Day 18: From Virgin to Torrey

After five days in Virgin, just outside Zion National Park, we traveled north in I-15, then east to Torrey, Utah.  We are currently at Thousand Lakes RV Park, near Capitol Reef National Park.  The RV park is not nearly as nice as the previous one:  Gravel parking lot, a few trees, neighbors close on either side.  But the people running it are very friendly and the basic facilities are fine.

The drive was only about 200 miles, so we arrived in time to drive to the visitors’ center at the national park.  This is obviously a “minor” park, compared to Grand Canyon or Zion.  The center was small, just an information desk, a gift shop, and a small display.  However, the rock formations on the drive there were amazing.  Lots of red rock, with stripes of white and green, odd shapes, some rounded, some pointed.

It was a windy afternoon, too windy to grill the chicken as planned, so we went to a local café for dinner.  The hostess seated us at a table for six, with another couple who had entered at the same time.  We had a pleasant hour or so, chatting with them and eating a good meal. (I had salmon---nicely prepared.)  They were from Michigan, on vacation for three weeks, and visiting a number of national parks in the west, though traveling in the opposite direction from us (counter-clockwise). 

The wi-fi is very weak in this location, so the next few entries will be without photos , though I am sure that I will snap lots of those as we tour Capitol Reef tomorrow!

Day 17: More hiking in Zion

We again went to the park early.  The first stop was Weeping Rock Trail, a brief but steep walk to a moist area in the rocks where ferns and flowers grew from the water seeping through the rock.

From there, we took the shuttle bus to the end of the valley and we walked the length of the Riverside Walk, along the Virgin River.

Where the trail ends, the Narrows Trail begins.  This is a well-known hike in which you walk THROUGH the river, as the space between the rock walls becomes narrower and narrower.  Dan and I did that hike the last time we visited Zion, and we opted to skip it this time.

Along the way, we saw another mule deer, as well as many of these guys---rock squirrels. Think he has been getting some handouts from the tourists?  

After a nice lunch out, we returned to the campground for relaxation, one more good shower (and for me, a swim in the pool), and some packing up before we leave tomorrow for Torrey, Utah.  

Day 16: Hiking in Zion National Park

We left the campground early to avoid the heat and the crowds at the park, arriving a little after 9:00.  We took the bus to Zion Lodge, where we picked up the Emerald Pools Trail.  It started as a paved walkway but became a rocky and dusty trail as we neared the upper pool.

A few raindrops fell on the windshield of the bus as we returned to the visitors center, and when we looked back into the valley as we reached the car, a storm was rolling in.

I had time before the rain moved in at the campground in Virgin to do a grocery shopping trip to La Verkin.  Then the rest of the afternoon, it rained---then sun came out---more rain and thunder---more sunshine.  At times, pouring rain while the sun was shining!  Poor Ranger did not enjoy the storm, but we didn't mind a little "down time".  The temperature dropped as the rain moved through, so we had a nice cool (52) night for sleeping.  

Day 15: A trip to Bryce Canyon National Park

The weather forecast was for one more hot day in the Zion area, so we decided to go where it was cooler---Bryce Canyon.  And yes, it was sunny, windy, and about 70 there, a nice change from the heat of the past few days.  

We had planned to go to Bryce anyway; it is Dan's favorite park in Utah.  We got a fairly early start and enjoyed the drive through the famous tunnel through a mountain in Zion, to get to the east side of the park.

The east side of Zion is drier, more desert-like, with huge rock formations.  It's hard to believe the way that the rock layers have shifted at all different angles!

We stopped for a burger and fries at a funky diner in Hatch, UT, then headed into Bryce Canyon National Park.

It was very busy with tourists, but not nearly as crazy as Zion had been on Sunday.  We were able to get a parking spot near the Lodge and walk to the rim.  

Bryce is somewhat more dog-friendly than other national parks, so we were able to walk Ranger along the rim, on the paved sections. He was also welcome on the bike trail that winds through the park.  It was good to be able to not leave him in the car while we toured.

We had been here before (maybe 12 years ago?) but the view was just as impressive as when we first saw it.  I took way too many photos; how can you capture those hoodoos?

Best day of the trip, so far!

