Zion | Veteran’s Day 2018

We had made an attempt to visit California for Veteran’s Day but it fell through, so instead we went up to Zion! This place is incredibly beautiful and only about 3 hours away.

Our journey begins at the Canyon Junction, looking south towards the Anasazi Way. It’s easy to see why the western settlers fell in love with this place and why it was a sacred site to the early American peoples, from the ancient Anasazi and Fremont cultures to the Paiute most recently.

A zoomed portion of the lower right side of the above image
You’ll recognize the (two) above picture in the background…

This was earlier on the next day but a similar view – look at all the beautiful colors of the trees in the background!

Two of the “3 Patriarchs”

We rented a vehicle and drove on up, staying in a tiny cabin roughly 45 minutes from the park. We were able to utilize our season pass to get in and out with no problems, so exploring we went!

It was tough but I got one of these guys on camera
The Temple of Sinawava
Is it strange to go to a park known for its mountains and take so many pictures of leaves?

As we scoured the park there were so many things to shoot, but I liked the close up on these leaves a lot. All told, it was beautiful timing for fall colors. Even the drive to the park was full of beautiful waves of color. We couldn’t have asked for a better weekend!

I think this was my favorite shot

This was right at the entrance to the Riverside Walk, a beautiful bridge showcasing the many colors present that weekend. We don’t have too many trees, especially large deciduous ones, so this was quite the welcome sight.

A different bridge but equally beautiful. Taken near the first image in this post.
I promise this is the last bridge picture
The largest Fremont Cottonwood in the park

Walking back across the river, we were greeted by this monstrous tree. Take a look at the people at the base of the tree! I tried to get as much perspective on it as possible but it was just so hard to capture. Behind the cottonwood is the formation known as The Spearhead, known for its giant sandstone cliff face.

This guy was perhaps 25 feet from the trail, nestled amongst the grasses

Walking north from the Lodge, we encountered some wildlife on our way to The Grotto. I took a ton of pictures here but not all of them turned out…this and another 10 point were roaming along our route as well, guarding over at least 3 doe and a number of fawns.

Almost looks enchanted
It’s no surprise they call them Mule Deer…

Deer are the most common animal seen in Zion, and the Mule Deer is the most frequent type. Because their primary natural predator – the mountain lion – has an extreme aversion to crowds, the deer thrive in the valley.

I don’t remember exactly where this was, I believe towards the north end of the valley near the Narrows
Our hike along the waterside
This would have been nice to see in the summer
The Altar of Sacrifice, with The Beehives in the background

Many of the names for these peaks come from a Mormon named Isaac Behunin who picked biblical names for the formations. Having a flat mesa, this mountains echos the mount upon which Abraham offered Isaac.

The Sundial on the left, the Meridian Tower on the right, with the Altar of Sacrifice in the middle
I love the colors here
Up near the mouth of the Narrows

As always, thanks for reading!

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