Oh Zion, Dear Zion (Day Two)

The morning of 24 March, we skipped the cold-cereal breakfast at the hotel, packed, and headed to The Bear Paw Cafe. After breakfast we dropped luggage and our car at the brand new Holiday Inn before heading back up to Zion National Park. We parked in the Visitor Center lot and caught a shuttle up the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to the Zion Lodge where the trail to the Emerald Pools begins. The hike went well with a small hiccup when we were separated at a couple of junctures. In the end, all were reunited at the Lodge and we shuttled up to the Temple of Sinawava for a hike along the Virgin River to the point where the Narrows begin. On the return trip we jumped off the shuttle for a look at the Great White throne before continuing to the Grotto stop and a short hike to Grotto Springs and Weeping Rock. Anna and the boys also took a trail up the cliffs for a ways before we traveled down the canyon for a short hike to get a view of The Court of the Patriarchs. The shuttle journey ended at the Visitors Center. Back in Saint George, we bought some delicious pizza at Riggatti's Wood Fired Pizza which we consumed in the park behind the Tabernacle. After supper we visited an art show, drove around some neighborhoods, and watched the sun go down from Dixie Sugarloaf in Pioneer Park above the city. Before returning to the hotel, we had frozen custard at Nielsen's. A tired but happy bunch crashed at the Holiday Inn.

 Not quite up to Market-Street-Grill standard, but good

 The Virgin River...

 On a beautiful spring morning

Headed to the Emerald Pools

 Hastings hikers

 Down to the Lower Emerald Pool

 The source of the pool

 Red and white cliffs

Doing our thing

 In the Temple of Sinawava

 The narrows

The group at the mouth of the narrows


A short pause

 Spring break is a busy time at Zion

 Buddies on the trail

 Sun glinting on the water

 The Great White Throne

 View of the canyon floor from the Weeping Rock

 The springs

 Court of the Patriarchs

 There we are

 Those pioneers were good designers

 Saint George below Dixie Red Hills Parkway

 You can imagine who loved clambering over these red rocks

Tired folks waiting for custard

This was a great day, but that's all for now.

OXO

D.