Last Stop, Zion National Park
The last stop on our fall 2021 southwest travels was Zion National Park in Utah. I had never even heard of it before, until we were talking to someone at our hotel. They had been there and they said we had to see it. So we put it on our itinerary! So glad we did!
We were blown away by the beautiful rock formations. I thought this was even more colorful and and beautiful than the Grand Canyon.
The night we got in to town, there was a rainstorm just before sunset, and some flooding occurred. But it didn't last long and after the rain there was a beautiful blue sky behind the mountains!
What Will You See at the Park ?
We stayed in a motel right at the south end of town. We could easily catch the free shuttle bus to the Zion National Park entrance. It was just a short walk to the bus stop from our motel and we didn't wait long to board.
You can rent bikes (regular and electric) and hiking equipment at the entrance. There were hiking groups, getting ready for their days hike with a guide.
The shuttle buses will stop at each point of interest along the way. We walked a shorter trail that took us back to a nice waterfall. It was probably a 45 minute walk on pavement. It wasn't strenuous, just good exercise for those of us who are older and enjoy just walking.
We saw a few mule deer along the way. They stayed in the same place beside the trail for quite a while. They weren't concerned about us standing by and taking pictures.
Angel's Landing
You can up along the top of a cliff, with just a chain to keep you from falling off the edge. It's called Angel's Landing. Many people visit the park just to experience this hike in Zion National Park. We didn't have the courage to do that hike, but many of the younger hikers did. The lines are long and crowded though.
The park just started a pilot program where you are required to get a permit to hike it now. You can reserve the permit before you go, or there is a lottery system for those who want one when they enter the park. It cuts down on the long lines and wait time.
Learn more about Angel's Landing permits.
If you are interested in seeing the top of Angel's Landing, you can hike it yourself, or watch this Youtube video to see what you would be getting into!
There are a wide variety of flowers in the park and you can see a list at Wildflowers of Zion National Park. Here are a few of the flowers we saw. We saw cactus also, but not in flower.
Flowers of Zion National Park
Here are some links to read about the other parks that we visited in October of 2021.
Thanks for following this trip with me! I hope to do more traveling in the near future. I love to travel! And thanks for reading my blog. Please leave a comment below and let me know if you've been to these areas as well.
