Zion National Park

Zion National Park is in Utah, and the main focus of it is the Zion Canyon which is 24 kms long and almost a km deep. There are mountain lions in the park but not near where the humans are, so sadly didn’t see any. But the park is spectacular and there are over two dozen walks ranging from the short to the long. Did five different walks, enjoying the breath-taking views and scenery.

Many years ago the number of cars in the park lead to massive congestion as it was so popular. So what they do now is now allow private vehicles on the main canyon road during summer, but they have bus shuttles running every ten minutes or so. Makes it very easy to get around.

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This is the view approaching Zion.

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Our RV, parked at the campsite.

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We took the shuttle down to the Temple of Sinawava and walked along the Virgin river. The further in you go, the more narrow it gets,

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The walls are often pure vertical.

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One of the locals.

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Outside the Zion Lodge.

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We then clibed up to the Lower Emerald Pool where the water flows overhead (more so in winter).

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Then kept climbing up to the Middle Emerald Poll through this narrow passage,

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This stick was wedged beneath this huge rock. I doubt it was holding it up but wasn’t game to remove it!

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A view back from the climb after we got to the Upper Emerald Pool.

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The Virgin River.

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The size of the walls is hard to capture in photos.

The park gets around 2.8 million visitors a year.