The land of ZION NP
It has been about a week since our last vacation of this year to Zion National Park. I have taken many trips here the past couple years after doing my first hike through the Narrows, and also finding one of my favorite hikes The Subway there. This trip was planned early this year hoping to hit Fall just right. I have never been to Zion in the Fall before so this was something new to see, other then people pictures. We got down there mid day on Thursday the 6th, but seeing how late Fall colors were hitting us up north I wondered if it had traveled south yet. There was so much green that I started wishing I waited a week to make it this way. Oh well we are here so lets try to make the best of it.
We had no problem finding a campsite in the Park at the South Campground, and stayed next to my favorite spot. As soon as camp was set then we were off up the canyon to check things out. Now that it is late in the year and in a canyon you don’t see the sun much after 3 pm, which isn’t to exciting when you need that light to get some good shots. We see tons of deer heading up the canyon and the nice thing is that there are a lot of Bucks with some decent racks. The further up the canyon we go the more the season is changing. It almost looks as though Fall is almost over, or maybe it isn’t, you just can’t tell cause of the leaves everywhere, fallen, red, yellow, and still green everywhere. Not sure if I am now early or late. Oh well lets take some PICTURES!
After taking some shot of the canyon, and some deer we head up through the tunnel to the East side of Zion to see what we can find. Not to far down the road we spot a big horn sheep, then shortly after that on our way back we spot the biggest one I have seen up on a hill, then another. It was late in the evening and hard to get good shots, but at least I got some.
Over the next couple of days we wondered up and down the canyon to see what fun stuff to take pictures of, even decided to see how cold the water was up the Narrows. After convincing Markai to give it a shot and bear the cold water, we only made it up a few hundred yards before our feet felt numb and were hurting. That water was FREEZING! At least I took a few shots while we were up there a little to prove that we were only a little crazy.
The next day we drove over to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes to go do some fun action shots. I love playing in the sand and trying to get some fancy/crazy photos. After a little while I was wore out from running, jumping, and climbing through the sand. At least we took a couple of props to make things a little interesting. I had sand all over me, in my ears it stayed for a couple days! I even undressed at the car to shake it all out of my pants. I had to hurry so no one driving by saw me in my glory. The sand kept making an appearance for the next couple days. I noticed after I left one resturant that my shoes decided to leave a pile of it on the floor as I sat there to eat, and as Markai was sweeping out the tent to take it down that she would leave a trail of sand where she just swept. Now I have a pile of it in my floor mats in the car. At least it is red and will remind me of this trip we took down south everytime I get into the car.
Now to plan the next trip!
Here are the pictures!
From the Pink Sand Dunes
