Zion National Park

Wednesday September 1. Today was a brilliant day, sunny, warm, vistas galore, discovered spots and revisited spots. Fantastic day, except for one snafu. One man tried to spoil my day, but I refused to let it. I finally met a state trooper. He passed me in the opposite direction as I was driving out of town and then turned around and followed me until he pulled me over. Said I was going too fast. Oh well, bound to happen some point. There was no use complaining or stewing. So, on with the rest of the news.

Left Page early and headed south to view the Vermillion Hills. Absolutely gorgeous drive to them and around them. On the way I stumbled across Lee's Ferry which is an entrance to the Colorado River for all those hearty souls who are going to go white water rafting through Grand Canyon. Beautiful place. Talked to a few of the rafters. Costs $2200 for five days! And that's only part way through the canyon.

Continued past the Vermillion Hills which is a long drive around this amazing purple coloured plateau. Then through a desert for a bit, just around Kanab, Utah (where I met the aforementioned patroller). As I was pulled out of town, I rounded another corner and saw another beautiful view. Pulled off to the left into a gravel layby to take a photo. I saw two guys and some things a little further in, so I went to see what they were doing. It was a shooting range!! They were firing live amunition at targets! Thankfully away from the highway, but this was right on the highway. Only in the States. Yikes.

Shortly after I rode over another white coloured small mountain, where there were big trees growing. Then back down the other side to the desert again. The scenery, vegetation and temperature change quickly here, based mostly on elevation. Amazing.

Finally arrived at Zion National Park which is just as beautiful as I remember from years ago. Drove through the eastern end of the park admiring all the glorious views and then through a mile long tunnel and a descent of about 1000 feet to the southern entrance. Here they don't allow personal vehicles but they provide excellent shuttle buses up the canyon, which stop at seven different places. I got off at most of them and did a couple of short hikes that were very pretty. The colours here are spectacular. At the last stop, I watched an excellent half hour movie about the park in the museum.

Had already made up my mind that I was going to stay around here, rather than trying to drive to Bryce before dark. Plus I have to drive back through the park to get to the east exit, and there is construction. So, I'm staying in a pretty town just outside the park called Springdale.