Petrified Forest National Park

Posted on March 11, 2018 by leawalkerblog

No , I am not in the US to date. I am just so delayed in my update on this blog. Sorry.  We visited Petrified Forest National Park in the Spring of 2016. This may have happened two years ago, but the memories seem so real still. The place is awesome. And history is a very good teacher that all of us can learn from. That does not get old. So here’s my story which I think is better late than never. 🙂

Coming from Meteor Crater ,  Petrified Forest National Park is about an hour’s drive only. It is more or less 77 miles via I-40 and Highway 180.

We entered through the Painted Desert Visitor Center, where we got our map and guide to the park. We also bought some food at their restaurant prior to proceeding  with the trip.

Oh before I move on, I would like to thank our very helpful park rangers there.  Nice people! Thank you.

The photo below will explain why it is called Painted Desert.  (Click to enlarge).

An expeditioner ,  Francisco Vasquez De Coronado, passed through this area while looking for gold in 1540 and named this place, El Desierto Pintado  which in english means,  The Painted Desert. 

These badlands can be seen from the East End portion of the Grand Canyon National Park all the way to the South East end of The Petrified Forest National Park. The colors vary depending on the season. But it changes from Orange, red and brown during summer time to Purple, Blue and Gray during the rainy season. Amazing right? We went there during Spring and this is how it looked like. So pretty….  🙂

The Painted Desert Inn is where the travelers spent the night way back in the 1900’s.

The inn overlooked the Painted Desert.  So we decided to have our lunch right infront of this beautiful place. Look at that colored vast expanse of land infront of us. Amazing right!

ROUTE 66:

A portion of the famous US Route 66 can be seen from this National Park.

And of course, a souvenir had to be taken! 🙂 Thank you to the kind hearted tourist who offered to take our picture here.

Behind us is Interstate 40. But there is no access to or from there going to the park. You need to proceed to Highway 180 as mentioned above.

 

Next stop is the Village on the Rio Puerco. 

The Puebloan inhabited this area between A.D. 1250 to 1380.  

I found this place so amazing because of the petroglyphs carved on the rocks. Imagine the history and the story of those that drew their lives on said rocks. 

NEWSPAPER ROCK: 

 

BLUE MESA:

A tectonic movement lifted the earth’s crust about 225 million years ago,  which this plateau was a part of.  The lower layer of this formation is made of silt , sand and clay that has fossilized over time. The upper layer came from ash and lava of volcanoes that erupted nearby.

The frames at the site.

My actual pictures. So gorgeous right? I just love their colorful combination.

From the Blue Mesa, we proceeded to the Rainbow Forest Museum. Here, you will find the Petrified Trees. And other fossils that left me in awe.

The simplest explanation I found online for a Petrified Wood is this:

Petrified wood is a fossil. It forms when plant material is buried by sediment and protected from decay due to oxygen and organisms. Then, groundwater rich in dissolved solids flows through the sediment, replacing the original plant material with silica, calcite, pyrite, or another inorganic material such as opal.

Below is a photo of me sitting in a petrified wood.

Look at those colors. Stunning is an understatement….

Jewelries made of petrified wood are sold in some places. The park museum has them too but they bought from private suppliers. Please note that taking petrified wood , no matter how small, from the park is illegal. So the saying ” take only pictures and leave everything behind” applies here.

The other fossils I am referring to are these:

 

Dinosaurs:  That grew about 1.6 meters long. The first fossils were found in Texas. But same dinosaurs were common in Arizona, specially at the Petrified Forest area back then. These bones were found in Petrified Forest.

Placerias Hesternus:

THE FLOWERS IN THE DESERT: 

My reflections on these beautiful plants. They thrive in a harsh environment. Consider how hot it is during summer time. And how cold it is during winter time. And yet, they come back year after year.  They maybe so tiny compared to men, but they are sturdy and persistent. They come back looking beautiful. Always. That is God’s grace. And how nature works.

Ha ha… The “kikay” in me.  🙂

Dear friends, if you haven’t been here or you are nearby, include this park in your journey. Specially if you have children. The thought of dinosaurs roaming in the area millions of years ago will surely excite them.

