Zion Mountains and the Grandest of Canyons

After a great visit at Bryce Canyon, we were up early to head towards Zion National Park. We heard traffic was bad, so we left as early as we could, balancing the kids need for sleep. The drive through Zion’s entrance was beautiful, and looked like a postcard. The contrast between the bright blue sky and red mountains was striking.

Zion National Park

Once we arrived at the park, the Park Rangers shared there are two tunnels, one of which is nearly a mile long.  Because we had Alice, we were a little too wide, so we paid $15 to go through individually.  I honestly can’t imagine going through them with another passing car, because they were so narrow!

Scenic Views of Zion

We left the tunnels, and were treated to magnificent views. We looked for parking several places, but weren’t successful, especially since Alice was with us. Because we had time constraints, we decided to take the scenic drive, then head to the Grand Canyon. We would love to come back to spend more time, but felt like we got a small taste of Zion’s beauty.

Grand Canyon North Rim

Steven and I have been to the south rim several times, and even hiked down and spent the night at the bottom. We weren’t sure if we were pushing it time wise, but we were so close to the North Rim, and wanted the kids to capture one of the world’s wonders.  We were lucky to find a campsite at Jacob’s Lake in Kaibab Forest, because the majority are first come first serve. The ride into the park started with few trees, buffalo sightings, and then included taller trees, as we climbed. The North Rim gets 15ft of snow per year, compared to the South Rim, which gets around 5ft, so it is also much cooler!

The North Rim also gets less visitors, although there is a beautiful lodge to relax (another time in life) and capture the scenic views.  We hiked along the Bright Angel trail, down the Trancept trail, and looped back along Bridal Path.

Climbing to Cape Royal

We drove up to the Cape Royal lookout, and were so glad that we did! We walked along the rim trail and saw Angel’s Window. Brady was excited because we were able to see the Colorado River!

No Prob-Llama

We passed an advertisement that said no prob-llama, so we have been saying it non-stop. That has nothing to do with the GC, but it’s funny.

The kids loved taking pictures at the North Rim, and even found some lizards who posed as well.

The long range views at the North Rim were nearly 100 miles. The sky was gorgeous and crystal clear for monsoon season.

We finished our LONG day with instant pot lasagna, and a Connect Four tournament, which Brady won!

Steven and I spent time deciding which way to head home, and decided to take the southern route through Albuquerque. We were contemplating seeing Mesa Verde, but afraid we don’t have time. So, off to New Mexico it is!

Lots of driving in store for the Rhodes family.  More audio books!

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