A Birthday Loop Around Cedar City, Utah

Our last stop in Utah was Cedar City, so we could try to see Cedar Breaks National Monument. The road into the park, Rt. 148, is usually closed until late May, but we thought we'd stop by the Visitor's Center in town to see if by some chance it was open. Success! The road had just opened.

For my birthday this year I planned a day that would make me happy - exploring the local area with Rick. I guess that's nothing too special - we do a lot of that. But I got to pick the whole day's itinerary.

Our first stop was for cinnamon rolls and a latte in town, then Cedar Breaks, then swing by Brian Head, through the little town of Parowan, on to Parowan Gap to see the petroglyphs and topped off with dinner at the Depot Grill in Cedar City. (We even had time for a little nap in the afternoon.) The loop started east on Rt. 14, cut north on 148, back west on 143 and then back roads out to the Gap and home.

Cedar Breaks was, as others have described it, a mini-Bryce. There was still some snow around, but it was verging on mud season. I'm glad the roads were all paved or it would have been a big mess. The few other people stopping at the observation areas with us seemed to be German tourists. I've got no explanation for that.

The view from Point Supreme. Brian Head in the distance.

Just north of Cedar Breaks is Brian Head, the southern most ski mountain in Utah. The whole place was closed up tight - no snow and no summer activities yet. Just mud season.

The back side of Brian Head

It looked like they were replacing one of the lifts, or putting in a new one. All the components of the lift were laid out in orderly lines in the parking lot.

After a quick necessary stop in the little town of Parowan we found our way to what was, for me, the high point of the day: Parowan Gap.  The gap itself is a natural geological formation that has been used as a roadway for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Although originally created by water running through a fissure in the Red Hills, the stream eventually dried up and now it is simply a "wind gap."

It is estimated that as long ago as 750 AD, Native Americans were using the gap as not only a passage, but a special place to record…uh...whatever it was they were recording there. No one knows for sure, but there are theories about the significance of the petroglyphs.  The prominent figure below is called "The Zipper" for obvious reasons, but the going hypothesis is that it is a recording of the location of the sun over time in relation to the sides of the gap.  Kind of like Stonehenge. If you're interested check out the link to Parawon Gap.

Even to a petroglyph amateur like me it's clear that these are atypical. The others I've seen are primarily pictures of animals and humanoids, with some wiggly lines and suns thrown in. The experts say these are all about counting, or keeping track with repetitive markings predominant throughout the site. 

On one side of the road the petroglyphs are protected by a fence, but on the other side visitors are free to scramble around and look for more. And there are plenty to find. This is by far the largest collection of petroglyphs I've ever seen. More even than Newspaper Rock near Canyonlands National Park. And they are really accessible. Just outside of Parowan, maybe 30 minutes from I-15. There's plenty of information on the internet to help you find and appreciate them.

Next a report on some more contemporary local color.

A Final Hike on (probably not) Many Pools Trail in Zion National Park

Guided once again by Joe, our favorite Zion National Park expert, we headed through the amazing Carmel-Mt. Zion Highway tunnel to the east side of the park, a topsy-turvy world of swirling slick rock.  We selected a trail unofficially called Many Pools from Joe's website, and followed his excellent, detailed directions. After parking in a smallish roadside spot we found a sandstone culvert under the road that we thought must have been the trailhead. 

Above is a glimpse back at the culvert as we walked north, away from Rt. 9 along the wash. It was an easy walk through the wash until we came to some steep slick rock. But Joe had warned us about that and we had our nubby soled shoes on for climbing. 

We sure needed them as the trail progressed. "Slick rock" is the name for these eroded petrified sand dunes that make up much of the east side of Zion NP.  No, we didn't climb this one:

The wash continued north until we could see a white and red sandstone cliff that is so typical of Zion. We had a hunch that was probably the end of the trail.

Then we started seeing the many pools that this trail is named for.  This is my favorite picture of the pools and the cliff with the arch in it at the end of the wash. 

And this is the last of the pools, where we thought we would have to turn around and head back...