I wish I can bring my nephews here someday. One of them loves Dinosaurs and the science that comes with it. So I just brought Marco , my nephew, a tshirt from the park. I know it does not compare. But it will have to do for now.

All in God’s time….

Once again, I would like to thank you for reading my blog. And thank you for traveling with me!

 

 

 

 

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El Savores Davao

Posted on February 1, 2018 by leawalkerblog

We found this two storey restaurant by accident when we were passing by Surveyor St. in Dona Vicenta , coming from our office.

Since it was already late, the hubby and I decided to stop for lunch. We did not know what to expect. But it was something new, so we thought, “why not”?

Glad that we did.

Because I found so far, the best chicken adobo I ever tasted, from this restaurant. There were so many choices. But I chose the adobo since I was already very hungry. And you know, I don’t like experimenting when my stomach is grumbling and I’m about to have a headache due to hunger. One can never go wrong with chicken adobo right?! 🙂

Do you see the thickness of the sauce in the picture?  The richness of the taste and flavor is as good as what the photo implies.

That’s why I was so disappointed when I came back home , thinking I’ll have the same for dinner and found out that the sauce was gone. hu hu… Whoever packed my left over did not include the sauce. I don’t know why.  But even without it, the chicken meat and bones, were so delicious, I ate more than I am supposed to. So if you are dieting, I guess this is bad news for you.

The tagline “sarap to the bones” aptly fits El Savores Davao’s Spicy Chicken Adobo.

Best adobo I’ve ever tasted. 🙂

 

Another favorite was their Beef , Bacon and Mushroom Pasta.  John was so happy about it, he texted a friend about his new found place and said – their pasta is not filled with sugar! ha ha

One order is more than enough to fill you up. The plate was big and filled with tasty goodness , making you think of coming back , to try the other dishes next time.

For Dessert, he ordered “Mingkie’s Dream Cheesecake“. Sorry I forgot to take a picture. I guess you just have to go there and try it yourselves. 🙂 If you like chocolate and cheese, then you will agree with me when I say, it is bad for those who have diabetes. Seriously. It will only make you sad knowing that you are not allowed to eat more of it.

It is so good that you will be wanting for more. I tasted a little. Wanted more. But I had to discipline myself this time.

Why? Because I ordered their chocolate milkshake.  I know, I shouldn’t have. But I wanted to find out if it was good. And yes, it was. Think of America’s Steak and Shake, milkshake. It is that good.

I do not know who owns this restaurant. Or who their chefs are. But regardless, the food speaks highly of them.

Cost wise? They’re not expensive at all. For the hubby, driver and I , he paid a total of P1,000.00 pesos only.

Oh before I forget, their 2nd floor has a function room that can accommodate 15 to 50 people. So it is perfect for meetings and conference.

Small Function area. 

More tables on the second floor.

To give you a better idea where it is, I cropped this google map to help you out.

 

Their contact details:

Mobile  :  0917-726-3849                                                                                                                        FB          : El Savores Davao

 

Okay, so I hope you enjoy your visit as much as we did. 🙂

 

 

 

Lea C. Walker

http://www.davaoproperties.com

 

 

 

 

 

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Goodbye 2017 , Hello 2018!!!!

Posted on December 31, 2017 by leawalkerblog

It is 3 a.m. in the Philippines as I write this, three hours after midnight. 🙂

And what better way to start the year than greet you all a HAPPY and PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!

To be honest, I just woke up. ha ha. Obviously, I slept through the loud noise of our neighbors who welcomed the new year last night with a blast (blowing of car horns, etc.)

And since I cannot go back to sleep yet, I thought I’d write my first blog for 2018. Hopefully, this signifies more articles here this year.

The year 2017 has been good to me and my family. The most significant thing  was that my mom had a stroke and half of her body was paralyzed while I was in the U.S. last fall. But with therapy and lots of prayers, from family and friends, she has recovered fully. YES, FULLY! 🙂  Miracles do happen…. Thank God!

