From Bryce Canyon we went to Zion National Park in southwestern Utah. We stayed at Bauers Canyon RV Park in Glendale, Utah which was about a 30 minute drive to the Zion entrance along the Mount Carmel Highway. Temperatures dropped to freezing at night, so we needed our heated water hose.
Zion National Park
We drove through the 1.1 mile Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel that opened up to spectacular views. Hoping the crowds would be less, we went in the late afternoon. Zion National Park is one of the busier National Parks. The Park service notes that “there is extremely high visitation from February to late November”. The prominent feature of Zion is Zion Canyon, formed by the Virgin River cutting through Navajo Sandstone. The area is part of the Colorado Plateau and the highest peak is at 8,726 feet.
We visited in late April. The cottonwood trees had new leaves, there were a few wildflowers and the apple trees were blooming.
Mormons settled the area in 1858. Zion was initially named Mukuntuweap National Monument, but the name was changed to Zion, a name used by the Mormons. We entered the park at the Zion-Mount Carmel entrance. After the park entrance, but before the tunnel, there were numerous stunning rock formations.
On the way back we enjoyed a delicious duck and trout dinner at Cordwood. Their decor was rustic and comfortable and their views were of a large buffalo heard grazing in a green grass rolling meadow.
Kolob
Kolob Canyon is a beautiful part of Zion National Park. We went the last day it was open for the season. The Park Service plans on redoing the road into the canyon and it will take all summer. There was hardly anyone there.
Kolob Canyon is in the northern part of Zion National Park, cannot be accessed from Zion Canyon, and is not as sought-after. This was our second visit to Zion but the first time visiting Kolob. It is a stunning park.
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Unfortunately, the road was still closed for the season because of snow. Cedar Breaks is similar to Bryce Canyon because of its red, orange, and white hoodoos.
Cedar Breaks was on our way to Kolob Canyon, so we enjoyed the drive.
We visited Zion in the summer of 2012. The Virgin River was warmer and not very high, so we rented water boots, put on our swim suits, and hiked a ways in The Narrows until we did not see anyone and the canyon walls became tight. This time of the year required a wet suit because the water was cold and the water level was waist high in areas. Because it was cold and very crowded, we decided against The Narrows this visit. Zion is gorgeous.
