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A new day means new adventures, and today's adventure was HOT. The drive back into Utah from northern Arizona was intense. The North Rim of the Grand Canyon had been relatively cool, compared to the firey temperatures overtaking us as we drove into Hurricane on 59. When we reached La Verkin, we turned on 9, leading directly into the park. On the way, we enjoyed some awesome views, including some groovy clouds.
We decided to set up our campsite before going into the park, so we turned on Kolob Terrace Road just outside of Virgin and headed down to the campsite, about 3.2 miles after the turn. We love our free campsites, and this one was especially nice.
We found a shaded spot right next to North Creek and set up our tent and hammock. The shade was a nice escape from the brutal sun. Although we didn't use them, there were several fire rings scattered around the campsites. Unable to resist the temptation of checking out the area, we set off down a nearby path, following the creek until we came to a swimming hole. Yaz enjoyed a nice swim while Leo and I cooled our feet in the shallow water.
The heat of the sun put me in a dreamy state, and I walked slowly on the path back to our tent, admiring all the plants along the way. Leo dared to walk barefoot, burning his feet on the baked dirt.
[juniper]
[white horsenettle]
After a bit more exploring around the campsite we decided to finally head over to the park. We passed all the tourist shops of Springdale and waited in line for our turn to enter. Once we did, we found ourselves surrounded by impressive views as the mountains cast their shadows in the sunset. We drove the steep and winding Zion-Mount Caramel Highway up the canyon, stopping to watch a few deer along the way.
We drove through the dark tunnel, which was terrifying for me (I am claustrophobic), and stopped at a pull-off to enjoy the stillness of the evening.
Overall, our first day at Zion was fairly relaxed. We arrived at the park while most people were heading out or back to their camps for the night, and missing the crowd made the experience that much more enjoyable. After it became a bit darker, we headed back to our own campsite and enjoyed an evening listening to distant thunder and coyotes under a blanket of stars.
The next day greeted us with a fresh dose of heat. Sweating in my sleeping bag, I rolled out and embraced the morning light. We made breakfast, got dressed, and Leo and Yaz picked some prickly pears before we headed back into Springdale.
Yep, there's me, looking extremely fly heading back from the loo.
While in Zion we hiked Angel's Landing, Canyon Overlook Trail, Riverwalk, Weeping Rock, and the Emerald Pools Trails, all deserving their own posts. It was nice to do a variety of hikes within different difficulty levels, especially because it meant we were able to see so much of the park in such a short amount of time.
After sweating our bums off, we took a dip in the Virgin River to clean off and cool down. It was blissful. Zion is definitely on my list of "to visit again."
In total, we spent 2 two full days in Zion and did 5 hikes while there (counting the Pools trails as one). It was amazing, even in the heat. If you decide to visit Zion in the summer, remember to bring protection from the sun and plenty of water. Also, expect long lines to get into the park. It's incredibly busy in the summer months, so don't expect quietness on the trails. Evening hikes were our favorites, to escape the crowd and see some wildlife - including a tarantula, which I will write about on my Canyon Overlook Trail post. ;)
STATS:
Date: August 1, 2017
Location: Zion National Park
Length of Stay: 2
Time from last stop: 2.5 hours
Miles from last stop: 140
Accumulated # of Days: 16
Accumulated Miles: 2,576 miles
Highlights: Impressive free camping options, river-bathing to cool off, and plenty of options for hiking, no matter what your skill level or preference. Campsite and park itself are perfect places to picnic and relax, or sweat and explore.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (1 star docked because of the crowds)