20171230_141037

This photo was taken on her 68th birthday the other day in Samal Island, Philippines. 🙂

If there is one thing I realized, it is the fact that life is so fleeting. Things change in a second. So let me share with you what I wrote a few days ago.

My Crazy Thoughts 
3:07 a.m. 12/29/17
Davao City, Philippines

Life is so short.

So love your parents. Love your family. Despite and inspite of. Be kind to others, even if it kills you. Help if you can. Say no if you can’t. Yes, it is okay to say no.

Shut up when you can’t say good things. Be honest. Be responsible. Complain if you must , but be nice about it. Don’t lose your composure. Be classy.

Be true to yourself. Follow your dreams. Don’t give up. Quitters always lose. Get out of a bad relationship, no excuses. Love yourself. Don’t be afraid to cry when the goings get rough. Stop the hate. Forgive. And try to forget. Yeah, easier said than done but well…. it’s a test of will.

Stand for what you believe in. And say something. If you can’t be part of the solution, then you are part of the problem. Don’t spend what you cannot afford. Save. Save. Save. And don’t count the chicken before the eggs hatch.

Invest. In your future. In relationships and people. Believe in yourself and what you can do. And please don’t be lazy. Work hard. Respect yourself. And don’t live for dole outs. People work for what they have. So why won’t you? Why don’t you?

Travel. Enjoy nature. Run barefooted on the beach. Walk the trails. Throw a snowball. Pick up clams. Or pine cones. Smell the flowers. Sing to and/or with the birds. Dance with a love one. Watch the sunset together. Road trip together. Take a deep breath. Listen to the wind. To the sound of the falling leaves. Climb a mountain. Picnic in a lake. Try fishing. It is fun. 🙂 Write a song. Don’t be afraid to try new things.

Life is so short. So love your life. Spend it only with the people and the things that matter to you. Stop wasting time.

Start and end the day right. Say thank you to God. Say I love you, to your “John”.

Here’s to a better version of ourselves in 2018… Cheers. 🥂🍾🍷

MY HAPPY MEMORIES IN 2017:

 

With John. At the wedding of my nephew.

Family get-away with staff and the rest of Allea Team.

My US Family. 🙂 (L to R) Jonboy, Jane, Lindsey, Joan, John, Darren, Delana, Austin, Me, Mommy, Heather and Seth.

With My Sister. I wish our youngest sister is with us. But she’s out of the country and hasn’t been able to come home this year.

 

With Friends for Life. 

With best friends, Luzette and Paz.

With High School friends. (L to R) Tess, Desiree, Fely, Me and Joy.

 

MY TRAVELS: (Click on the photo for a larger copy. Thank you. )

 

MY ACHIEVEMENTS:

 

For all of these, thank you Lord.  It has been a beautiful and blessed year.

Praying for a blissful and more blessed 2018 for all of us!

Thank you everyone for making me a part of your life!

HAPPY NEW YEAR……… 🙂

 

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Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 24, 2017 by leawalkerblog

MERRY CHRISTMAS , my family and friends…. 

Thank you for spending time with me. God bless us all!

 

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on November 23, 2017 by leawalkerblog

Frost

It is freezing where I am right now. It was -2’c (28’f) when I woke up. The picture above was taken around 6 in the morning today. I went out and braved the cold to check if there’s frost on the ground. ha ha. That’s the Filipina in me talking. You see, we never have frost nor snow in my country. So this is really a treat on my part. 🙂

So for this chance to spend a frosty thanksgiving, I am grateful to God and the universe.

I have so many things to be thankful for. But number one is the fact that I woke up today. I thank God for the gift of family and friends. For all the blessings, past , present and future, I thank you Lord.

May your thanksgiving be happy and peaceful!

Happy thanksgiving everyone. 🙂

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Little River Canyon National Preserve

Posted on November 19, 2017 by leawalkerblog

The Entrance to the Park.

Coming from Georgia, the hubby and I took a detour and visited Little River Canyon National Preserve in Fort Payne , Alabama.

