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Show I Zion National Park A Spectacular Experience ja 'T' -z V ' I Zion National Park is open year round, and each season has its charm, but late May and early June is one of the best times to visit. The leaves on the trees and shrubs have a fresh green color to contrast with the red cliffs. New wildflowers come out each day in the desert, on the rocky hillsides and at the cool springs. The breeding birds have arrived and are singing vigrously. Temperatures are warming up to 90 or 95 degrees, but it is still pleasant weather for hiking, especially in the morning and evening. If you approach Zion from the southwest following the Virgin River upstream to its greatest canyon, you will see a prominent landmark of the Park shortly after leaving St. George-the West Temple. A massive red i sandstone cliff with a rectangular caprock. it i appears and disappears several times as you proceed through the colorful and varied landscape of the upper Virgin River valley. At last, rounding the big bend between Rock-ville Rock-ville and Springdale, Zion Canyon conies into view; and passing through Springdale you come to the Park's South Entrance. Just ahead on the right, down by the river, are the two Park campgrounds, Half a mile further is the Visitor Center, where you can obtain a map and other literature. You can also see a slide program ; and study museum displays on the Park's geology, wildlife and history. A schedule of naturalist activities (nature walks and evenings programs) can be obtained, as well as advice on how to get the most out of your visit to Zion. ZionCanyon The first part of the Park to explore is Zion Canyon, on the six-mile scenic drive. Two . miles up, at the Court of the Patriarchs, the ' canyon floor levels out; park here on the rightTak.th five minute walk "to the viewpoint, which is above the Cottonwood trees and allows views of the sandstone peaks called the Three Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) and Mt Moroni. Sentinel Mountain, 3100 feet above the valley floor, and the acient rockslide which fell from it, are clearly visible and a plaque explains the scene. Beyond Zion Lodge and the Grotto Picnic Area, the river and road make a big loop around Angel's Landing, a narrow red precipice which juts out into the middle of the canyon. There is a trail, starting at the constantly drips water. Golden columbines hang upside-down from the wet rock. The water comes from the great sandstone cliffs, which look dry but are porous and hold thousands of gallons of water. It is a ten minute walk from the parking lot to Weeping Rock.' - . A little further up the road on the left are the two pullouts which offer the best views of , the Great White Throne, the symbol about six o'clock. The mountain to the left of the Throne is Cable Mountain. A small wooden tower can be seen along the ridge against the sky. from this structure, pioneers at the turn of the century strung a 2000-foot cable which connected con-nected with two towers on the canyon floor. The cable was used to lower ponderosa pine lumber which had been sawed on the plateau to the valley below. Zion Canyon gets narrower and narrower in the next mile, until finally at the Temple of Sinawava, there is no more room for a road. A hiking trail goes further another mile, past ' Hanging Gardens of maidenhair fern, monkeyf lower and columbine, to the beginning of the Zion Narrows, where you have to wade in the river to go further. The Narrows extend for 12 miles, and there are places where six people, standing in water waist deep, can link hands and touch either wall of the 1500-feet deep canyon. It is very rough going because of the current, low water temperature and rocky riverbed. This trip should not be attempted until the end of June, and then only after obtaining a permit at the Visitor Center. Wildlife Mule deer can often be seen from the road, but a greater variety of wildlife will be found on the trails. You can hardly walk a hundred yards along the river without seeing cootonwood trees which beaver have gnawed - - down. The chirp of the big, gray rock squirrel sound bird-like, but is more monotonous. Gray fox, coyote, bobcat, mountain lion and ringtail hunt late at night in the canyon and on the plateau. . In late May and early June, birds are singing all day from the cottonwoods and live oaks. Listen for the black-headed gosbeak, solitary and warbling vireo, robin and lazuli bunting. Golden eagles sometimes soar around the highest peaks of the canyon. The western rattlesnake, rarely seen on trails, is the only poisionous reptile. Slim, 1 ' f "' r SPECTACULAR NATURAL SIGHTS Zions National Park is full of many outstanding sights. Pictured above is crossbedding and fracturing in the Navajo Sandstone along the Zion Mt. Carmel Highway. Photo Courtesy of U.S.D.I. striped or checked whip tail lizards dart about in the tall grass; the black and white ringed kingsnake may be seen crossing a trail; and canyon treefrogs sound-off along the side canyon streams. Wildflowers On the rocky slopes around the South Entrance En-trance prickly pear, hedgehog and cholla cactus are flowering pink, yellow and orange. The yucca sends up a six-foot stalk hung with ' white blossoms. Purple sage is in bloom on the Emerald Pools Trail. Red, white and blue penstemons catch the eye; the fragrant sand-verbena sand-verbena and bittersweet clif frose arouse your sense of smell. The East Side The Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, built during 1927-30, leads through the eastern part of the Park out to U.S. 89, the most direct route to Bryce Canyon and grand Canyon National Parks. Starting from the Zion Canyon Junction, Junc-tion, the road parallels Pine Creek a mile before crossing it over a beautiful bridge. The workman tried to place in the bridge every color that naturally occurs in the sandstone, and the result is an amazing variety of reds, -yellows and browns. What's more, if you walk down to the creek you will find that the bridge frames the West Temple for a perfect late morning photograph. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 Grotto, which leads out to the very end of the precipice. The next point of interest is Weeping Rock, a large overhang Which Zion's Park CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 Now the switchbacks begin, and as you climb a thousand feet to the mouth of the mile-long tunnel, you can see the Great Arch of Zion at the head of Pine Creek Canyon. On the east side of the tunnel is a parking lot for the Canyon Overlook Trail, which is 2 mile , long and brings you out above the Great Arch. A pamphlet is available at the trailhead . which explains the natural history and geology to be seen. The road now winds seven miles through a fantastic landscape of sandstone slickrock. The sweeping lines in the rock are the bed-' bed-' ding planes of sand dunes deposited here 180 million years ago and eventually compressed and cemented into stone. Fractures, cutting through the rock like so many slices of a . knife, were caused by the pressure of an immense uplift. Hoodoos near Checkerboard Mesa are capped with iron-rich sandstone. Everywhere there is the color, red, yellow and white, which makes the Navajo Sandstone Sand-stone so attractive. The road ifself is surfaces with red volcanic cinders to blend in with the scenery. TheKolob The northwest section of Zion can be en-- en-- tered off Interstate 15 on the Kolob Canyons Road. The five-mile road climbs through tilted and overturned rock formations, ' evidence of the powerful earth forces which ' caused the Hurricane Fault. From Lee Pass, a trail leads to Kolob Arch, a popular overnight over-night hike. At the end of the road is a picnic area with an overlook of Timber Top Mesa and the Finger Canyons of the Kolob. The 2000-feet strawberry-red cliffs face the west and glow in the late afternoon sun. The Kolob Canyons Road can easily be combined with a trip to " Cedar Breaks National Monument. |
