We got up early and packed up the car. Cliffrose was a great hotel with a nice playground and pool and unfortunately we got in too late last night to enjoy it. The grounds are beautiful as well. Their breakfast was delicious and coffee was excellent and we walked the path to see a deer that happened to find an apple and was eating it while grazing in the grass outside the hotel. I went back to get some ice and saw Isabelle and Allie's French teacher there too! Small world!
After we got the obligatory picture we went to the visitor's center to get the Junior Ranger booklets and get an overview of the park. They usually have a great short film you can watch and also a small museum to learn about the park you are about to visit.
The Junior Ranger program is a great way for the kids to get interested in what they see and as adults, we learn so much too! They are full of activities, facts, and often to officially complete them they have to listen to a Ranger talk or even interview them. In Zion, we went on an "I Spy" Zion Canyon Scenic Drive which we had to stop at each shuttle location and answer questions.
Zion National Park does not allow cars on their scenic drive in the busy season and offers a great shuttle that comes every few minutes. You don't have to wait long, but the bus can get very crowded...even late in the season as October. Since we were staying at the Zion Lodge tonight, we got a red parking pass that allowed us to park there and then we took the shuttle from there.
We took the shuttle to the last stop at Temple of Sinawava to the Riverside Walk. We originally had planned on hiking the famous "Narrows" today. With the younger two and their size, the temperatures and the fact we really only had today to see the park we opted not to do it and instead hike to the beginning. We will save that hike for another year! The rocks are slippery, it gets rather deep in some areas with a bit of a current and we just could guarantee that someone would get head to toe wet! It is recommended to rent boots, hiking sticks and waterproof gear which we will do when given the chance to go.
You follow the Virgin River along a paved trail. The Riverside Walk is a 2.2 mile round trip.
The sand is more like powder. The girls played in it every time they came across an area.
It is hard to photograph the scale of this park. There is no other place on earth that I have felt so small then hiking here in the canyons and among the red rocks of Utah!
Zion is so so beautiful!
This is the beginning of the Narrows Trail and can take up to 8 hours to hike the entire 9.4 mile round trip. When the water levels are high or there is a threat of a storm you cannot access here.
The girls went up and down this slick rock as a slide multiple times!
You can see the bus stop and the shuttle here.
Our next hike we took was the Weeping Rock Trail. It was short but steep (0.4 mi). This rock alcove drips with water, springs that seep through the rock.
The girls felt this made a great picnic spot!
Next stop, The Court of the Patriarchs!
The girls know the name of them as they made up a sing song chant to remember! Abraham, Issac, (Mount Moroni), Jacob.
Prickly pear
Allie wanted a vest as a souvenir and earned her badge here to put on it!
Mule deer
Next hike was the Emerald Pool Trail (1.2 mi)...
We got a very cold sprinkle from the springs going over the top! BRRRR!!!
We hiked past the lower pool to the Grotto Trail. This was a very picturesque trail.
shades of green
The was a loop trail and we ended up behind the Zion Lodge. Perfect timing as they were hungry for dinner! We ate at the lodge and the food was okay. You can't beat the convenience. We had a great day exploring the park and the girls are such good little hikers. They enjoy being in nature so much.
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