Zion National Park
For Valentine's Day, I want to share about a place I absolutely love. Although I have only visited the one time, I was in awe. I'm talking about Zion National Park. This amazing national park is located in southwestern Utah, and is about two and a half hours drive from Las Vegas.
We spent more time than we thought we would at the Hoover Dam - a story for another post - so we didn't arrive at Zion until after dark. And when I say dark, I mean REALLY dark. The park itself has been designated an International Dark Sky Park, which provides for some amazing starry views on a clear night. Luckily, we were able to catch some good glimpses before the clouds rolled in.
The next morning, we woke up early to catch the sunrise in the park. We were able to get some neat photographs as the clouds were still moving through. Imagine driving into someplace that is so dark, you really can't see your surroundings, and waking up to giant cliffs all around you. Needless to say, the views were stunning and jaw-dropping.
Throughout the day, we stuck to the main scenic-drive through the park and some of the more tame trails. The more difficult and treacherous trails tended to be covered in ice, so we avoided those. Everywhere we turned, there was another great view. Zion is really full of an amazing, picturesque landscape. I truly enjoyed walking alongside the Virgin River that runs through the park, and awaiting what we would see beyond the next bend.
After a day packed with splendid hiking, we made our way up and out of the park. Even though we were leaving, this was my favorite part of our visit. As we drove the switchbacks out, we must have climbed thousands of feet. The peaks that we viewed from the valley below, quickly became level with us, and the valley seemed so far down. It was simply gorgeous. We drove through tunnels cut through the red rock. As we ascended higher, the terrain had snow cover. Thankfully, there were a few points we could pull off and enjoy the views. Sadly, we had to say goodbye after a short visit to Zion National Park, but I truly believe we will be back someday.
We spent more time than we thought we would at the Hoover Dam - a story for another post - so we didn't arrive at Zion until after dark. And when I say dark, I mean REALLY dark. The park itself has been designated an International Dark Sky Park, which provides for some amazing starry views on a clear night. Luckily, we were able to catch some good glimpses before the clouds rolled in.
The next morning, we woke up early to catch the sunrise in the park. We were able to get some neat photographs as the clouds were still moving through. Imagine driving into someplace that is so dark, you really can't see your surroundings, and waking up to giant cliffs all around you. Needless to say, the views were stunning and jaw-dropping.
Throughout the day, we stuck to the main scenic-drive through the park and some of the more tame trails. The more difficult and treacherous trails tended to be covered in ice, so we avoided those. Everywhere we turned, there was another great view. Zion is really full of an amazing, picturesque landscape. I truly enjoyed walking alongside the Virgin River that runs through the park, and awaiting what we would see beyond the next bend.
After a day packed with splendid hiking, we made our way up and out of the park. Even though we were leaving, this was my favorite part of our visit. As we drove the switchbacks out, we must have climbed thousands of feet. The peaks that we viewed from the valley below, quickly became level with us, and the valley seemed so far down. It was simply gorgeous. We drove through tunnels cut through the red rock. As we ascended higher, the terrain had snow cover. Thankfully, there were a few points we could pull off and enjoy the views. Sadly, we had to say goodbye after a short visit to Zion National Park, but I truly believe we will be back someday.
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