What a Wonderful World! (An #AtoZChallenge Post): Z is for Zion National Park

 

Visitor Center sign in Zion National Park

My husband recently re-retired, and we are front-loading travel. My #AtoZChallenge posts this year will explore our adventures--some pre-retirement, some post. Today's location: Zion National Park in Utah. 

Zion is a bit of a shibboleth. People from outside of Utah (or those who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) tend to pronounce Zion as "ZIE-on." Locals (or tourists who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) use more of a schwa sound, pronouncing Zion to rhyme with lion. However you choose to pronounce it, it is an amazing, beautiful national park and has some amazing hikes.

The last time my husband and I visited Zion National Park, we entered from the east, and traveled through the mile-long Zion-Mt. Carmel tunnel. It is an engineering marvel, completed in the 1920s. Before we passed through the tunnel, though, we spotted a group of bighorn sheep, including some babies. 

Cute little bighorn sheep babies look up while other bighorn sheep graze nearby

A car enters the Zion-Carmel Tunnel

Emerging from the tunnel, visitors are rewarded with beautiful vistas.

Cars navigate a narrow winding road around vertical mountains

Many areas of the park are not accessible by private vehicle, but visitors can board a shuttle bus near the visitor's center to get to some of the more popular areas, including trailheads for Angel's Landing and The Narrows. Although I have never attempted the Angel's Landing hike, my husband has. Parts of it are steep and have a chain for hikers to hold onto as they make the climb up the narrow trail. It's not for those who are afraid of heights, but rewards those who brave it with beautiful views. The Narrows hike is not on a mountain top, but rather in a river. Special shoes and hiking poles, along with warm gear for colder parts of the year, are available for rent near the visitor's center and are highly recommended. The Virgin River flows between narrow canyons, and the experience of hiking The Narrows is amazing. It is important to check the weather forecast prior to beginning the hike; you do not want to get caught in a flash flood! We did not hike The Narrows during our most recent visit earlier this month, as the weather was cold--it even started spitting snow a bit--but we observed a few brave souls who were emerging out of the river after hiking. However, during warmer months on clear days, this is one of my favorite hikes in the world. There have been times when we've started hiking early in the morning, and we have been the only people around. The quiet solitude of hiking in the water, with the tall cliffs towering above, is a great way to commune with nature. 

Two brave hikers emerge out of the Virgin River after hiking The Narrows

Although we didn't hike The Narrows this time, we did hike the Watchman Trail, one we hadn't done before. We reached the top during the golden hour, when the light of the setting sun made for wonderful photos.

A scraggly tree without leaves stands on red ground, overlooking the valley below

Dramatic mountains rise above the desert valley floor

A visit to Zion National Park was a great culmination to the #AtoZChallenge. It might have been last, but it certainly wasn't least. I hope you've enjoyed this year's posts; I definitely enjoyed the travel! Thanks for visiting this little corner of the blogosphere!