DURANGO TO ZION NAT'L PARK

JUST A COUPLE OF PICS ON THE WAY TO ZION . . . "SHIPROCK"



LAKE POWELL'S GLEN CANYON DAM



GLEN CANYON DAM BRIDGE



WE WERE SAYING "WOW" A LOT WHILE APPROACHING ZION.



WELCOME TO ZION NAT'L PARK. THIS IS YOUR FIRST REAL VIEW OF THE CANYON.



NOTE THE WHOLE IN THE CANYON WALL NEAR THE CENTER OF THE PIC; THEN LOOK AT THE NEXT TWO PHOTOS



ZION NAT'L PARK IS ENTERED BY A MILE-LONG TUNNEL DRILLED THROUGH SOLID ROCK. THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY WINDOWS IN THE WALL FROM THE TUNNEL. THIS IS AN AMAZING WELCOME TO ZION WHEN ARRIVING FROM THE EAST.



A FARTHER VIEW OF THE TUNNEL WALL AND ONE OF THE MULTIPLE HOLES



THE ZION NAT'L PARK CANYON IS 13 MILES LONG AND IS DROPDEAD GORGEOUS. THE GOOD NEWS IS, PRIVATE VEHICLES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE VALLEY; THEY RUN A FANTASTICALLY EFFICIENT BUS SHUTTLE SYSTEM CONSTANTLY. WE NEVER HAD TO WAIT OVER 5 MINUTES FOR A SHUTTLE; YOU CAN HOP OFF AND ON ANYWHERE AND TAKE ANY OF THE DOZENS OF HIKES UP OFFSHOOT VALLEYS. THE SIGNAGE, INFORMATION, AND FACILITIES ARE EXCELLENT.



"WATCHMAN", IMMEDIATELY ABOVE OUR TENT SITE FOR 3 NIGHTS












CHECKOUT THE TWO CLIMBERS ABOVE US IN ZION CANYON



SAME CLIMBERS



CLIMBERS FARTHER AWAY. THIS REALLY PUTS IT IN PERSPECTIVE. WOW !



I THOUGHT EVERYTHING WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BIGGER IN TEXAS. THAT'S ONE BIG LEAF !



IF YOU'VE WALKED VERY MANY BEACHES OF THE WORLD, YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH SENSE THIS PLEA NOT TO USE PLASTIC THROWAWAYS MAKES



DEPARTING ZION NAT'L PARK; NEXT STOP DEATH VALLEY NAT'L PARK. THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB PRESERVING THIS AREA WHILE WE, THE PEOPLE, ARE INTENT ON "LOVING IT TO DEATH." THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW TO CONTROL THE IMPACT OF WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE IN A BACKCOUNTRY AREA. I WISH I COULD SAY THE SAME LATER ABOUT YOSEMITE NAT'L PARK, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT "NOT" TO DO TO OUR BACKCOUNTRY.