Zion National Park - Part 2

We wanted to do some hiking while we were in Zion National Park, but we were slow because I wanted to constantly stop to get pictures of the fresh snow. The fluffy snow against the red rock walls of Zion were breathtakingly beautiful.





We decided to try the Zion Riverside Walk, which is a short 1.9 mile hike along the Virgin River. The trailhead starts at the last stop on the park's scenic drive, the Temple of Sinawava. We drove up but every parking space was taken, and there was a line of cars waiting to grab the first available spot. We hurried down the road and parked along a pull-off, and walked back up the road to the trailhead. If it was this crowded on a cold winter weekday in February, I can't imagine what it's like in the summer.



The Temple of the amphitheater is a beautiful spot. The canyon narrows here, creating a natural amphitheater under 3,000 foot high rock walls.





It was a pretty hike, but it was difficult to photograph. The sun was shining brightly down, which isn't ideal for pictures. There were a few places where the high canyon walls provided shade on the Virgin River, and I hurried down to try to get a few pictures.





The Riverside Walk is usually listed as an easy family-friendly trail, but it was kinda challenging that day because the trail consisted entirely of compacted snow and ice. I admit I slipped and fell once here. But the trail ends at the beginning of the Narrows, but you can continue hiking up the river into the canyon. It wasn't a hike we really considered, since we were there in the winter. So I was a little surprised to see people in waders trudging up the frigid waters. I bet that water was cooooooold. But it looks like an amazing hike, and one that I would love to do. Maybe in the summer when there isn't that much of a risk of frostbite.



It felt warm while hiking in the sun. But once I stepped into the deep shade under the canyon walls along the river, it was a quick reminder of how cold it was up there.





We made it back to the Temple of the Sinawava, which was named after the coyote god of the Paiute.









Along the river at the Temple of Sinawava are two massive sandstone pillars called the Pulpit. The largest pillar stands 160 feet above the river.





We got back to the car and headed south, eventually pulling over at the aptly named Big Bend. Here the Virgin River dramatically curves under the towering canyon walls.







There was one other trail I wanted to hike that day - the Canyon Overlook Trail. To reach the trailhead meant driving up the extremely steep and curvy road that leads to the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. The tunnel was built between 1927 and 1930, and cuts 5,613 feet through a mountain. At the end of the tunnel there is an extremely small parking area for the Canyon Overlook Trail, which was of course completely full when I drove by. I managed to find a parking spot nearby, and then started the hike. After about a mile the hike ends at the overlook, which had an impressive view:



The view provided a great view of the steep switchbacks rising uphill.



Perched on the edge of the 1,000 foot high cliff was this little plant, which had a great location and view below it.





And one last shot from the overlook, after sunset had cast the canyon into shadow.



It was getting dark as I started hiking back to the car, but there was just enough light to get this picture of a snow-covered mountain along the way.



It was nearly dark when I went through the tunnel, but I made one last stop at a pull-off along one of the switchbacks to get this shot. A few cars were out on the road, dwarfed by the massive mountains.