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Show Zion Afaoosf PsirC providles eocflless trun MARTIN HARRIS Times Writer Boredom does not exist at Zion National Park. The park is open year around and each season is beautiful in its own way. As one of the nation's oldest national parks and most visited with 2.5 million visitors a year, Zion National Park is worth several days of discovery. Visitors should plan to explore the park extensively. exten-sively. Some of the many ways to enjoy the park are park interpretive programs and Junior Ranger programs, which consist of talks, guided walks and evening programs at Zion Lodge; day and overnight hikes, tubing the Virgin River, camping, Park Visitor Center, horseback riding, biking and climbing. Zion is something to behold, whatev er the season. Fall offers the magnificently magnifi-cently colored plants to accent the red cliffs. Winter snowfalls add amazing contrast to the scenery. Spring melts the snow and adds waterfalls cascading into the Virgin River. Then, summer, the busiest time of the year, offers a perfect environment for outdoor fun. Hiking, horseback riding and biking are all excellent ways to see the splendor splen-dor of Zion. The Park has numerous hiking trails that range from easy walks that can be completed in half an hour to long, rugged hikes that require more than a day to finish. Before beginning begin-ning any trails, hikers should evaluate their limitations. Zion is accessible on Scenic Byway 9 from Interstate 15 on the west, or by way of US 89 on the east at Mt. Carmel junction, north of Kanab. As of last summer, visitors to this I . T-TT-J " "V V ......m,.. H - V . - . , " f . " , , ' I ..... - -t U . ' 4 ' - '"J1 J ' v. ' ' Zions National Park offers many trails for hiking with great views. i 4 "Where Guests Are Family" J. y--X .y uwm Year Round Pool & Hot Tub" " ' " De'uxe Continental Breakfast jf - ' ' ' K-Z I ' CabledHBO , cffeV ' '--. ' In Room Coffee lVCCUlffJAJ TUACAHM THEATRE DISCOUNTS 435-623-8000 I 1-800-332-0400 r : : I 1040 S. Main, St. George beautiful national park have not been allowed to take their private vehicles past the Canyon Junction unless they are staying at Zion Lodge and no private pri-vate vehicles are allowed beyond the lodge. Instead, a fleet of 31 propane-fueled propane-fueled vehicles shuttle tourists on two loops, an 8.6 mile park loop and a 3.3 mile town loop. Ten of the 30-passenger power units will operate on the town loop and 21 of the power units with trailers operate within the park. The east entrance is the most breathtaking. The highway descends through a mile-long tunnel and a series of switchbacks winding into Zion Canyon. Visitors can experience Zion's huge canyons, streams, waterfalls and hanging gardens of ferns and moss 'V- mitt. V '-' XtA " Call (rs v .- -For Tuacabn Packages! 1221 S. Llam St. C LOCALS mil cdec ennmn mn Wkk yuw7L7-i;7l (435r673-6661 "Just off Exit ----- Check' oiir internet sites f Between JB's & Denny's vfvi-budgetimtstgeorge.com FREE Continental Breakfast CafcJe TV Featuring ? HBO Disney Indoor fi? Ottrdoor Children's Playgrounds Business Center Coffee & Hot Chocolate PLUS Indoor & Outdoor Pools " Indoor 6? Owiloar Jacuzzi Children's Wading Pool - FREE Locai Orfis Adult Fitness Center Famii-y, Bridal & Executive Suites Joseph & The Amazinfi Technicolor Dreamcoat Annie Get Your Gun BUDGET 1 r S- INN i Plnafifi maba racaivallnna In oHuani-n Dwianl -ni mnn al i-hu-l, in ono lr- ab n . j , I Subject to availability. Not valid during special events and some holidays. Not valid on "Econo" rooms, maximum 2 rooms per coupon. Expires 93002 " i: ; ; ; -- -., from the paved road that runs through the center of the park. The Zion Canyon area offers a variety vari-ety of lodging and dining options in nearby communities. The area also has many wonderful gift shops, boutiques, galleries, rock shops and other places to browse and purchase items unique to the region. Variety Spice of life Continued from page 3 Temple and Tabernacle, the Brigham Young Home, the Opera House and other beautifully restored buildings are part of various city tours. A downtown walking tour begins at the Chamber of Commerce office (the restored Pioneer Courthouse) and the seasonal "St. George Live" tour, featuring live actors at key spots along the way, starts at the Opera House. Dixie College,, the cultural heart of the area, is a comprehensive state college col-lege of more than 7000 students. The college sponsors many events and activities throughout the year; including includ-ing the Southwest Symphony, the Celebrity Concert Series, the Rotary Bowl and other sporting events, festivals, festi-vals, concert tours. If art is your thing, there is the St. George City Art Museum. Year round exhibits featuring regional artist are augmented by traveling exhibits of national and international merit. For those who just want to relax with family there is miniature golf, bumper boats, go carts, driving ranges, batting cages, arcades, swimming pools, bike and skate paths. Shoppers can hit the Red Cliffs Mall, the Zions Factory Stores, the Promenade or any of the many shops and large stores in the St. George Commercial Center of ST. George Historic District. Page 6 Outdoor & Travel Section , Thursday, May 29, 2003 |