Day 81 - The Vertical Desert

Four hour drives are the norm and so that norm continued today.

Not far from our starting point was a natural sight that had to be seen. Horseshoe Canyon is indeed a canyon in the shape of a horseshoe and after a ten minute walk to the precipice the scale of this sight is truly bewildering. Glancing down at the Colorado River as it hugs this hairpin corner is breathtaking. From this great height, a few parked cars can just about be made out on the river's edge, like a few ants by the side of a puddle as viewed from a standing height. It was worth the short detour to get here from our main route.

Driving from Horseshoe Canyon to Zion National Park had a familiar air to the previous drives to National Parks, namely Yosemite and Yellowstone. After driving through a predominately flat terrain for a while the roads and scenery change dramatically. Before long we are dwarfed by huge mountains and stalled by people deciding to randomly stop in the middle of the road and get out and take photos. Zion on first impression has more in common with Yosemite than Yellowstone although the deep red layered slate looking stone here appeared unique as outcrops overhung various parts of the road. We arrived at our cabin just before the evening. The cabin was cosy as in it had a fire, not as in ridiculously small. No TV alert! We had found a haven from modern distractions in the middle of the mountains. The literature described Zion as a 'vertical desert' and 'magical' in the snow. We were to test both these descriptions as walking trails were planned for the next day and bang on cue, sleet began to fall. Would it be cold and dry enough to form? Would it snow so much the trails would be closed? Would we be snowed in and have to entertain ourselves without a TV? Has this unnecessarily suspenseful end to today's post ensured you will tune in tomorrow?

Song of the Day:
Lauryn Hill - ZionRead more