June 8-10 Zion Natl Park, Coral Sands State Park

First, Zion National Park, another masterpiece. First some more geology. Bryce Canyon, Zion Natl Park and Grand Canyon are all part of the Colorado plateau which, through uplifting, has formed what is now known as the Grand Staircase, with Bryce at the top, Zion in the middle and Grand Canyon at the bottom. Zion was a relatively flat basin 275 million years ago; then sand, mud and gravel accumulated to a depth of some 10,000 feet, the sheer weight of the material pushing the sediment down. Mineral laden waters produce cementing type action, and different colored strata, red from iron oxide, white from calcium carbonate among others. Then the uplifting began, still continues and is now as high as 10,000 feet above sea level. The Virgin River cuts through Zion and has produced the erosion that has produced this beautiful canyon. Volcano's, earthquakes, landslides and erosion continue to this day.

The park is wonderfully set up for any outdoor enthusiasts, from wheelchair to avid hiker. Great for families. Park rangers, as usual, are great. Because of traffic jams, since 1999 they have only allowed big shuttle busses to travel the main route through the park. Result is excellent; busses run every couple of minutes; busses have 1/4 of the pollution of a car (run on propane); doesn't feel crowded like the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Marlene and I did some of the hikes; and then I went after Angel's Landing, a 5 mile hike up 1400 feet (very exciting for an amateur like me); last 1/2 mile is very vertical with chains to help you up. Not for the faint of heart.

Definitely a must see.
Coming into the park; interesting formation; they are all so different.

Below, the beginning of John's excellent adventure.

On the way up; those are shuttle busses in white down there.

View from the top; many were called few were chosen.

Me, with a view of the park behind me. Everybody was calling people on their cell phones; pretending to order pizza, etc. Everybody up there thought they were big cheeses for making it.

View from the top.

Another view

Guy going down using the chain; going down was cake compared to going up.

This zigzag series of switchbacks I call a zwizzle; very strenuous coming up; and then you have another 1/2 mile.

Marlene liked this shot with the sun's rays showing in the picture.

As Marlene and I were following a path along the Virgin River towards the narrows, came across a young family having fun in the water with their young son (butt naked, but with a blue denim hat on)

Toward the north end of the park, the canyon walls narrow; people walk the last mile in the river to a point called the Narrows, where the walls are only 20 feet wide and the canyon walls shoot straight up. Riverbed is deeper now than later this summer, but people were gamely going for it.

End of Zion section. Don't miss it.

Coral Sands state park; a red Sahara due to the peculiar way the winds whip through a gap in the mountains. Utah allows off-terrain vehicles (dune buggies) to do their thing here. Who would think you would find this type of terrain here?