May 5, 2015 Zion National Park...here we come!

We poured over all the options of how best to see as much of Zion as possible! We got up early enough to get into the park and get one of the coveted parking spaces around the Visitor's Center. We caught the shuttle and headed all the way to the last stop on the shuttle, Riverside Walk.

What a lovely hike, which was about a mile of beautiful scenery and at the end of that hike is where you can see "The Narrows"...another hike we really want to do. It is obviously, through a very narrow canyon. You must walk through the water (brr), which can be anywhere from your ankles or up to your hips, the entire time and though it is by all indications a beautiful hike...it is something to check out before we commit. It would mean renting equipment to keep us dry, etc. so we will be checking on that for later in the week. Here is where "The Narrows" start...and then it goes a long way...you can do as much as you want, then you turn around and come back out.

 

The rock formations, the MASSIVE mountains, the greenery contrast against the red rock, the sound of water, the clean air and at every turn on the path something new to take your breath away...Zion is amazing!!!!

 

Here are more notes from my journal from the day...

We took the Emerald Pool Trail…lower, middle and upper pools, the last part of the hike were very tricky but worth the view once we made it to the top. Next, we did the Kayenta Trail, Weeping Rock Trail and Groton Trails. We hiked over 7 miles today and we were both feeling it by the end of the day. What a beautiful…breathtaking place. I love Colorado but this place holds a different level of breathtaking sights and smells. When we were hiking today, you would smell the Sage bush as you walked and the wildflowers…cactus flowers, columbine and so many I don’t recognize all in full bloom.

We stopped along the hike for lunch, and this is the view while we ate lunch...we decided we could get used to that view!!!

This is “the desert” but in Spring it hold so many areas of lush green foliage!

The hikes to the Lower, Middle and Upper Emerald Pools were so amazing that at times, it was hard to hike as we found ourselves stopping so many times to just take it all in and of course, take pictures!

Here are some of my favorites of the Lower Pools:

 

Middle Pools:

  

 

Upper pools: 

 

When we finally made it up to the upper pool, we took a break to eat a little snack and take is all the beauty that surrounds this place!

 This is what tired looks like! Ha. We had a blast on all the hikes today, but man oh man we were pooped by the time we took the shuttle back to our car.

After a full day of hiking, we decided to eat out as we came back through Springdale (which is such a neat little town) on our way to the campground. We ate at the Zion Pizza and Noodle Co. and it was amazing! Best meal yet!

Then some yummy ice cream at the Springdale Candy Co.

When we got back to camp, we changed into suits and sat in the hot tub to rest our weary bones, then showered and returned to our Casita. Sat outside for just a bit before a wind/rain storm started blowing in, so spent the rest of the evening in the Casita talking, reading and going through pictures from today. Good day indeed!!!!!!