I love road tripping in America because there are several road options. “Back roading” almost always turn out to be a beautiful drive. Specially during fall when colorful leaves on the trees,  decorate the highways.

It was a cold day. To a Filipina, a high of 45’f  (7’C) is pretty cold. Specially when it is windy. 🙂 But well, who am I to complain. I love fall. And I love this weather. It is so much better than the 90’f  plus temperature back home. So we just made sure that we were layered well before heading out to the park.

Off Highway 35, we found the entrance to the park.  A few yards ahead, the huge Visitor Center welcomed us.

After talking to the Park Ranger in-charge, we watched a short film at their theater. We always make it a point to watch their movie presentation because it tells us more about the park. That way, we won’t miss anything we may want to see.

What struck me the most though is the fact that they welcome students visiting them. Teachings and shows are given to kids.  To educate them about the environment , the flora , fauna and wildlife in the park. I find that so amazing. This , again, makes me wish that we have parks like these in our country where my nephews and other children could go to learn about nature.

By the way, are you afraid of snakes? I am! 🙂 But in this park, they tell you to leave them alone. Because you know, this is their home. So we should all respect them. I wish I never get to see snakes though. ha ha

MORE OF THE VISITOR CENTER:

Below is the Library. How awesome right?

There is a Souvenir Store inside. And I had a very nice talk with their Cashier. I just want to thank her for being so nice. Thank you. I hope that she gets to read this blog. 🙂 I should have taken a picture of us together but I forgot. This is where I bought a ref magnet for my mama who collects them. Little River Canyon represents her Alabama magnet. he he

At the back of the Canyon Center, there is a wide porch overlooking the forest. So beautiful and peaceful. And cold. 🙂 Like I said.

Moving on, we drove towards the Little River Falls. The parking space is just near the entrance gate, along Highway 35. There is a short board walk that leads to the falls.

LITTLE RIVER FALLS:

Despite the cold, we walked the trail and listened to the birds. The hubby took some photos here of the birds who are obviously enjoying the park like we did. 🙂

From the water falls, we drove for about 10 minutes inside the park to look for the Mushroom Rock. 

History says that one of the road workers really did his best to prevent this rock being ruined during the road’s construction. I am so glad that he was successful at that! Or we would all have missed this. Right?

In the same area where the Mushroom Rock is located, we saw other huge rocks that I found interesting.

This one looks like the bottom of a giant’s feet. ha ha.. What do you think? 🙂

The park rangers really do their best to take care of the place. But sometimes, there are not so nice people who , instead of taking care of our environment, would choose to vandalize it instead. It’s so sad… 😦

Anyway, it made me smile when I realized that I looked like a dwarf in the picture below. ha ha

To give you some perspective of where it is located at, click the google map to enlarge it.

Little River Canyon is a great place to visit any time of the year.  When Spring comes, different types of flora , including Pitcher Plants abound. During Summer, visitors can swim and play in the water. Walking trails are also available for those who want to hike. Fall / Autumn of course, bring coolness and beautiful colors. And on Winter time, who would not want to see a frozen water falls? As in seriously… I would love to go back here someday during winter time and see that. 🙂

For more details of this National Preserve, please check their website here –

https://www.nps.gov/liri/index.htm

I hope you enjoy  Little River Canyon National Preserve as much as we did.

Thank you for traveling with us through this blog. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I Heart You…. :)

Posted on September 25, 2017 by leawalkerblog

This heart shaped sandstone can be found in Antelope Canyon, Arizona, USA.

With light passing through its crack, the canyon changed its colors again to a combination of red, orange and gold.

Nature is amazing….

 

Antelope Canyon, AZ

 

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Road Trip 2017 – Antelope Canyon, AZ

Posted on September 21, 2017 by leawalkerblog

Arizona , U.S.A. is famous for its canyons. Grand Canyon National Park gets visited by millions of tourists every year because of its beauty. But do you know what is the most expensive photo today? No, it’s not a picture of the Grand Canyon.

