June 30, 2018- Coral Pink Sands State Park, Zion
After yesterday's long strenuous hike, we took it easy this morning. We slept in, had breakfast at the hotel restaurant, then hit the road. Our destination was Springdale, a little town on the south edge of Zion National Park. We drove down Highway 89 almost to Kanab, but we turned off to the west just prior to check out the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.
And here we are.
These big plants with yellow flowers thrived in the hot sands.
Wow, that's a big one.
This sort of looks like the last few hundred feet to to the top of Mount Everest.
The view from the top.
Good to know.
It was a short drive west on Highway 9 to Zion National Park. We actually entered Zion NP from the east and then went through a long tunnel. The tunnel had a couple of big holes on the right with an overlook.
Once out of the tunnel, we stopped at an overlook. In this picture, the tunnel goes through that massive rock left to right and you can see one of the holes I mentioned.
Still at the overlook, the view in the other direction -- north.
And looking west.
We continued west, passed the visitor's center, then exited the park into Springdale. At Bryce Canyon, Ruby's Inn WAS the town. Springdale had all sorts of hotels and restaurants. But it was a very upscale town. There were virtually no fast-food places or cheap, Mom & Pop motels. It's really amazing how two places can be so different.
We rendezvoused with our daughter Maggie and her boyfriend Beau, had dinner, then returned to the Park. Because Zion NP valley is relatively small as say compared to Yosemite, they do not allow private vehicles in the park. You park at the Visitor's Center and take a shuttle around the Park. We went into the Park after dinner and cruised to the end and back in the shuttle, just to get a feel for the place.
