The McClellands: Other Utah Adventures, Part 2: Zion National Park

After spending a glorious day in Bryce Canyon National Park, Charles, Mary Anne, and David headed down the road to Zion National Park.

While Bryce Canyon is all about bright colors and intricate rock formations, Zion canyon is about massive hunks of sandstone and sheer rock cliffs. Zion is a true canyon cut by the running water of Virgin river and its tributaries while Bryce is actually an amphitheater formed by erosion from falling rain and snow and the freezing and thawing cycle that goes on 200 days of the year. The lowest elevations of Bryce are at the highest elevations of Zion so Bryce is about 10 degrees cooler, a big plus in July. Well, we were lucky that it was only in the 90's at Zion instead of the usual 100+.

We entered the park from the East encountering a brief delay at the gate, but luckily finding the traffic going one way in our direction through the tunnel. The eastern part of Zion is a land of sculpted sandstone--petrified sand dunes.

Checkerboard Mesa through the windshield (with reflection of park brochure)

After passing through the mile long tunnel, you enter the main part of the park. No vehicle traffic is allowed on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, so we found a parking spot at the visitor's center and got on the shuttle bus. It takes about 45 minutes to ride to the end of the line--Temple of Sinawava--where we get off to hike the Riverside Trail (Easy).