It’s a black and white photo of GC’s sister, the Antelope Canyon, named Phantom by Peter Lik which sold at a whooping $6,500,000.00 . Oh yes, that’s how expensive it is. One can only dream of reaching such level in photography huh?

I am so “mababaw” though. That’s shallow to my english speaking friends who read my blog.

My take on Antelope Canyon got acknowledged by fellow photographers in viewbug.com . I did not win the major prize. I wish! 🙂 But I am so happy with 10 Peer Awards and 10 Photo Trifecta Trophies. Thank you.

https://www.viewbug.com/photo/72419679

If you scroll down on my picture, you will see that I’m telling the truth. ha ha. The awards are all there. 🙂

You see, I did not study Photography formally. So to be noticed by professionals worldwide, it is already an honor to me. I appreciate their generosity. Again, thank you Viewbug community. You make me strive to do better. And thank God for the gift and the chance to travel. 🙂

The hubby and I visited Antelope Canyon last Spring. It was already crowded at that time. I heard that it is worse during summer and fall. So I’m glad that we went there just at the right time.

Why is that important? Well, Antelope Canyon is a lot smaller than the Grand Canyon. And if there’s a thick crowd, it would be very difficult to take pictures. You need to respect the other tourists and make sure you do not disturb them when they are taking photos too. You’re only given a few minutes to enjoy the place because the next batch is about to come in already. One way going in. And one way going out in some parts of it.

I think that’s what I did not like about my experience. I felt like we had to rush because we had to give way to the next scheduled tours. Unlike Grand Canyon, the place is huge so if you want to sit somewhere and enjoy the beauty of nature around you , you can.  Here, there’s no such thing. Oh GCNP is managed and protected by the National Park Service. While Antelope Canyon is managed by the Indian Reservation. Both are tourist traps but I saw how the park rangers work to protect Grand Canyon. With Antelope Canyon, I can only hope that they will take care of the place as much.

So here are some of the photos I took during our trip:

We rode in one of those trucks. The ride to the Canyon is about 10 mins. It was beautiful and not so rough. At the entrance, where we paid , there’s a parking space where you can leave your vehicle. I suggest that you come early because it gets full, fast. Bring water and food because there’s no restaurant there. And no nice bathroom. This is not a National or a State Park, so don’t expect too much. You’re here for an adventure. Period.

This is the entrance to the canyon. It’s like going to a small cave.

The canyon was formed by sandstone erosion, during flash floods. With passing time, the erosion made the corridors deeper and the hard edges smoother. Hence, the “flowing shapes” on the rocks.

It looks orange outside. But wait till you get in. The colors change depending on where the sun ray hit the canyon.

See the shapes?  That’s what flashflood and monsoon rains did to the canyon. I would not want to be there when that happens. But we all can agree how beautiful that looks like. Right?

The rich orange color in this picture makes it look like it is on fire. I was so amazed. And yes, it was difficult to get this picture, considering the crowd. But I’m glad I got some nice ones.

The Canyon Shapes.

The colors.

Here it looks bright yellow.

Here it looks like it is on fire.

Light came in through the cracks.

I think they called this the “Fire Fall”.  It’s like a waterfall of fire.

Art. The tour guide put the branch there to give drama to the picture. I don’t get it. But there it is. 🙂

That’s the sand’s reflection floating on air as it was hit by the sun ray. You have to be there at a certain time of day to get this effect.

And of course, what’s a vacation without souvenir photos? 🙂

Antelope Canyon is located in Page, Arizona. There is no need to book a tour there. You just have to be there early so you can get a schedule.

Thank you everyone for traveling with us. See you again next time. 🙂

 

 

 

 

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US Road Trip 2017 – Page, Arizona

Posted on September 18, 2017 by leawalkerblog

Coming from Zion National Park in Utah, we continued with our road trip to Page , Arizona via Highway 9 and US 89 Route.  This is the portion of US 89 that we have not visited yet. Hence, this trip.

If you want to see how beautiful this route is, please click this link –https://leawalkerblog.com/2014/01/19/roadtrip-us-89-route/ 

Moving on with today’s roadtrip, I will divide this into 2 parts. The Highway 9 side of this trip and that of  US 89 Route.

