For me, being among mountains is always an experience that is both humbling and uplifting. It's been many a long year since I would have described myself as conventionally religious, but I always felt a strong emotional response to the Psalmist's words (quoted in the title). The author, whether King David or some other person, certainly shared similar feelings.
But then, there are mountains and there are mountains. Sometimes, you can find yourself at close quarters in a place where the only thing to do is to look up -- look way up -- because the tops of the mountains are farther away vertically than they are laterally. Zion National Park in southern Utah is such a place.
The glorious centrepiece of the park is Zion Canyon. It's been a place of deep significance time out of mind for the Paiute tribe, whose traditional lands include this place of wonder. Indeed, the broad natural amphitheatre at the northern end of the scenic road is called The Temple of Sinawava, in tribute to the primordial coyote god of the Paiute.
Many of the other names were added to the Canyon in 1916 by a Methodist minister from Ogden, Utah, Frederick Vining Fisher. Angels Landing, East and West Temples, The Court of the Patriarchs, and The Great White Throne are among features named by him.
From April to October, the scenic road through the canyon is closed to private motor vehicles. Free shuttle buses run a frequent service up and down the road from the Visitor's Center at Springdale, with eight different stopping points along the route. There's also a connecting free shuttle running along the lengthy main street of Springdale, stopping at a number of locations: hotels, shops, and restaurants.
Arriving in Springdale at 2:00pm and leaving at 11:00am the next morning still left time for two excursions into the park, with stops at different locations along the way, plus meals (a delightful pub supper on an outdoor terrace facing the mountains was one) and a nice evening swim and hot tub at the hotel's outdoor pool (seen here the following morning).
The weather on the two days was completely different, so the sky keeps changing from one picture to the next. Also, it's sometimes hard to realize that most of these pictures were taken with the camera pointing up at the sky at an angle of 45 degrees or greater. With that, here's my scenic tour of the majestic mountains and cliffs of Zion Canyon.
As the shuttle enters the scenic drive, you get a good view of the range of peaks on the east side of the valley.
The next big sight is a mountain called The Sentinel, with the broad swathe of rock slide on its face which periodically drops another mess of rocks to block the river and cause an unexpected flood.
Just past the Sentinel is The Court of the Patriarchs. The three white-topped mountains, from left to right, are named Abraham Peak, Isaac Peak, and Jacob Peak. The smaller red crest in front of Jacob Peak is named Mount Moroni, after the angel of that name in the Book of Mormon (the actual religious book, that is, and not the musical!). These two pictures show the difference between the afternoon, with the remnants of a rainstorm still blowing away, and the next morning with clear skies and glorious sunshine.
The Big Bend gives a good illustration of the narrow, steep-sided upper part of the canyon.
The Great White Throne is the most eye-catching of all Zion's mountains, because of its different colour. The entire region is covered with a thick top layer of this pale grey sandstone, but this is the one major piece of it that's easily visible from the canyon floor. Its crest is 2350 feet (720 metres) above the canyon floor, yet only 1500 feet (460 metres) back from the base of the cliff next to the road and river. The Throne can be seen from many parts of the canyon, peeking around the other red sandstone cliffs and mountains.
The Big Bend offers the best view of the Throne's imposing bulk, especially with a little help from a zoom lens.
This dramatic view, also at the Big Bend, clearly shows the cracks and fissures where the erosion of the canyon's features continues. The river flows in a 180-degree loop around the base of this promontory, right between the rock wall and the bus stop.
At the end of the road, The Temple of Sinawava is a huge natural amphitheatre. I've included the tour buses in these two pictures to give a bit of an idea of scale.
Beyond this point, travel is on foot only. A mile north of the Temple, even the footpath disappears as the river flows between the vertical cliffs of The Narrows, filling the entire space. Hikers have to wade through the water for a considerable distance to reach the far end, climbing all the way.
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A few helpful hints to conclude:
Waiting lines for the shuttle buses can easily grow to over an hour during the midday hours. To beat the lines, you either have to go around/after 4:30pm or else get there first thing in the morning (the first shuttles roll during the summer at 6:00am!). Even at 9:15am, I had to wait 35 minutes.
If you only plan to visit Zion Canyon, get a walk-in pass -- half the price of a car pass. Leave the car in Springdale and just ride the shuttles. Other areas of the park, including the Kolob Canyon, do require a car for access.
