Journey through Zion with SIT

 

SIT left Torrey Utah with a vision of stopping at Mount Carmel. Instead we landed at an RV park just 5 miles from Glendale Utah on April 30th. This RV park had an appeal to it in that the view was awesome and they just opened for the season so it wasn’t crowded.

The View from our Trailer

 

Izzy has been enjoying the location as she and I take morning and evening hikes toward the mountain. She has fun trying to catch the ground squirrels and mice she seems to sniff out. Good thing they are faster than she is as we don’t have any cages for her pets!

Wednesday we headed to Zion National Park. We entered the park through the East entrance. What was amazing to us as we traveled into the park was the contrast of the geology at the beginning to the geology further into the park.

The first stop for us was at the visitor center. This is where Izzy could go on a trail so we started there with the idea we could get her tired and she would sleep while we took the shuttle through the park.

The following pictures will give you a flavor of what the park holds in terms of scenery and beauty.  I was able to take a couple of hikes and one was the trail along the Virgin River.  If only I had my wetsuit I could have hike the entire trail!!

Diversity in the Park

Along the way

Into the Park

Trees that grow anywhere

Change

 

Can I get out now?

Whitecaps but not the snow kind

Scalloped rock

Near the tunnel

White and rust

Rocks with black hats

Snowmen maybe

The Checkerboard

Layers

 

The Virgin River Trail

Hiking along the river

The trail continues in the river

Watering rocks

The view from the trail

 

Spots

A new cave forming

Rugged

 

Flat top

Majestic

Striped mountain

Changing color

Steve and Izzy hanging out while Tory takes a hike

 

 

 

We hope you enjoyed the journey through Zion with us.  Next stop is Bryce!

No Diving at Capitol Reef

 

Upon leaving Moab Utah we set our sights on Capitol Reef National Park.  We took State Route 24 from Interstate 70 with our destination of Torrey Utah which would be our new temporary home for a few days.

I was able to take a few pictures along the way to the park and then we took time in the park the next day.  Although it isn’t the kind of reef diving we enjoy in the ocean, it was an amazing journey through above ground reefs.  Izzy had fun exploring one area but we didn’t get much hiking in this time due to Steve’s foot.

Diversity on the drive to Capitol Reef

The Beginning of a Castle On the way to Capitol Reef

 

A Geologist's Dream Spot

A Touch of Color

Anybody for Rock Climbing?

Changing Colors

Everything in one place

Hurry up and take the picture I have to go chase something

They Lost Their Tan

Layers

Going Gray

No Steve You Can't Take Blue to School With You

What a Great Place to Explore

Petroglyphs at the Reef

Pyramid Temple

Stripes are in again!

The Capital Dome

The Castle

The Women Standing Guard

One Spot Multiple Changes

 

Since we had a few days in Torrey we did some exploring around the area.  What is amazing is how quickly the scenery changes in just a few miles.  The local ranchers have a great view no matter which direction they are looking.

From One Rancher's Place

The First School House in Torrey late 1800's

Cruising the country around Torrey

The View from the Road

 

Our last day at Torrey, we drove to Boulder Utah to check out the Anasazi Village State Park. This location is the site of an Ancestral Puebloan habitation that researchers believe was occupied between A.D. 1050 and 1175.  They have a museum as well which is very well done and offers quite a bit of history.

Steve and Izzy Posing

Anasazi Village Replica and Tory can even stand-up inside

 

Discovered at the Anasazi Village

 

I decided instead of cooking our last night we would go out to dinner at Café Diablo.  The restaurant is a unique southwestern affair and the menu was very interesting and inviting.  The food was wonderful and the presentation was a work of art.  Steve decided he needed pictures to show everybody but I am more inclined to believe he wants me to try and imitate it someday!

Café Diablo

The Spinach Mushroom Salad

Flank Steak

The Ribs!

While finishing our meal we engaged a couple (George and Marilyn) in a conversation. They spotted Steve’s NIFC hat and said they had a house in Kuna they purchased a few years ago as an investment.  We had a great time talking and learned they were on a 3,000 mile loop on a motorcycle. This was the first time Marilyn had been on a motorcycle but she was having a good time!  Their trip will end back at their home near San Francisco. We hope to stay connected as we continue on our adventure.

George and Marilyn

 

This last picture is the view we will be leaving from the Thousand Lakes RV Park.  We aren’t too worried as we were told the drive along State Route 12 to Bryce is one of the greatest scenic routes!!

In Torrey

The View from our place in Torrey