Highway 9:

I took this picture after we exited the North entrance of Zion National Park. I thought that this was kinda remote already….

So I was so surprised when we saw this subdivision, a  few miles from the park.  It looked like a nice community, in the middle of nowhere. 🙂

I think I get it why people chose to stay here. The view is pretty awesome. Plus it is literally very quiet and peaceful.

Look at the almost deserted road below.  Does it not look beautiful?

And then we reached Mt. Carmel Junction, where US 89 Route starts. 

The sign below says, we are 17 miles away from Kanab, Utah. That’s the main town in this area.

Lake Powell , our destination on the other hand,  is 88 miles away.

Grand Canyon National Park is 100 miles away. But we won’t be going that way anymore as we were there just a year ago. Check my blog about that trip here.

– https://leawalkerblog.com/my-travels/america/arizona/grand-canyon-national-park-day-1/ 

This just reminded me that I am not done with our 2016  road trip yet.  And I’m about to leave again soon for another  trip. I wish I can write everyday so I can catch up with our previous travels. But it’s just not possible with work and all.

You know, I said this before. And I am going to say this again. If you have a chance, take a trip to US 89 route, starting from Ashfork , Arizona. This is one of America’s prettiest byways. Just book your hotels ahead of time because they can get full easily. Study the google map and make a stop to rest , do the trail and enjoy what nature can offer you.

It amazed me then. It still amazes me now.

Look at the rocks below. Their round flat surface looked like flying saucers, attached to the ground. ha ha

Okay, we just reached Kanab, Utah.  The sign says Left for Page or Lake Powell. And straight for Grand Canyon. We turned left of course. 🙂

Further along, this sign took my interest.  We just found the highest elevation in this area at 5690 feet above sea level.

More of the colorful hills below.

Sorry, our windshield started to get dirty here. Insects start to crash in it.

And beautiful rock formations.

Finally, we have just reached Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. This means that we are already in our destination. But since this is a very huge park, we still have to continue driving a little bit more as most hotels are in Page, Arizona.

To learn more about Glen Canyon , read this link –– 

https://www.nps.gov/glca/learn/upload/GLCA-RABR_OV_SP.pdf

Welcome to Arizona. 🙂

A few more minutes, the sign told us that we have just arrived in Page.  Now we just need to find our hotel and check in. 🙂

The Colorado River in Page, Arizona.

Okay, despite the dirty windshield, the view still looks beautiful. Right?

Check in at the Best Western View of Lake Powell Hotel was fast and easy.  In no time , we were in our room already.  We preferred a King Room but Spring is also a busy time in this area, so that got full early. That’s how we ended up with a 2 queen bed. Which was fine because that meant I have more space to put my crap on. he he…

Did I mention it was a huge room? Okay I think I did.  🙂

Look at the paintings in the wall, those were taken from Antelope Canyon. The main reason why we are in Page. 🙂 Was it National Geographic that paid supposedly $1,000,000.00 dollars for the best picture of such Canyon? Imagine that.

So I just have to go. And see it for myself. Right? Thank God for granting this wish.

For more details of Best Western View of Lake Powell Hotel, please check this link –

https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotels-in-page/best-western-view-of-lake-powell-hotel/propertyCode.03125.html

Okay time to leave the room and have an early dinner.  🙂 You know you’re old when you eat around 5pm. And go to sleep at 6pm or so. Seriously. ha ha Well, in our defense we have been traveling the whole day. So there’s that. lol

We found El Tapatio along Lake Powell Blvd. I found that really convenient because it’s very near our hotel. It’s a Mexican restaurant that serves great food. You know, I love the Mexican restaurants in the U.S. They offer you fresh and crunchy Nachos while waiting. It normally comes with chili sauce I think. But that’s not my favorite. So I just order the cheese dip with it.

So here’s the hubby’s order – Burrito and salad with guacamole.

 

And mine?  Oh yeah. I had one platter of chicken and beef steak with grilled shrimps. It came with Mexican rice and beans.

