USA Road Trip - Las Vegas to Zion National Park

Day 12, 13 From Glitzy to Glorius
A remote Ussie - Tourists at the Checkerboard Mesa
A big day today as we saddled up the Hyundai to head across the desert to the Zion National Park. The roads were busy in Las Vegas but the traffic petered out as we headed Eastwards into Utah via Arizona. Not a lot to see en route other than wide vistas, big skies and very occasionally a desert town. We made a stop on the way in Mesquite at another McDonalds. Mesquite looked to be a retirement community on the Nevada/Arizona border with big Casinos and a number of Golf Courses. Amazed that there is enough water? The Virgin River, a tributary of the Colorado, flows through the City but its not very big. The name has nothing to do with Mr Branson, it was named a couple of hundred years ago after a Pioneer.
A Ranch on the way
We were due for only a brief incursion into Arizona but they decided to do some big road works to keep us there for a while longer.
Anyway, no complaints, it was a good drive.
Heading for Utah
We were heading for the small town of Springdale where we would enter the National Park. The Ranger at the entry gate admonished us for not having our ID ready as we drove in. Have it ready next time - Yessir!
Conveniently, we needed to drive through the park to get to our Accommodation so we had the opportunity to view the southern part of the park in the Afternoon sunshine.
It was a stuttering drive as we stopped at every available viewpoint to take in the vista and take photographs - as you do.
Quite lovely scenery, apart from the mile long tunnel. We made it to the Zion Mountain Ranch with time for a walk before Dinner. They have a Buffalo Herd but unfortunately they had wandered off so were not on the menu at The Buffalo Grill. What a lovely fresh Salad and Steak they cooked up for us. One of the best, if not the best, meals of the trip. Our neighbours in the adjacent cabin were a group of ladies dressed in traditional pastel coloured long dresses. There were also some Ladies working in the Vegetable Garden at ZMR dressed similarly. We assumed they were Mormons? We did not like to ask but probably should have.

On the Ranch
Our little Cabin at Zion Mountain Ranch
 TW Pioneering
Cactus Flower

TW stepping down




In the Canyon - Riverside Walk
 After a great nights sleep we drove back down through the Park to Springdale and picked up a Shuttle bus to take us through the Canyon. Quite a few hiking options and we chose to go to the Emerald Pools in the morning. Fairly straightforward, TW found it a bit hot but enjoyed it anyway.  We were not sure of the exact elevation at the time because the Americans still use old money - feet. The Canyon base is around 4,300 ft (1300m) and we climbed about 350 ft - I think.
Lunch was taken at the Zion Lodge. This sits part way up the Canyon. They had a takeaway section with a very long queue so we opted for a seat in the Restaurant upstairs. We had to wait for a table, not quite sure why. The Lady at a Reception Desk was taking names for a Waiting List. After about 30 mins we noticed that people were going straight upstairs when her back was turned. We did the same and found plenty of empty tables and quick service, all a bit odd? Suitably refreshed we headed off for another shuttle ride up the Canyon and a very pleasant Riverside Walk.
The muddy Virgin River
 The Virgin River again, it's headwaters are just above the Park, It can be a torrent in the Spring and there can be flash floods in the Canyon after storms. Some hardy souls were wading up-river when the path ended. TW wanted me to do it. No way, I did not get where I am today by being brave and adventurous! We had to share our path with quite a few other Tourists and a number of scavenging squirrels but there was room for everybody. Our last shuttle driver for the run back to Springdale was a bit of a comic and kept us very well entertained with corny jokes.
We had a quick look at Springdale which meant a coffee and an enormous Blackberry Cobbler at Wildcat Willies before returning to the Ranch to cook up a Pasta Dinner. Springdale is only a small town with mainly tourist businesses lining the single street.
Could quite happily have stayed a while at Zion National Park to do a bit more hiking and to try the cycling. We were very lucky with the weather but it was about to turn and, anyway, we have a booking at Bryce Canyon up the road somewhere.
At the end of the day

Where we stayed - Zion Mountain Ranch https://www.zmr.com/  


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