Framedlight

Mike had planned out a few short trails for us to do while we were in Zion. The first of the longer ones takes you up the mountain to where the water falls over the path and there are two pools, Lower and Upper Emerald Pools. What we didn't reckon on was the temperature. It was 11.30am by the time we started and it was in the top 90's.  Going up was fine, if busy and we had a bit of 'hose piping' to cool us down.  The first pool was quite small but the second one was larger, although exposed to the sun. Everyone except the children sat around the edge in the shade fanning themselves. We walked back down on a different trail, the Kayenta Trail. This was very exposed and the sun was beating down on us. Mike had gone ahead as he had left me to go slower and photograph, but I was so heat exhausted I could only manage the one picture at the end of this set, showing the Virgin River looking across to Angel's Landing. Getting back down to the ri...

This was to be our only full day in Zion so we got up relatively early and drove with some beautiful light from Hurricane, where we were staying, to Zion Canyon. The Park bus through the Canyon was very busy. Many people were wearing plastic walking boots and carrying sticks. They were going to trek along the Virgin River through the Narrows where the rock walls close in on you and you have to wade through. We were not able to do that but once we had reached the end of the road we did have a little paddle! This part of the Canyon was shady and cool, so we walked alongside the river for a bit until we got to the start of the Emerald Pools Trail. Next to the river the paths are paved and the walking is easy. The red mountain walls are imposing and sheer. There is a walk called Angel's Landing which only the fit and foolhardy do. The route switchbacks up the mountain to a ridge which is very exposed. Some of it is chained although you cannot use a harness. Before the c...