all in. I remember thinking to myself... I don't ever want to forget this moment. I've had a lot of those moments on my trip.

The view on the way down was just so majestic, and I kept returning to feeling completely overwhelmed by the scale of how large they were and how small I felt in this canyon.

There was no shortage of wildlife in the park. There were deer everywhere, and they didn't even give us a second thought. We found these turkeys on the hike to the lower falls. I didn't see any infamous California Condors known to make their home here. They are the largest flying birds in North America and have a wingspan of 10 feet! Maybe next time. They are said to be seen from Angels Landing and Kolob Terrace.

We had an early lunch on the second day at River Rock Roasting Co in La Verkin, near our campsite. The weather was perfect, and the views were, of course, incredible.

Talk about lunch with a view... I could have stayed longer if I didn't have Zion waiting for me! Nothing can top those views!

Case and point! We started the day later and decided to take the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway drive through the park.

It is a 25-mile drive listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. I understand why it is such a big deal and impressive. Ten miles of the drive is through Zion and the Mount Carmel tunnel, pictured below.

I couldn't figure out what this hole was for in the canyon, and I thought it was interesting and picture worthy, but I later figured it out. It was used to blast into the canyon. Then the crews could access the cliff's interior and work through the canyon by combining drilling and blasting. The windows also served as a means of ventilation during the construction, and they were left in the tunnel to provide beautiful views of the canyon.

Just me and a random tunnel window. lol

This tunnel is 1.2 miles long and was an engineering marvel in the late 1920s. It's a long, dark tunnel except for the occasional window opening.

On the left is the opening from the tunnel window I took a picture of earlier

You are rewarded for making it through the tunnel with more spectacular views. The mix of yellows, pinks, and whites in the rocks is stunning.

We took the opportunity to do some hiking, and though it wasn't Angels Landing, it was still a memorable hike and the perfect ending to the day.

This was later in the day, so the sun began to set, and we could see it reflecting on the rocks. Just gorgeous.

I could relate to this picture. Sometimes I feel like a lone tree on the top of a rocky foundation. 😊 But you must admire its perseverance and determination because I'm sure it wasn't an easy journey. I feel you, tree!

I didn't know much about Zion before coming here and I learned so much during my visit. I would have hiked up Angels Landing if it didn't require a permit. It is known as the scariest and most dangerous hike in America, and although it's just a 2.2-mile hike, it packs a punch. It has a zigzag trail that leads up to a skinny land bridge with a steep drop-off and only a metal chain for guidance. The view is known to be spectacular, 1,500 feet above the canyon floor.

Next time would also do the slot canyons in The Narrows and Zion's Subway through North Creek. The Subway is a 9-mile hike and requires a permit. Next time Zion... Next time!

Zion is definitely a gift that keeps giving. There is so much to see and experience here, and I wholeheartedly believe everyone should experience this place at least once. It is an adventurer's dream, but even if you don't consider yourself adventurous, it is worth experiencing just how majestic it is. The experience will forever change you.

Next stop... Lake Powell

Stay Wild 🌿