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| ZION NATIONAL PARK, taken from the Visitor Center (where we luckily found a parking place --after driving around a bit) |
Hello Blog Friends, How are you? I am fine --and still going through a gazillion pictures from our West Trip to Utah and Arizona from September 6- 21, 2017. This is my 4th post from that trip --and I've only gotten through a few of my pictures.... ha
Today--I will share pictures from ZION National Park. We were there on Sept. 15 on a gorgeous day in Utah... Zion is absolutely gorgeous --and that is why SO MANY MANY people go there. We love seeing Zion but do NOT like all of the traffic/busses/people, etc. For that reason, I never put this one on my list of FAVORITE parks.
Our favorite parts of Zion are NOT the 'canyon' area where we HAVE to ride that darn shuttle bus up and back... We did do that on this trip ---but we didn't stop and get off at the various places along the way. We rode the bus all of the way to the top so that we could hike some of the Narrows Trail --which we had read about SO MUCH.... We did that --and hiked all of the way to the end ---where people get in the water (Virgin River) and hike farther into the canyon... The Narrows area is beautiful and we enjoyed our hike into the beginnings of that canyon. Needless to say, I will leave the hiking-in-water stuff to others!!!!! ha
The most gorgeous part of Zion to us is the drive from Mt. Carmel into the park on Scenic Highway 9.... We LOVE that area ---so most of my pictures today were taken along that scenic area... There are many pull-offs ---so we took advantage of that and took many pictures...
The longest tunnel I have ever been in I think is along that route, about 1.1 miles...
HERE is some info if you want to know more about this unique tunnel.
Hope you enjoy our pictures today of Zion.... Hope you can visit that area someday if you haven't been there.... Go during the OFF-season (NOT in Summer) to avoid a few of the crowds... AND--go early early early in the morning!!!!
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| Scenic Highway 9 into beautiful ZION National Park |
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| Scenic Highway 9 --with Zion's beauty all around us |
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| More beauty from Scenic Highway 9 |
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| I took this picture of George as we prepared to go through the BIG tunnel. |
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| Once we got out of the tunnel and started heading down the mountain, we could look back and see one of the openings inside that tunnel which we had just gone through. (The tunnel is VERY dark --except for a few of these openings.) |
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| While heading down toward the canyon area below, we could look back at all of the huge mountains around us. |
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| Another view of the vastness of the mountains in this area |
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| A happy lady enjoying Zion!!! |
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| Our hike in the Needles Area of Zion; That is a very muddy Virgin River (after the rain from the previous day) |
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| Our trail along the canyon walls, paralleling the Virgin River |
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| The end of the 'nice' trail; From here on, one has to get their feet (and probably more) WET.... |
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| Wonder if George was pondering whether to get his feet wet?????????? ha |
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| I enjoyed sitting in the Narrows area --enjoying the views around me... (Don't know why my hands were positioned like that!!!! ha... Maybe I was getting ready to play the piano on my knees!!!!!) |
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| Another picture from the Visitor Center at Zion (I LOVE see the flag blowing in the breeze.) |
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| Finally, here is a picture of US taken along Scenic Highway 9 in Zion National Park, 9/15/17 |
Hope you enjoyed today's pictures.... Zion really is a gorgeous park. I don't want to discourage anyone from going there because of the crowds.... Just plan your trip during the off seasons (even though it is still busy then --but not AS busy) ---and go early in the mornings....
Have a great week.
Hugs,
Fabulous. What beautiful views.
ReplyDeleteHello, Betsy
ReplyDeleteGorgeous views of Zion. It is a shame it is so crowded now. I do not remember the crowds or the shuttle. We were there years ago. Cute photos of you and George. Happy Monday, enjoy your day and new week ahead!
I enjoyed our visit to Zion, but I completely agree with you about the crowds. It's hard to enjoy all that beauty with so many people around. It was interesting, though, that we met a couple from Crossville on one of the shuttles. Small world!
ReplyDeleteGood morning Betsy! Crowds rarely discourage us, but the feeling that we take away from a place will often rely on what type of crowd it was... If the people are in a hurry to "see it all" and take their selfies, then I often get discouraged. I just need to remind myself that we are all part of the problem - we're adding to the 'crowds' as well, we just need to do our part to conserve and respect the experience and environs. Your pictures are beautiful regardless, and for next time, I sure wouldn't notice any photoshopping ;) !!
ReplyDeleteHi Betsy, you have beautiful hands. Glad you sat like that in the photo and we got to see them. The views are splendid. I agree with you; crowds at the tourist spots are off-putting. Blessings Jo
ReplyDeleteTruly scenic and admirable mountains view! These mountains seem to produce peace and picturesque to shoot… Glad u enjoyed the hike around the canyon and the river is very muddy, and look it goes the color from the mountains. Nice shot on the tunnel gap
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful place. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing it through your lens.
ReplyDeleteI hope to make it to Zion at some point.
ReplyDeleteIt was so good to see your beautiful photos Betsy. It was also doubly interesting to me because we just watched a video of some friends hiking the Narrows trail and then going back into the river. I never knew anything about that before watching their video.. They also had video footage of their drive through the tunnel. Your photos made it all even more interesting. The beauty of that area is stunning. Thank you so much for sharing. I’m with you on the crowds though. I would much rather go in the off-season.
ReplyDeleteBlessings always, Betsy
It is a beautiful place!
ReplyDeleteI am always amazed at the vastly different terrains our country displays. Sometimes it looks other worldly. I am with you on avoiding crowds.
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me tag along. Might be the only way I get to see it.
Wow, it looks like another world! I think my favorite are that little tunnel opening, the flat topped grey mountains, and YOU in front of the Narrows. You both outdid yourself on this trip!
ReplyDeleteBetsy, We visited Zion a few years back and the crowds weren't too bad. It's a beautiful place. Since ya'll like to hike, you saw more of it than we did. Great photos! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
ReplyDeleteBeautiful scenes.That area looks amazing.I would not step into that river.It doesn't look too inviting to me. Hope your day is going well.,
ReplyDeleteDoubt I'll ever visit so I am thankful that I can still see it through your photos.
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous pictures of a spectacular place! You can keep on posting pictures from your trip all year if you want!
ReplyDeleteThe scenery is gorgeous - just like your shots.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I love Utah, there is so much to see and it's so different from my part of the country. And traveling during the off season is the only way. Enjoyed your gorgeous photos! Take care and have a great week.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful pictures of an amazing place!!! We haven't been to Zion or any of the Utah/Arizona National Parks yet but we will!! I'm taking good notes :-)
ReplyDeleteHi there Betsy, you got some real pretty pictures here! Wow, isn't it amazing how different th mountains and terrain and scenery is there from Tennessee?--like night and day difference. Definetly amazing and so interesting to go see. I think I would've had my shoes off lickety-split and straight into that nice water!! ha ha LOl How is your week going? What is your weather doing there?
ReplyDeleteHello Betsy
ReplyDeleteSome amazing views and wonderful scenery you've shared with us here.
The tunnel is just incredible.
Hope you've had a great start to the new month of November.
My good wishes
All the best Jan
Great post Betsy! Beautiful photos of an amazing place.
ReplyDeleteI've been to Zion several times, and only once did I not like it. That was last time. It was so crowded they were turning visitors away. We got in, but refused to ride in the tour-bus. You are right about going off season, but even then there are still a lot of people there, but usually you can still drive through the park in your own car. Let's how the new 80 bucks a car entrance fee impacts attendance. I think it's going to be 80, but I could be wrong.