Day 27 (7/25). (Lin)
Today was a parents’ nightmare! Well, potentially, at least. We had a our most exciting and yet terrifying hiking day yet. We got another early start to the day (the kids are such amazing troopers about constantly getting less sleep than they want and getting up relatively early) – this time to ensure a parking spot at the Zion Visitor Center. The line for the canyon floor shuttle was fairly long, but we were on a shuttle in 20 minutes or so. Our destination was the Angel’s Landing trail – so intense and well-known that it is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a 5 mile round trip hike that has an elevation increase of 1,700 feet. The hike features amazing views and several series of steep switchbacks, the most famous and steep of 15 or so is called Walter’s Wiggles (after the guy that designed them).
What makes the Angel’s Landing trail famous is the last half mile – out a treacherous spine of rock with sharp dropoffs on either side 1600 feet down to the canyon floor that leads up to the highest point of the hike, Angel’s Landing (which juts out into the valley in a way that gives amazing views). There is a chain on posts installed almost the whole length of that last section since the footing is not secure and the dropoffs so sharp. We all did a short first section of that last half mile, and then Eden, Harrison, Helena, and I continued on while Jo and Elliot went back. But even we decided to stop after getting about one quarter of the way there. It is so treacherous, with such steep dropoffs, that I didn’t feel comfortable taking the younger two—and only being able to really look after one (pics below). But still, we stopped at a nice point and saw some hawks up close swooping overhead and had some amazing views down the valley floor from 1600 feet up. The hike down was hot, but was so incredibly beautiful.
We were hot and exhausted, so we took some time to wade in the Virgin River, which felt great. We took the shuttle to the Zion Lodge, where we got a late lunch and even snuck in a short nap under a huge Cottonwood tree. It was hot – 103 F or so. We decided to tackle one last hike to the Weeping Rock, where we also cooled off a bit with the water dripping down out of the rock.
Harrison and Helena needed a ranger talk to complete their Junior Ranger Program, so they headed to the Zion Museum with Jo while Eden, Elliot, and I got in a few last views at the Big Bend.
The drive out of Zion (to the northeast) was stunning. A series of long switchbacks took us through brilliantly red and granite formations, and a long tunnel took us to the eastern highlands of Zion, which were also amazing. We all found it interesting and curious that, suddenly, after exiting the park, the landscape returned to boring normal – vast grasslands with—eventually—a few beautiful mesas and canyons in the distance. The temperature dropped precipitously as we drove northeast from Zion to Bryce Canyon National Park (1.5 hrs) – from 105 to 67 F. Our hotel is just outside Bryce Canyon, which we will explore tomorrow.
I think Zion might be our favorite park so far, collectively speaking. It really is an amazing place, and I can totally see us returning when the kids are a bit older for some of the harder hikes (and to complete Angel’s Landing!). The towering canyon walls remind me a bit of Yosemite, but the colors are entirely different — far more reds, greens, whites, etc. So lovely.
(As always, click on the photos below for larger versions.)
Fisher Family Travels 