If you are desperate for brand-name restaurant food, your only choice in Springdale is Subway. The town has many really good restaurants of all kinds, from counter cafes to brew pubs to fine dining, but none of these are national brands. Look on it as an adventure. If you really, really feel that you have to have Mickey Dee's or KFC, you'll have to drive back down the highway 50 minutes or so to get to St. George.
If you plan to do any of the famous hikes like The Narrows or Angels Landing, be sure to read in advance all of the detailed advice on the park's website, and come fully prepared. The river came up in a hefty flash flood after that big rainstorm yesterday, and the Narrows had to be closed. When they give you safety advice, they aren't joking and yes, it does apply to you, no matter how tough you think you are.
Even if you only have one night, as I did, do try to go up the Canyon twice, evening and morning. If it's clear, the spectacle of all spectacles would be the sight of the Great White Throne lit up with nature's colours at sunset. But it's better to try to stay for 2 or even 3 nights, and really get into the whole experience. Your park pass is good for 7 days, so you can make the most of it.
Arriving in Springdale at 2:00pm and leaving at 11:00am the next morning still left time for two excursions into the park, with stops at different locations along the way, plus meals (a delightful pub supper on an outdoor terrace facing the mountains was one) and a nice evening swim and hot tub at the hotel's outdoor pool (seen here the following morning).
The weather on the two days was completely different, so the sky keeps changing from one picture to the next. Also, it's sometimes hard to realize that most of these pictures were taken with the camera pointing up at the sky at an angle of 45 degrees or greater. With that, here's my scenic tour of the majestic mountains and cliffs of Zion Canyon.
As the shuttle enters the scenic drive, you get a good view of the range of peaks on the east side of the valley.
The next big sight is a mountain called The Sentinel, with the broad swathe of rock slide on its face which periodically drops another mess of rocks to block the river and cause an unexpected flood.
Just past the Sentinel is The Court of the Patriarchs. The three white-topped mountains, from left to right, are named Abraham Peak, Isaac Peak, and Jacob Peak. The smaller red crest in front of Jacob Peak is named Mount Moroni, after the angel of that name in the Book of Mormon (the actual religious book, that is, and not the musical!). These two pictures show the difference between the afternoon, with the remnants of a rainstorm still blowing away, and the next morning with clear skies and glorious sunshine.
The Big Bend gives a good illustration of the narrow, steep-sided upper part of the canyon.
The Great White Throne is the most eye-catching of all Zion's mountains, because of its different colour. The entire region is covered with a thick top layer of this pale grey sandstone, but this is the one major piece of it that's easily visible from the canyon floor. Its crest is 2350 feet (720 metres) above the canyon floor, yet only 1500 feet (460 metres) back from the base of the cliff next to the road and river. The Throne can be seen from many parts of the canyon, peeking around the other red sandstone cliffs and mountains.
The Big Bend offers the best view of the Throne's imposing bulk, especially with a little help from a zoom lens.
This dramatic view, also at the Big Bend, clearly shows the cracks and fissures where the erosion of the canyon's features continues. The river flows in a 180-degree loop around the base of this promontory, right between the rock wall and the bus stop.
Beyond this point, travel is on foot only. A mile north of the Temple, even the footpath disappears as the river flows between the vertical cliffs of The Narrows, filling the entire space. Hikers have to wade through the water for a considerable distance to reach the far end, climbing all the way.
**********
A few helpful hints to conclude:
Waiting lines for the shuttle buses can easily grow to over an hour during the midday hours. To beat the lines, you either have to go around/after 4:30pm or else get there first thing in the morning (the first shuttles roll during the summer at 6:00am!). Even at 9:15am, I had to wait 35 minutes.
If you only plan to visit Zion Canyon, get a walk-in pass -- half the price of a car pass. Leave the car in Springdale and just ride the shuttles. Other areas of the park, including the Kolob Canyon, do require a car for access.
If you are desperate for brand-name restaurant food, your only choice in Springdale is Subway. The town has many really good restaurants of all kinds, from counter cafes to brew pubs to fine dining, but none of these are national brands. Look on it as an adventure. If you really, really feel that you have to have Mickey Dee's or KFC, you'll have to drive back down the highway 50 minutes or so to get to St. George.
Even if you only have one night, as I did, do try to go up the Canyon twice, evening and morning. If it's clear, the spectacle of all spectacles would be the sight of the Great White Throne lit up with nature's colours at sunset. But it's better to try to stay for 2 or even 3 nights, and really get into the whole experience. Your park pass is good for 7 days, so you can make the most of it.
This post takes a scenic tour (actually two scenic tours) through the awe-inspiring Zion Canyon in Zion National Park, southern Utah.
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