Day 14: Zion River RV Resort

For the next four days we will be staying at an RV park in Virgin, Utah.  We usually stay at state parks, where one is actually out in nature.  This RV park, like many we have visited in the past, is basically a parking lot with nice landscaping.

So why stay here?  For one thing, it's the closest place to Zion National Park for camping.  It had good reviews, and it will serve as our base as we use the car to explore southwest Utah.

Not to mention, it has a pool, hot tub, great showers,  a store, a dog play area, Wi-fi, a laundry, very clean facilities---pretty luxurious for us!  

After catching up from a poor night of sleeping at Grand Canyon, we both slept solidly, despite the high temperatures in the afternoon (99).  This being a desert environment, once the sun went down, so did the temperature, to upper 60's by bedtime.  

It was cool enough in the morning for a long walk with Ranger, as well as an energetic play session in the dog play yard.  We had a big brunch, and then spent time on a major clean-up.  After several weeks on the road, with much time in dusty and sandy areas, this was needed.  So.....three loads of laundry, vacuuming, washing the floor, etc. etc....the place is now sparkling!
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By 2:00 we were ready to take a look at Zion.  As we drove in (about 12 miles) we started seeing signs that the national park parking lot was full; "park in town" the signs said.  The town of Springdale was full of cars, parallel-parked all along the way.  Once parked, a person can catch the Springdale shuttle bus into the national park, where you change buses to get into the park.  (Zion does not allow private vehicles in; you must ride their shuttles to see the park.)  

We parked near bus stop 6, caught a bus readily, and arrived at the visitor center.  As I remembered, the scenery was spectacular:

However, it was extremely hot in the sun (though temperatures only in the low 90's), and the park was CROWDED with people.  We didn't last long, just picked up print materials to do our planning for the coming days, then joined the dozens of people waiting in line for a bus back into Springdale.  (A ranger assured us that it would not be as crowded on a weekday; we will see.)  

Back at the RV park, I headed for the pool, while Dan enjoyed a cold beverage.  It cooled off enough to grill chicken outside, and it seems it will cool off enough to open windows soon for sleeping.  

Day 13: Grand Canyon

We decided that, given how things were going, it was time to move on.  I checked with the next place we had reservations, and yes, we could arrive a day early.  So we decided to tour Grand Canyon in the morning and then head out.

It was well worth the time to drive around.  Nothing is quite like the views of the canyon.

We left in early afternoon for a trip back to the desert.  Temperatures at North Rim were in the upper 60's.  In the area of Zion this afternoon...99 degrees!  We'll be in Virgin, Utah for the coming days, with day trips to various parks.  

Day 12: Desert to Cool High Elevation

Still not adjusted to the strange "no daylight savings" time in Arizona, we were up very early and on the road again, heading for the Grand Canyon, North Rim.

We left desert behind going through Flagstaff---lots of greenery there---and headed up Route 89.  At that point, we had plenty of fuel, no need to fill up when the gauge was over half....

But little we did realize how desolate an area we would be going through.  We went for miles through red, dusty land, with no towns and just an occasional stand by the side of the road where a Native American was selling pottery and jewelry.

Surely, we thought, there would be a gas station with diesel at the turn-off to Route 89A, going to Grand Canyon.  But no.  We went on for many more miles, through beautiful red rock formations, without towns, stores, or gas stations.

We finally reached Jacob Lake, the last town before one gets onto the 41-mile road that leads into North Rim.  And there we filled the tank, putting in the largest amount of fuel so far on the trip, for the highest price.

On the way in:

So it was a stressful beginning to our time at North Rim.  We found our site....which had a distinct downhill slope which was partially remedied by driving up on boards, but not completely. 

 In addition, in looking over the park regulations, we realized how  limited Ranger would be during our stay.

Then the refrigerator would not start up on propane.  (No electricity at this campground.)

It was still mid-afternoon, so we took Ranger on a walk of about 2+ miles along the one trail where dogs are permitted.  It led to the Lodge and Visitors Center at Bright Angel Point. The parking lot was packed.  People were all over.  I was able to get a few photos without people stepping in front of me....

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And Ranger was excited to see one of the local mule deer.

It did cool off nicely in the evening.  However, our site was along the gravel road where every late-arriving camper traveled, so there was a series of headlights coming in, along with the crunching of gravel, right up until almost midnight.

Not one of our better days of camping!