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A Day and One Half in Zion National Park
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| Angel's Landing | Kolob Canyon | Emerald Pool Trail |
| Weeping Rocks | Kolob Canyon Lookout | Mt Carmel Road Tunnel |
| Visitors Center Vicinity | Temple of Sinawava | Checkerboard Mountain |
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Prev: Prev - Valley Of Fire
Click on any for a larger view Next: Next - Bryce
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| Recently, Zion became the most visited U.S. national park. (See recent article in New York Times, which features the Angel's Landing trail.) I asked a Millenial why it is now so popular. "Someone posted some great pictures on social media," she said. | ||
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This trail has net climb about 1600 feet. Not ideally suited to our first day, the trail is "strenuous" though very popular. I judged that this would be the only occasion on which we could try it - our only full day in Zion. At any point we could opt to turn back.
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106 _17Oct12-sw17_0754 Starting up the Angel's Landing Trail. Less than a mile a mile along, perhaps 300' above the valley floor.  |
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112 _17Oct12-sw17_0830 Switchbacks and hikers  |
113 _17Oct12-sw17_0839 "Scout's Lookout," the last resting place before the arduous climb to the top. Many people turn back at this point. Everyone rests here and takes pictures.  |
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113 _17Oct12-sw17_0858 Beyond Noriko see the many hikers clambering ant-like up the steep trail.  |
113 _17Oct12-sw17_0903 Note the chain behind us. Without it, a high percentage of hikers would fall to their deaths. From this point on to the summit is spent clinging to that chain or standing aside for columns heading the opposite way. Most people are considerate, else this would be an unplesant experience.  |
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116 _17Oct12-sw17_0939 We reached the top, where I spoke with a couple of nice Asian-American Millenials who complemented we old folk for our perseverance. I observed that about 70% of hikers were Millenials, including many Asians; about 20% non-Millenial foreigners, and 10% older Americans like ourselves.  |
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119 _17Oct12-sw17_1012a Looking down from the summit at the birds-eye view of the 180 degree switchback executed by the Virgin River in the canyon below. The improbable fin-shaped pinnacle is the conseqeuence of the river's loop.  |
119 _17Oct12-sw17_1108 Lunch! back at Scout's Lookout. (Who could eat lunch on the top, with the 1600' drop all around?)  |
119 _17Oct12-sw17_1119 The rock surface is characteristic Zion. The diagonal striations reflect the primeval origin of the rock as layers of sand.  |
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120 _17Oct12-sw17_1153 Looking up at where we were.  |
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123 _17Oct12-sw17_1156a Vigorous green cottonwoods. Splendor.  |
126 _17Oct12-sw17_1202 I want to look at this landscape every day.  |
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128 _17Oct12-sw17_1240 30 minute rest. Our stamina would have been higher if we had carried more food.  |
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The "Weeping Rocks" trail
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129 _17Oct12-sw17_1343 Delighted Millenials chat and get wet  |
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130 _17Oct12-sw17_1343a Columbine  |
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A trail along the river, from visitors center to campgound
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134 _17Oct12-sw17_1556 I have already implemented some of this. This reference photo will help me to implement the rest.  |
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Kolob Canyon, a segment of Zion National Park physically removed from the famous valley
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Kolob Canyon Lookout
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145 _17Oct13-sw17_1023 a native oak  |
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Temple of Sinawava, the last shuttle stop and the start of the "narrows" trail
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The trail to lower and upper Emerald Pool
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147 _17Oct13-sw17_1357 A trail of large rocks and fine sand  |
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151 _17Oct13-sw17_1411a Upper Emerald Pool  |
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The famous tunnel enabling eastward exit from the canyon
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On the plateau top, a world starkly different from that of the Virgin River Canyon.
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