Driving into the park, we were very hopeful. Once you go past the entrance station, and for the next 10 miles to the Visitor Center, there are spectacular views. There is road construction the entire way, but that has been the case in every park we have been to all summer, so we were cool with that. The thing that stands out here is that the mountainside seems to be on top of you, and you go from one type of massive rock formation to another. You can't get panoramic views of most of it because you can't stop along the side of the road (due to the construction), and then again it is right on top of you, so you can't back up far enough to get a good shot. Look at the difference in these rock formations.
We had to drive thru 2 tunnels, the longest of which was a one lane drive for 1.1 miles thru the heart of a mountain...with no lights inside. The 2nd picture here shows how deep in the mountain you are (see the hole in the center) and the 3rd pic shows a cutout in the mountain that lets some light in as you drive through. I could easily have freaked out in here...I was feeling quite claustrophobic...so I had to consciously not think about where I was.
Here are some more pics as we drive to the Visitor Center
Luckily, we had purchased this medical kit before we left San Antonio in May, so we were well prepared for any accidents!!!
Once we got to the Visitor Center our hopes were dashed! We had no choice but to park our car and get on a tour bus to see the rest of the park...they started this practice back in the year 2000 because the crowds were getting so big.
These 2 buses are actually attached, the front one dragging the back one along for the ride. Being on a bus was bad enough, but being on the back bus was ridiculous. Other than seeing left or right out the window, depending on what side you were sitting on, your only other option was to look thru the ceiling windows...how absurd!
Here we are trying to get pics out the side windows, and Cathy stretching to get pics thru the ceiling windows. The side windows only opened about 8"...see my hand!
Cathy did get this pretty shot thru the ceiling, with the cell phone.
Like other parks, there are stops along the way where you can get off the bus to see some sights, but unlike the other parks we have been to there wasn't a lot to see in the immediate area. For the most part you stood at the bus stop and took your pics, then waited for the next bus to come by to go to the next stop.
At this 1st stop we observed what they called the Court of the Patriarchs...the mountains across from the parking lot. As you look at the stitch pic left to right, these mountain tops are named Abraham Peak, Isaac Peak, Mount Moroni (the Mormon angel), and Jacob Peak. Oh well!!!
At the last stop we got off and decided to take a hike along a path they had blocked off. The problem here is that whenever you see pictures of this park in a brochure, all the beautiful pics shown are after you have hiked about 16 miles into the bowels of the park. Needless to say, Cathy and I weren't going anywhere near 16 miles, so after about a mile we turned around and got back on the bus to go back to the Visitor Center.
The entrance fee to this park is $25, so basically everyone is taking a $25 bus ride...not worth it at all. I can truly say that if this had been my 1st visit to a nat'l park, it surely would have been my last. What should have been a spectacular visit, based on the entrance, turned out to be a prolonged bus ride...very disappointing!
On a lighter note, I have suffered a couple minor injuries lately. I cut a chunk of skin out of my finger while cutting Cathy's hair, and the day before that I cut my leg at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Luckily, we had purchased this medical kit before we left San Antonio in May, so we were well prepared for any accidents!!!
Paula - put some lotion on your leg!
ReplyDeleteStill the pictures you did get were worth me looking at and remembering my disappointing visit to Zion.
ReplyDeleteBrenda, I have 2 thoughts - the 1st is that I had just cleansed my wound with an alcohol swab, and the 2nd is, when it has taken you so long to comment on the blog, why is it that you have to insult me!? hahaha
ReplyDeleteHoly cow. No way I would be able to go thru that tunnel. And - 25 MPH...geez, make it more agonizing than it already would be. I'd be standing at the beginning with my thumb out hitching a ride back to town. How did you get down from that hole in the side of the mountain - is there like a big air bag at the bottom to catch the cars as they fly out..and couldn't you have gotten a picture of one coming out - how cool would that have been! (do I have to say it?)
ReplyDeleteDid that book give you guidance for those little baby cuts you have? This kitten I'm maybe adopting has turned my arm into red lines and puncture marks. :D
Even tho Zion was a bit of a disappointment, all the other places have been pretty awesome and no doubt the Grand Canyon will be also.
Barb, we were actually only driving about 10 MPH thru the tunnel. Because of the construction, only one lane was open, and we had to follow a pilot car thru...it really was uncomfortable!