But, with a little exploratory poking around we found a "secret" passage hidden behind some rocks and brush...

…that led to a surprise slot canyon! Joe hadn't said anything about that!

We explored the canyon for about 200 yards until we came to a rock fall we didn't think we could get  safely over or around. We never did get to the foot of that beautiful cliff. The hike back to the road was even better than the walk in. It got a little bit cloudy so our pictures got a little bit better. This was our final look back over the slick rock toward our secret canyon.

When we got back home we looked up Many Pools Trail again on Joe's Guide to Zion National Park, and guess what? Nothing about our walk looked anything like his pictures of Many Pools Trail.  (Joe's pictures are fantastic - no big surprise that ours didn't look like his.) Yes, it had many pools, but there was no mention of any slot canyon. 

Where the heck were we, Joe?

An incredible place, that's where. This was our last hike in Zion, as we are heading north to Cedar City tomorrow.  We've spent a couple of days getting travel-ready again. We dismantled the folding kayaks because the roof rack is loose and we can't figure out how to fix it. So the kayaks are in the RV basement.  That took most of the day and reminded us again why we kept them assembled and on top of Ms. Subaru.  (Anyone want to buy a couple of great folding kayaks?)

Rick and I usually feel ready to roll after a month in one place, but both of us are feeling kind of sad about leaving Zion. It is truly one of the most remarkable places on Earth, and though we got into it more deeply this time than we did two years ago, there is still so much more to see. I think we'll be back.

Short View of a Long Hike

I didn't know the exact mileage, but I had a hunch it was going to be an all day hike. At 9 AM, I started at the Chinle Trailhead and at 6 PM, ended at Coalpits Wash Trailhead, crossing from one trail to the other on Old Scoggins Stock Trail.  Here's a map of the hike from one of my favorites sites, Joe's Guide to Zion National Park.

I brought about a half gallon of water, a lunch, my walking stick and camera, and took my time.  I think I probably stopped to look around about every 40 steps. That made it a longer walk that it might be for some folks. It was beautiful every step of the way, and so peaceful. I met only four people during the whole day.

Anyway, I took a lot of pictures of wild flowers and interesting rocks. I also took a lot of grand views, but I've shared so many of those I thought it was time to zoom in again to stay balanced.

It took me several hours today to identify all the flowers.  If you're interested, here they are, clockwise from the upper left corner: desert paintbrush, Shivwits milk-vetch, claret cup cactus, cliffrose, dwarf lupine, desert larkspur, sego lily, beavertail cactus, Mojave desert star, desert primrose, sneezeweed, bells of Ireland, skyrocket, yucca baccata, and purple sage (in the center).

If you read the list, you may have noticed one flower that is not a wild species at all, but a flower typically found in a florist shop. Can you guess which one? See the end of the blog for the name of this invasive non-native not-wildflower.

Here are the rocks. I can't begin to identify all of them, but most are probably forms of sandstone.  There's a plant with the sandstone in the upper right corner, maybe some gypsum layers on its left, and there are also some mysteries for you to ponder. Can you find the cryptobiotic soil? (Hint: it looks like a mini 3D map of Zion.) How about the petrified wood? (Answers at the end of the blog.)

The final question still lingering from this trip is, who made this track?

It's about 3" long and 2.5" wide. It was made in a damp sandy stream bed so it was depressed quite a bit. I don't see any claw marks. The bottom lobe has three bumps on the bottom and two on the top. I'd love to hear your expert opinions about it, 'cause I don't know. 

(Botanical and geological answers: Bells of Ireland, bottom row second from the left. Cryptobiotic soil, bottom row, far left. Petrified wood, bottom center.)

A Peak Week at Zion (and more)

This past week Rick and I had the pleasure of hosting a couple of good friends from back East and giving them the grand tour of everything we love about this area. We've known Steve since our contra dancing days in Greenfield, MA (almost 20 years ago! Eek!) and now we know his wife Wendy since they were married a few years back. They arrived on Monday and it was a whirlwind of activity until they left early Saturday morning. We loved every minute.  

