In a sudden change of plans, we left our campsite near Bryce Canyon and ventured 70 miles SW to Zion National Park for the day. We heard many great things about this park as well and wanted to check it out for ourselves.
It was different than Bryce Canyon for me mainly because at BC we started our hikes at the top of the mountain while at Zion you start at the bottom. We entered Zion from the east and drove through a mile-long tunnel. It was very dark...and kind of creepy. They said it was built in the 1930s and took 3 years to complete.
There was still plenty to see! We had been told about a hike called the Narrows that was fun because you walked through streams and everything on your journey. It was a 5-mile hike and they said it was kind of strenuous so we decided not to go. The 5-6 miles of hiking yesterday took their toll on all of us. We instead chose some simpler, shorter trails to enjoy. We totaled a little over 2 miles today.
Our first trail took us to the Emerald Pool waterfalls. There were a couple of them but neither was flowing much. They do not get a lot of rain so it was a small stream. We were still able to cross behind it and feel its spray. It was very cool and refreshing.
That trail connected with the Grotto Trail and led us winding around a mountain side for about a mile. There were "God-made" steps to help us along the way. It was a bit warm out so we stopped often to enjoy the surroundings and drink plenty of water.
The last trail we took was the Weeping Rock Trail. It was very interesting. On the way up you would see lush greenery right next to bare rock or dead plants. Where the lush greenery was you could see water leaking out of the side of the cliff. Those plants had a constant water supply.
There were also what they called "tall trees" as well. Jen read that pioneers and Native Americans both looked for these trees because they need a constant water supply to survive. They knew if the trees were there so was water. Digging down even a few inches would reward them with water.
At the top of our climb was the weeping rock. It was about 80 yards across and there were plants everywhere hanging from the rocks. It was once again a constant seeping of water coming from the mountain side. It was a sight to see! Everything was green and thriving which is not something you expect to see in a desert environment.
Everyone was quite exhausted after these trails, so we decided to call it a day. Instead of driving all the way back to Bryce Canyon we instead stopped at a nearby KOA and decided to stay here. It saves us some travel time both today and tomorrow when we venture to our next stop...Mesa Verde NP.
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