ZION: POPULAR AND POPULATED

Zion Canyon Campgrouns

It’s the start of summer vacations.  The campgrounds in Zion National Park are full.  We are fortunate to get a spot for a few days at the Zion Canyon Campground just outside the park.  The spaces here are tight and we’re backed up to the tent sites. It’s crowded, noisy and populated with pyrotechnically challenged campers who build smoldering campfires that produce billowing clouds of heavy black smoke each evening.  On the plus side:  It situated along the Virgin River and is within walking distance to the park visitor center.

Virgin River

Virgin River - Zion

There are basically three roads in the park:  The Scenic Drive, Kolob Terrace Road and the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway. Private vehicles are banned from the Scenic Drive but the park provides a free bus service to shuttle visitors up and back through Zion Canyon.  Every Shuttle is packed and we get off at each stop to view the geologic icons and do a little hiking. The trails are terribly crowded, it’s human bumper cars; folks looking up crash into bodies stopping to admire or photograph the stunning scenery.

Kolob Reservoir

Kolob Terrace Road

After one day spent in the canyon we decide to concentrate on the more remote sections of the park.  This summer Kolob Terrace is closed from 8:00AM to Noon and 1:00PM to 4:30 for roadwork.  Since we like to sleep in, we get to the closure site a little before noon.  Now, normally, sitting in traffic waiting for the pilot car can be frustrating, but the views here are 360-degees of stunning.  Once the road opens we take it all the way to the end to the Kolob reservoir.  We follow the dirt road around the reservoir until it becomes impassable.  There are a number of disbursed campsites around the lake. It’s a great spot for our picnic lunch.   Since the road won’t be open until 4:30, we take our time returning and stop at Lava point for a short hike and some dramatic views.

Zion- Mt Carmel Hwy

Heading out we take the Zion Mt. Carmel Highway.  The road passes through the Zion Mt. Carmel Tunnel.  The tunnel was built in the 1920’s and is not large enough to allow two-way traffic for oversized vehicles.  From 8:00AM to 8:00PM the park operates one lane traffic control. According to their standards, poor Dimples is 12 inches too wide, so we must pay a $15.00 bounty to pass. Again the scenery is amazing. Towering red cliffs against cloudy skies.  We even spot a small herd of Bighorn sheep lazing about on the rocks.

Visually Zion does not disappoint.  We’re glad we could only book a few days here. Now we have incentive to return during the off or shoulder season.  Life is all about balance… so next stop should be Bryce Canyon, but we’ll save that for another time and head onto one of the least populated spots in America…