We started their tour of the area with an overview of Zion provided by a shuttle ride through the canyon with stops and hikes as we were so inspired. We got really lucky and snagged the first row of seats in the second half of the two part shuttle bus. The view was so much better than any other seat in the shuttle. So much of Zion is about looking up and if you're not in these four seats, all you see is the ceiling. 

(Oops. Sorry Rick)

Out first stop was the end of the line, the Temple of Sinewava and the Riverside Walk down to the mouth of the Narrows.  It was early in the day so the canyon wasn't too crowded and we could walk at a leisurely pace.  (On other occasions this hike has felt like rush hour in Chicago.)

The Virgin River flowing through Zion Canyon

The Virgin River

Looking up from the floor of Zion Canyon

After a picnic lunch along the river we boarded the shuttle and headed back toward the Visitor's Center. It was a very windy day, so our stops ended up being kind of brief. We had been protected from the wind in the narrower end of the canyon, so we hadn't noticed it before.  

Rick, Wendy & Steve in Zion Canyon 

In an effortless group decision we chose to hike the Kayenta trail to the Emerald Ponds trails, and were once again protected from the wind.

Wendy on the Emerald Pools Trail

The hike left us feeling pretty satisfied with the day, and after a short stop at the Human History Museum to see the video, we loaded up in the car and headed back to the RV. Wendy and Steve are staying in one of the three little cabins at Zion River Resort. The day concluded with a nice supper and planning for the next day, which was going to be a long one.

Bright and early the following morning we loaded up the car with a picnic and headed east, up the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway. The highway hairpins its way up the canyon walls and through a long tunnel that transports you to the east side of Zion - a totally different world.

View of the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway from Canyon Overlook

We parked immediately after the tunnel in the small lot opposite the trailhead for the Canyon Overlook Trail and headed for the great serendipitous event of the week.

(Quick back story needed here: Before Steve and Wendy left Massachusetts they had san email from a contradance friend who told them that a local New England fiddler, Rachel, was the artist in residence at Zion for the month, and encouraged them to look her up. It wasn't exactly a top priority, but we were open to finding her if the circumstances were right at some point. We actually thought we caught a glimpse of her in the woods as we road the shuttle, and she seemed to be involved in a photo shoot of some sort. She was holding a fiddle - that's how we guessed it was her.)

Flash forward to the Canyon Overlook Trail. About halfway through the hike we turned a corner into a large grotto-like area and who is there but Rachel and a crew of seven photographers, videographers and journalists. We cried "Hey, are you Rachel? We know you (almost)!"

Artist-in-residence Rachel with crew

We discovered she was about to play a waltz while being filmed and we volunteered to provide ourselves as two waltzing couples, right there in the beautiful suspended cave above the canyon. The sound of her fiddle filled the grotto while we waltzed and everyone felt very honored by the moment.

Wendy & Steve recreating the serendipitous waltz after the crowd was gone.

After some more chatting and marveling at our good fortune, we hiked the rest of the way to the Overlook, which was almost as exciting as the serendipitous waltz.

Rick on the Canyon Overlook Trail

Back to the car and we headed east out of the park on Rt. 9, and north to Bryce Canyon NP on Rt. 89. A breathtaking drive from start to finish.

And then Bryce!  We took the scenic drive to the end and picnicked.

The Natural Bridge Arch in Bryce Canyon NP

Overlooking Bryce Canyon

Then we parked back at Sunrise Point and hiked the Queen's Garden Trail.  

Along the Queen's Garden Trail.

Wendy taking an "action shot" of Steve on the trail.

Lenore on the Queen's Garden Trail

The Queen's Garden Trail

Phew! Our return drive got us into Springdale at about 8:00 and we elected to eat at the (historic!) Pioneer Restaurant. Good food, reasonably priced, and a friendly host who gifted us with a 20% coupon for our return visit!