ReplyDeleteWhy hasn't anyone noticed your finger and arm I think. That made me laugh. What about the book on medicine you can never talk about my high jumping days again.
ReplyDeleteHallie, no one mentioned my arm because it was my leg!!! haha And I thought the Wilderness and Travel Medicine book was classic!!!! Finally, Cathy's sister Brenda mentioned my leg...that it needed lotion! She dies!!!
ReplyDeleteit may have been disappointing but I agree that the pictures you did get were great to look at. Thanks for saving my $25 someday when I get out there!!!haha
ReplyDeleteStop whining about two little cuts, I know you are tougher than that!!!!!!!!!!!
Ellen, I swear the cut on my finger was serious..I thought I was going to need stitches...there was actually a piece of skin left on the scizzors!
ReplyDeletePaula, I believe due to your trauma with your leg and finger you were unable to appreciate the beauty of Zion National Park. The pictures you captured are very nice. Back to your finger, with all of Cathy's talents I'm sure she could have done "butterfly stitches" for you if it didn't stop bleeding. With a cut like that, you may want to check on whether Cathy sterilized the scissors, was her hair clean, and when was the last time you had a tetnus (not sure of spelling?) shot???
ReplyDeleteArlene, I never thought of the butterfly stitch. I will keep that in mind for any future mishaps! Thanks for the thought!
ReplyDeletePaula and Cathy I hope you get the flavor of Arlene's comments. They always have me laughing!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe hand and the hand cut look awful. Painful can tell.
The pics you did take are beautiful but I can certainl understand your frustration.
Marie, I definitely "get" Arlene's "flavor"...I look forward to them!
ReplyDeleteHi Paula and Cathy,
ReplyDeleteThis is my 2nd attempt to comment so I hope i get it right....sorry that you were disappointed with Zion. Dan and I and 2 of our daughters took a "road trip" last summer. When we were at Zion it was 105 degrees and we thought it was great because we were in the bottom of the canyon and it actually seemed a little "cool". We walked to the beginning of the "Narrows" and when we got home saw pictures of the narrows and wished we had gone further but we were only there for 1/2 day. We went to Bryce that afternoon but never hiked down into the canyon and after seeing your pictures I wish we had the time to do that. I wanted to let you know that you can get a National Park pass so that you don't have to pay the entrance fee to the parks and it is good for a year. I think it cost us $82.00 for the pass so it's well worth it. You can get info on the National Park website and you might be able to buy one at one of the parks. I'm not sure were you are now I just wanted to check out the blog since I was talking to Marie today but you should check out Sedona, we stopped there to get an oil change and to see the Chapel in the Hills. It was a cool little town and the ride in is awesome. Will you/did you see the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest? I loved the teepees!! Have you been to New Mexico yet? Carlsbad Caverns is awesome...we met a park ranger that had worked at the heights when they were digging up the old fort. We drove west to Tx and stayed with my cousins (11 of them) in New Braunfels (their Dad was a lifer in the Air Force!!), north to NM, then to AZ, through UT and then east and spent a few days with my nephew in Madison, WI. Our last stop was the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. We took 3 weeks and drove 6,828.6 miles. I'm looking forward to seeing your pictures and following your trip. My father always said you should see your own country. I was amazed at what we saw and even more amazed at how much more there is to see. You guys are very lucky to be able to do this...I'm very jelaous!! HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU!!
Hi Linda, and welcome to the blog!
ReplyDeleteWe had seen pics of Zion in magazines and were psyched to go there, but with our dog at home we were limited as to how much time we could spend there. That is obviously the case anywhere we go, but it took us a while just to get to Zion, and then with the whole bus thing...I was very frustrated.
Our friends Carol and John told us that Sedona was great also, so we will be going there in the next few days.
I can't imagine going almost 7000 miles in 3 weeks. We have about 10,000 miles, but we have been doing it for a year.
I would be happy to add you to my list of people I notify everytime I update the blog...if you want that, just let Marie know and she can send your e-mail address to me.
Glad you liked the pics...and believe, I am well aware of just how lucky we are. Every day we go out and see the sights I am reminded just how lucky we are!!!!
P.S. Most of the time I have to hit the "Post Comment" button 2 times before it takes on the blog. I don't know why.