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| "Journey to Zion" ©Mary Montague Sikes |
How brave and daring the first settlers were to trudge into this terrain and become farmers of fruit trees, corn, and tobacco. What a magical place it must have been some 9,000 years ago when the first humans are said to have occupied the region.
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| "Virgin River View" ©Mary Montague Sikes |
We enjoyed using the shuttle system which is free and operates from mid-March to late October. It runs along a six-mile scenic drive inside the park. Guests with overnight room reservations at Zion Lodge are permitted to drive inside the park, but no further than the Lodge during the months the shuttle is operating.
During our time there, we did the Riverside Walk which was easy, very hot, and scenic. We also took the hike to the Lower Emerald Pools which ends at the lower pool and three waterfalls. The trail was busy with crowds of visitors, most of whom were conversing in foreign languages (Russian, French, Dutch, and more).
Our last day at Zion, we took the Angels Landing trail which was hot but not too hard until the point where chains are built into the rocks to aid climbers to the top. I had read a lot about this trail which is paved part of the way and longed to journey there to take photographs.
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| "Along the Trail to Angels Landing" ©Mary Montague Sikes |
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| "Angels Landing" ©Mary Montague Sikes |
Our visit to Zion was hot, exciting, tiring, invigorating, and memorable. Now I long to go back and photograph the things we missed. I can hardly wait to get back my art studio to start painting from my new reference photographs.
4 comments:
It's an amazing place all right.
High altitude messes with your breathing. You run out of breath faster.
This looks so beautiful and the colours of the sky and rocks-can't wait to see your paintings. I can just see me trying to climb that
Such a a beautiful place. I've never been there.
Mary, I remember when we arrived in Albuquerque. We were staying with a friend until we could find our own apartment and had to lug our stuff up to the third floor. By the third trip, I was winded and couldn't figure out why. But it was the elevation, which was around 6000 feet.
Yes, Alex, the western terrain is beautiful but you have to get used to the thin air!
Birgit, some of the climbs are much easier than others. I admire those daring enough to climb straight up with the chains.
Diane, you would love it for your photography! That's a tough elevation--6000 ft. No wonder you were winded.
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