The next day we took the Park Service shuttle bus up Zion Canyon. The canyon has steep wall and a flat bottom dominated by the Virgin River.
A view of the canyon looking upstream. Farther up is what is called "The Narrows", where the canyon is 20 - 30 feet wide, and the canyon walls are about 2,000 feet high. We wanted to hike there, but the trail, which is in the river a lot of the time, was closed because of high water. So we had to abandon that hike and try another.
A wild turkey we spotted in the canyon.
A waterfall in the canyon. There were several falls, but none of them carried a lot of water.
For an alternative hike, we headed for Emerald Pools, which are in a side canyon. Part of the trail was a narrow walkway between some huge rocks. Neat!
Another part of the trail was out in the sun and was very hot and dry - the ideal climate for cactus, some of which were in bloom.
The upper Emerald Pool was tucked under a cliff and underneath a waterfall, which probably fed it in times when there was more water. When we were there, however, the water never reached the pool. It seemed that the water from the waterfall evaporated before it hit the pool, or became a fine mist and got blown away. Next to the waterfall was a climbing rope that ended about 50 - 75 feet above the ground. We hope nobdy tried to rappel down it.
The lower Emerald Pool was also fed by a waterfall. The overhanging cliff and water seeping out of the rock made for a moist environment and hanging gardens, and trees that seemed to be growing out of the rock.
Tomorrow we head for Bryce Canyon National Park.
For an alternative hike, we headed for Emerald Pools, which are in a side canyon. Part of the trail was a narrow walkway between some huge rocks. Neat!
Another part of the trail was out in the sun and was very hot and dry - the ideal climate for cactus, some of which were in bloom.
The upper Emerald Pool was tucked under a cliff and underneath a waterfall, which probably fed it in times when there was more water. When we were there, however, the water never reached the pool. It seemed that the water from the waterfall evaporated before it hit the pool, or became a fine mist and got blown away. Next to the waterfall was a climbing rope that ended about 50 - 75 feet above the ground. We hope nobdy tried to rappel down it.
The lower Emerald Pool was also fed by a waterfall. The overhanging cliff and water seeping out of the rock made for a moist environment and hanging gardens, and trees that seemed to be growing out of the rock.
Tomorrow we head for Bryce Canyon National Park.