Zion in the Mist

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May 4, 2019

As we continue our winter road trip, this morning we’re Leaving Las Vegas. Hoping to beat the crappy weather coming our way, we got an early start this morning. We packed the car in drizzle and it only got worse from there. The original plan was to enter Zion National Park from its northwest entrance and take the East Kolob Canyon five-mile scenic drive. From there we would backtrack on 15S and take 9E into Springdale, Utah which is less than half an hour to the Visitor Center at Zion.

Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.
< Visit the first post of this series – Escape the Tundra 2019

With the spray from semis, temperatures just above freezing and clouds thickening as we traveled further north, we made an executive decision and U-turned probably halfway up 15N. Skipping the highly anticipated East Kolob drive was something neither of us wanted to do, but with the mountains so socked in, we were wondering how much we would see anyway. We got back on 15S to 9E to the Zion Visitor Center.

A soaking rain made things inconvenient as we made our way to the VC. Memories of the Monastery in Florence, AZ just a month ago came to mind. There the rain added an ominous feel to the visit and made photos crisp and clear, so we sucked it up and moved on.

With very little parking available at the stops along the scenic drive, no vehicles are allowed past the Visitor Center. In fact, when tourist season is at its peak, this lot will be full, so parking and shuttles to the Park will leave from Springdale.

Taking the shuttle is very convenient – you can stop and explore for as long as you want and then board a later shuttle to go to the next stop or back to the VC. You shouldn’t have to wait too long for a ride since shuttles leave the Visitor Center every eight minutes. Click for a map of the shuttle stops.

We visited five of the nine stops on the scenic drive, which wasn’t bad for a day like this. With such soggy conditions and so many trail closures, I think we did pretty well.

When we vetoed our first stop we hoped the rest of the day wouldn’t follow suit, but actually – the rain added to the ambiance (and the waterfalls). Since the clouds were such an issue, it looks like another visit is required to see the top third of the mountains.

Hopefully the title of this post conjures up images of scenic grandeur, because that’s what we experienced here today. Instead of lemons, God gave us lemonade and I’m sure glad that He didn’t also give us pneumonia as we trudged around in the cold rain.

Our usual m.o. is to start at the furthest end and work our way back, but we couldn’t wait and stopped at Stop 4 first – at the Court of the Patriarchs. As you’ll see in the sign below, these majestic sandstone cliffs are named for three towering figures of the Old Testament.

Our bus driver commented how lucky we were to be here today. Even though the weather was dismal, the waterfalls were running at full force! A gentleman with a tripod set up at this spot said he had never seen “twins” at this location!

We had trouble pulling ourselves away from this stop since we couldn’t imagine the views getting any better, but we were wrong!

Stop 5 brings us to Zion Lodge. With 75 rooms in the lodge and 40 cabins nearby, this lodge offers “modern, but not fancy” options for an overnight in the park. It’s not cheap, but after a long day of exploring, its convenient location definitely has its value. Several easy and moderate trails start from here.

“Zion Lodge is located inside Zion National Park and offers easy access to excellent hiking and other outdoor opportunities. The original lodge burned down in 1966, but the rebuilt structure convincingly re-creates the classic look of the old inn. Knotty pine woodwork, log and wicker furnishings accent the lobby.” – READ MORE

Stop 7 is Weeping Rock. The shortest trail in the park, Weeping Rock Trail offers a look at lush hanging gardens that are kept moist by the constant water flow from the canyons above. Since the trail is paved and not that long, I’m not sure why we didn’t sneak a peek, especially if gardens were involved. With the weather as it was, there could have been orange cones blocking the entrance, keeping folks from slippery slopes. Seeing the hanging gardens may just be another reason to return!

Up next is the Temple of Sinawava, at Stop 9. This was probably the most beautiful of all of the stops, and during better weather would have been even more so, as long as this fabulous waterfall is still going strong.

Also called the Gateway to the Narrows, Riverside Walk is paved, beautiful and very scenic. Today because of the continuing rain, flash flooding is a real possibility, so that trail is closed. If you continue along the Riverside Walk, you’ll enter the water and start to hike The Narrows. The Narrows can vary in difficulty rating depending on how much water is in it at the time.

“The Narrows is the most popular hike in Zion National Park, and one of the world’s best slot canyon hikes. It is pure fun and can be tailored to suite any ability level. The trail is basically the Virgin River. The canyon is so narrow, the river covers the bottom in many spots, which means you have to wade or swim to proceed. Plan on being wet. In fact, the cool water makes this hike particularly pleasant during the hot months of summer.” – READ MORE

After that breathtaking stop, we head back to Stop 1 – the Visitor Center. Since the rain has slowed to a drizzle, we looked around at the outside displays for a while to take in what we had witnessed on this fabulous day.

When asked which was our favorite location in all of this nine-week road trip, we both agreed – Zion in the Mist.

We thought about staying at the Zion Lodge for one night but opted for less expensive accommodations, given the fact that we would probably get there late and leave early. Our room at the Quality Inn in Springdale was reasonably priced, very clean and spacious, and had great views.

It’s not often that I take a photo of a Quality Inn, but this was worth the disc space. We had dinner at the Spotted Dog, which was excellent and just across the street from our hotel. I loved the painting on the wall across the room from our table and have to share. Cheers!