Zion National Park, Utah

After leaving Las Vegas, we travel through southern Utah.  Here are pictures from Zion National Park.  

Arriving at Zion.

Zion Canyon, 15 miles long and up to half a mile deep, cuts through the reddish and tan colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River. 

Gwen and Phil slept on our way to Zion and awoke groggy.  We take the shuttle to view the Park and orient ourselves.

These formations represent 150 million years of mostly Mesozoic-aged sedimentation.

An early settler from historic times, is credited with naming the area "Zion", a reference to a place of peace mentioned in the Bible.

The Park's shuttles work well.  Once in the Park, they are free and the drivers are also guides providing information about Zion. You can get out at the various lookouts, trails, and the visitors center and restaurant.

Part of the Colorado Plateau, pushed up over time, it was once under a shallow sea.

Kids play by the Virgin River that provides life giving water to the green canyon. The water is cold though some people swim near us.

Neal has got it good, looking over the river at sunset.

This is the view looking up from our campsite.

I can't resist taking a lot of pictures. Ansel Adams, American photographer, took pictures of the Canyon too.

The Park campground was full but we find a very beautiful spot right outside the gates and still within the canyon.  It has the added benefit of hook-ups so we have electricity and water.

Near the Park's entrance.  This much photographed canyon was first inhabited by humans more than 2000 years ago.

Tunnel Ahead.  To drive east through the Park we must make a reservation to go through a long tunnel.  When we arrive, traffic is stopped from the other direction.  The last car through hands the ranger a baton and then we take our turn going down the middle of the low clearance tunnel.

Coming out the other side, it is dryer and the road less traveled despite the others vehicles you see here.

Phil takes the opportunity of a roadside stop to play in the dirt.

After the crowded canyon, it is very peaceful here.

Stuffed animals climb too.

Outside the Park, we stop to feed horses and view the buffalo.

These are the only buffalo we have seen on our trip.  Next, on to the Grand Canyon.