This is how I gained more weight this trip. I’m trying to burn it now by doing zumba. But well, let’s see if I can continue my progress.

I’m going back to the US soon. So hopefully, I will be more disciplined this time.

But seriously?! Who thinks of diet when you’re on vacation with good food everywhere? Who? 🙂

Thank you again everyone for traveling with us. See you in the next entry of this blog. 🙂

Bye for now!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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US Road Trip 2017 – Zion National Park, Utah

Posted on September 14, 2017 by leawalkerblog

Sometime in April this year , I wrote the first installment of our Las Vegas trip.  If you want to read that, you may click this link – https://leawalkerblog.com/2017/04/11/us-roadtrip-2017-celine-dion-and-caesars-palace/

This continuation happened on the third day when we left Caesars Palace and headed towards Utah, U.S.A.  Our main destination – Zion National Park. 

From Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, travel time is just a mere 3 hour drive via Interstate-15. It passes through the State of Arizona for an hour or so, before the Utah signage can be seen.

The photos below are from the Arizona side of this trip.

And then Utah’s Welcome sign that says – Life Elevated. 🙂

From I-15, we followed Highway 9 to Springdale , Utah. This is the base for those visiting Zion National Park.

Beautiful scenery upon entering Springdale. Named by Forbes Traveler as one of America’s prettiest towns in 2008, this small but elegant location has Zion’s red mountains as its backdrop. Imagine, waking up each morning to that view…

Before proceeding to the park, we stopped at the Visitor Center to get more details and maps.

This vehicle was parked behind the Visitor Center. No, we did not rent this. ha ha… But it would have been cool right? 🙂

We left our vehicle at the parking space of the Visitor Center. Then took the free shuttle bus to the park.

We had to fall in line before entering because the park was full that day. Upon  showing our “America the Beautiful Annual Pass” , we went in without paying anymore.

We walked towards the waiting area and fell in line for about an hour. Oh yes, it was that crowded during spring. So make sure that you plan ahead. If you are following some trails, book your hotels ahead of time. But if you are just passing through , that should not be a problem then.

Finally, it was our time to board the tour bus.

From Wikipedia: 

Zion National Park is located in the Southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. A prominent feature of the 229-square-mile (590 km2) park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles (24 km) long and up to half a mile (800 m) deep, cut through the reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River. The lowest elevation is 3,666 ft (1,117 m) at Coalpits Wash and the highest elevation is 8,726 ft (2,660 m) at Horse Ranch Mountain. Located at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert regions, the park’s unique geography and variety of life zones allow for unusual plant and animal diversity. Numerous plant species as well as 289 species of birds, 75 mammals (including 19 species of bat), and 32 reptiles inhabit the park’s four life zones: desert, riparian, woodland, and coniferous forest. Zion National Park includes mountains, canyons, buttes, mesas, monoliths, rivers, slot canyons, and natural arches.

Zion Monoliths and the Virgin River below.

Even the buses looked tiny ….

Zion Lodge, located inside the park , was full as well. So I repeat, if you prefer to stay near the trails, make sure that you have prior bookings to ensure that you have a place to stay in while on holiday here.

After the tour bus, we got our vehicle from the visitor center and proceeded with our road trip to Page , Arizona.

We went back to the park . And followed the park road going to US Highway 89.

The following photos below were taken on board our car. Beautiful right?

We crossed a mountain tunnel here.

On top of the mountain here. The moon looks small. 🙂

Found some mountain goats on top. These goats prefer living in a high elevation, near the water.

Two more a few meters away from the creek. 🙂

Look at the hills. Pretty colors and formations. 🙂

On top of Zion Mountain, this tree looked taller than the moon. How awesome! 🙂

Faint sillouhette of the moon, on the background. 

Now at the North Entrance of the park. This is our exit as we continue with our road trip to Page , Arizona.

Have you ever heard of the world famous horseshoe bend and antelope canyon? If so, then come back sometime and look at them through my eyes. Amazing is an understatement.

Thank you again for traveling with us. See you in the next installment of this blog.

 

 

 

 

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