Zion National Park - Part 3

After our little side trip to Grafton, we headed back to Zion National Park. Unfortunately we soon met a gate, it turns out that the park was already full and there was no more parking. The park ranger stationed at the gate kindly suggested we wait a few hours and try to get in later. Other parts of the park were open, so we drove back through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. It was also crowded there with a lack of parking (again, I can't imagine what it must be like here in the summer). We stopped at this smaller tunnel to get a few pictures.



A few hours later we did try again, and the gate was open. The delay meant that we weren't able to do any hiking that day, but oh well. It was still great to be within the towering mountains of the park again.



It was still cold (at or below freezing), but the sun had already melted away a good amount of the snow.







I headed back to the Temple of Sinawava to get a few more pictures. At least by this time the entire bottom of the canyon was in shadow, which helped with the pictures.





And one last shot of the Pulpit, as the Virgin River hurries by at the Temple of Sinawava.



Zion National Park is an amazing place, filled with some awe-inspiring scenic beauty. Our time here was too short, and we didn't see all that we wanted to see. But that just means that we'll have to come back soon, I guess.

It was getting dark, and I ended up by this small waterfall along the Virgin River near the Court of the Patriarchs. As I was setting up this shot, the lens cap popped off and dropped right into the swift waters of the river.



And a wider view, a 20 second exposure taken well after sunset.



On the way back to the hotel I made one last stop near the edge of the park, so I could attempt to catch the mountains holding onto the last embers of light from the day. Already a multitude of stars were out and shining down on Zion.