Day three: Rick suggested we go to the least visited parts of Zion: the Kolob Canyons…

Kolob Canyons

... and Kolob Terrace Road to Lava Point. Although these locations are at the north end of the park and geographically very close to one another, they are not connected (except for a dicey dirt road - not recommended), so two separate drives are required. We divided the day with a lunch break back at the RV.

The bird watchers in Kolob Canyon

Kolob Canyon Road and Timber Creek Overlook Trail provided us with some great avian, fauna and flora observations.

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Spring blossoming in Kolob Canyon

Collared lizard on Timber Creek Overlook Trail

Steve & Wendy at Timber Creek Overlook

Kolob Terrace Road turns north off Rt. 9 very close to Zion River Resort, in Virgin. It's one of our favorite excursions, and like most of Zion, offers new vistas every time you see it, depending on the season, the weather and the hour. The road leads to Lava Point where you can get a great view of Zion Canyon from the north.

View of Zion from Lava Point

There is a campground at Lava Point, but it was closed, so we drove up to the Reservoir to use the facilities that are available there. On the way we stumbled upon some great birding, spotting a flock of red-shafted northern flickers, a few western bluebirds, a spotted towhee, a couple of osprey, and a western kingbird

Aspens near Kolob Reservoir

OMG, we were all sleeping like logs every night, and we hated to see the week end. But come Friday it was time to take Wendy and Steve back to the airport in Las Vegas. None of us is wild about the City of Stars, but we planned to make the best of it. On the way down (another incredible drive, passing through the remarkable Virgin Gorge) we made a detour to the Valley of Fire, a place every bit as amazing as Zion and Bryce, but just a bit smaller.  (Come back for the next post for more on that.)

The plan was to stay overnight in Las Vegas, and the next morning Steve & Wendy would be on a very early flight, and Rick and I would drive back to the RV park in Virgin. After an unfortunate mishap with our hotel reservations (AAA's fault) we found an alternative hotel, got some dinner and tried to chill so we could "enjoy" Las Vegas a bit.  Well, with good company, and a positive outlook, almost anything can be redeemed, and our evening was no exception. Our only goal was to go to the strip and see the Bellagio Fountain, which we succeeded in doing, with pleasure. Top that off with some gelato, and we were ready for bed, but not before fond farewells and promises to do this again sometime, somewhere.

Thanks Wendy & Steve for being part of our best week at Zion ever!

The Smithsonian Butte Scenic Byway

For the next month we'll be parked at Zion River Resort, just outside of Zion National Park. When we were here two years ago, we saw lots of the park and the surrounding areas, so we're looking for new territory we haven't discovered yet.  This adventure was to the tiny historical "town" of Grafton, and along the designated byway circumventing the Smithsonian Butte. 

The road to Grafton starts in Rockville, turning off Rt. 9 at Bridge Rd. It's pretty easy to miss - there's only a tiny sign pointing to Grafton. It passes through a residential neighborhood, over Virgin River, and then through a ranching area. Great views of Mount Kinesava...

…and other interesting rock formations along the way.

The town has a few buildings and a lot of beautiful old farm land along the river.

After poking around just a bit we headed back to the road that passes around Smithsonian Butte and then heads straight south to join Rt. 59 at Apple Valley or maybe Big Plain Junction, depending on which map you're reading.  While still in Grafton you get some good views of what I think are Eagle Crags.

The rough dirt road increases in elevation dramatically for the first mile or two and then levels off at about 4500 feet. We stopped to take in various views; this one's of Kinesava again, with some paddle sort of cactus in the foreground. The botanicals around here are nowhere near as prickly as they were in Arizona, but there are still some cacti here and there to watch out for.

Smithsonian Butte itself is not any more spectacular than the surrounding scenery, it just seems to be the landmark that lends its name to this official "Scenic Byway." In any case, here it is:

Did I mention it was a very dusty dirt road? 

There's a unique carwash in La Verkin that we can highly recommend. It's just a modest little carwash, but it's literally covered with these high quality murals. It makes getting a car wash so much more uplifting.