In the third in a series of columns, I’m recounting my journey to the southwest last summer.
Day 8: Zion
The temperature at my campsite in Zion didn’t drop below 80 all night long, but wind near dawn provided some comfort for a brief sleep. When I woke, I immediately caffeinated and geared up for a ride on the free shuttle bus. The shuttle is the only way to travel on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to the park’s best-known spots.
One great thing about a shuttle is that you can hike from stop to stop, rather than doubling back over the same trail you just hiked. I found the hike to the Emerald Pools Trail connecting to the Kayenta Trail to be a pleasant and quiet way to view the gorgeous valley. Then, it was back on the shuttle to Riverside Walk, where everyone has to get off the bus. It’s a popular spot for people to walk upriver in The Narrows – for those who remembered to rent the special shoes and trekking poles before getting on the shuttle.
I stopped for lunch, willing to pay the premium park prices for a cool, fresh meal. I ordered a sandwich with a $5 side of hummus. After what seemed like a half-hour wait, my order was finally ready. The $5 hummus? A tablespoon-sized serving in one of those containers that’s usually used for dipping sauce with an egg roll. At least it came with a bag of chips.
Heading back down the shuttle route, I was exhausted, and I wasn’t the only one: several other people on the bus were nodding off as we neared the campground even though it was only early afternoon. Back at my site, it was too hot to nap, so I took another drive on the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway to get a better look at the scenery. The AC and caffeine weren’t enough to motivate me, though, so I called it: It was time to take a vacation from my vacation.
I found a hotel room in St. George, which actually turned out to be the best and most affordable room of the entire trip (seems not many people visit southern Utah on a weekday in August). Some legendary California-based fast food chains provided dinner and breakfast the next morning.
Day 9: Zion, Cedar Breaks, Bryce Canyon, and Grand Staircase-Escalante
After a night of air-conditioned rest and a good shower, I began a day that proved to be a little too packed. I stopped by Zion’s Kolob Canyons Unit before driving through Cedar Breaks National Monument to the day’s main destination, Bryce Canyon National Park.
Bryce Canyon offers visually stunning “hoodoo” features and a hike through an area known as “Wall Street.” Accidentally, I stumbled onto a great quick hike that others seemed to know already: Head down the Navajo Loop through Wall Street but then connect with Queen’s Garden Trail and take that back up the hill at a much easier incline. By this point in the trip I was actually not the slowest person on the trail anymore!
I headed down the scenic road all the way to Rainbow Point but, in retrospect, I probably should have skipped the scenic drive because it was getting late. I headed east on Highway 12 towards Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Not knowing what to expect in there, the sun was setting as I reached a stunning overlook on the highway, and I was still glad I got there just in time to see it.
I didn’t arrive at my campsite at Singletree Campground in Fishlake National Forest until well after sunset, but I managed to set up the tent (still dusty from Zion) in the dark. The long day had me thinking I should have skipped one or two of the earlier stops, or spent less time luxuriating in the hotel AC!
Reviewing a software-defined radio recording from my Singletree campsite after I got home, I was thrilled to hear many distant signals travelling all the way from Colorado. Check out this signal from K270AY (Battlement Mesa-Grand Junction, CO), coming in from more than 150 miles away!
Day 10: Capitol Reef and Colorado National Monument
My campsite was near Capitol Reef, and I started my tour by taking the short Scenic Drive. Weather conditions had closed Capitol Gorge during my visit. Instead, I went to the Grand Wash for a hike down the dry riverbed to The Narrows.
Problem was, I forgot which trail I was on. In my head, I was confusing the wash with a dead-end trail that I’d planned to hike at Capitol Gorge, even though I knew I wasn’t there. Eventually I encountered a friendly group who’d walked in from the other direction, making me realize this wasn’t a dead-end trail. I decided that our meeting point was a good turnaround. Despite my confusion and a packed trailhead parking lot, the hike was mostly stunningly quiet solitude through undisturbed wilderness.
Capitol Reef is also known for the orchards planted by Mormon settlers in an area they called Fruita. Visitors can pick fruit when it’s in season, and I was fortunate enough to be there when one orchard was open for apple picking and another was open for peaches. I forgot that I wasn’t supposed to pick the apples in the peach orchard until after I’d put a couple in my bag. There were plenty of apples but few peaches, and it was closed just a few hours after I left.
I then headed up Highway 24 to I-70 and then east towards Colorado National Monument, where I had planned to spend the night in a site with a massive view. However, a landslide had closed I-70 was closed in central Colorado, requiring a long detour. As I drove I pondered my options: Spend the night at Colorado National Monument and limit my last stop at Rocky Mountain National Park, or cancel my reservation and get a head-start on the detour. It was a heartbreaking decision but I opted to spend the night at a hotel along the detour. Driving through the Monument, I actually had time to stop by what would have been my site and resolved to get back there in the future.
Day 11: Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain has been so popular that they’ve been limiting daytime entries in the summer to a certain number of reservations. In fact, they’re so hard to get that the only open slot was toward the end of my vacation – which is why Rocky Mountain was my last stop instead of my first. I had actually reversed my entire trip plan just to be able to visit this park!
Entering from the southeast side of the park, my first stop was a great stroll on the Coyote Valley Trail, offering great views of peaks in the distance. Then, Trail Ridge Road brought me higher and higher past numerous excellent overlooks. The road then rises above the tree line and arrives at Alpine Visitor Center, where I took the short walk up the hill to an overlook. Farther down the road, I walked the short Tundra Communities Trail, which is also strenuous due to the elevation.
What they say about hiking (or walking) at high altitudes really is true. I struggled to keep my breath even on short walks, and some others were having a worse time of it than me.
I took time at a trailhead to scan the FM dial, which was packed, of course — but it’s not as exciting when you’re out of your normal region and don’t know offhand where the stations are coming fron.
After several short hikes and numerous glorious overlooks, my adventure was coming to an end. I headed down the mountain and out the Fall River entrance, sad to be leaving the last national park of the trip but knowing that there’s plenty more to see in the future.
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