On our way to the magnificent Zion National Park, we wanted to experience the often missed Cedar Breaks National Monument. It is a singular red canyon at the top of Blowhard Mountain in the Dixie National Forest that separates Highway 89 (Bryce and Panquich, UT) and Highway 15 (Cedar City). The 3 different overlooks showed off spectacular scenery and the light over the canyon made the stops breathtaking.
Cedar City, UT is home to the Utah Shakespeare Festival where we went to a performance of “Into the Woods”.
Zion, oh Zion….
We just loved getting to explore this beautiful place again. We spent time on some hikes that we missed the first time. We got to see the constantly flowing Weeping Wall Cave. The mosses and flowers that grow right out the waterlogged rock was pretty magical to see.
We then got to hike to the 3 Emerald Pools and Sallie’s all time favorite, Angels Landing. Definitely not a hike for the faint of heart. If the switchbacks and ascent don’t get you, the height at the top of the landing will. “Only an angel could land on it”.
We drove out the east entrance through the famous mile long Zion tunnel to hike the Canyon Overlook. It is a shame that not a lot of people come out here. It was a terrific hike hugging the side of a canyon wall to then get to the overlook of the entire Zion park. It felt like we were looking at a postcard picture of the park.
The Checkerboard Mesa is also on the east side of the park and we got surprised by a herd of Prong Horned Sheep.
Back at camp…in an RV park in Springdale, we spent an afternoon relaxing in the Virgin River and were greeted by a doe and her buck that also wanted to relax by the river.
Sue’s favorite place to hike is “The Narrows” Slot Canyon in the Virgin River where the canyon walls can be a mere 16 feet apart and tower 1000 feet above. We were outfitted with neoprene socks, special boots and the all important “3rd leg”, our big walking stick. The rocks in the river are slick and a bit treacherous at times.
Leaving Zion on our way to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, we traversed through the tunnels. For RV’s, they stop oncoming traffic at the other end so we could travel down the center of the tunnel. It was a little scary driving our hale in the tunnel, but we made it out safely.
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