Wednesday morning in Moab we grabbed bagel sandwiches at Red Rock Bakery and then made the short drive back to Arches National Park. Our first hike was the Windows Trail, where we visited the North Window, South Window, and Turret Arch. We continued on the Windows Primitive Loop, which gives a great reverse view of the Windows, and then headed down to the Double Arch Trail. Before leaving the park, we stopped at a few additional viewpoints.
From there, we drove 4½ hours to Bryce Canyon National Park. Along the way we visited the boyhood home of Butch Cassidy, a quick five-minute stop, before continuing on. As soon as we pulled into Bryce at 5p, it began to snow fairly hard. After a short drive through the park, we checked into our hotel, the Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn, and had dinner there, since it was the only option.
The next morning, the snow-covered trees made for a beautiful start. We drove into the park and walked the snowy Rim Trail from Sunrise Point. Because of the icy conditions, we skipped hiking down into the canyon.
The tops of the hoodoos – those tall, thin spires of rock shaped by erosion – were dusted with snow. Hoodoos form when softer rock is capped by harder, more resistant stone that protects the column below. Bryce Canyon has the world’s largest concentration of these formations, and the fresh snow made them even more dramatic.
We also visited Bryce Point and Inspiration Point, though much of the park was closed for the season.
From Bryce Canyon, we drove two hours to the east entrance of Zion National Park, Utah’s first national park. The road is full of switchbacks, and we stopped to admire Checkerboard Mesa before continuing to the Canyon Overlook trailhead. Along the way we made a few roadside stops and spotted many o Desert Bighorn Sheep.
After a long day, we had an early dinner at Zion Canyon Brew Pub and then checked into the Hampton Inn, where we watched the Thursday Night Football game.
Friday morning we caught the Springdale shuttle to the Zion entrance, then transferred to the Zion Canyon Line Shuttle and rode to Zion Lodge. From there we hiked the Middle, Upper, and Lower Emerald Pools trails. The vistas along the way were beautiful.
Our next stop was the Temple of Sinawava, where we took the relaxed Riverside Walk to the starting point of The Narrows. We didn’t venture into The Narrows as we didn’t have the time (+ waterproof shoes or the necessary gear).
Our final stop in Zion was Weeping Rock, where we hiked the short but rewarding trail. After 6 miles hiking (equivalent to 45 flights of stairs), it was time to head back toward the entrance and begin our journey onward.
In just a short visit, we explored three awe-inspiring Utah national parks. I always love visiting our national parks, they give me a real adrenaline rush, and I enjoy seeing people from all over the world experiencing them as well.
As we left Utah for Las Vegas, we made one final stop. In Washington, just outside St. George, we pulled into In-N-Out Burger. One of the great joys of being out west is savoring an In-N-Out cheeseburger and a chocolate milkshake.
Traveling Walters 