We were up early as the room was quite noisy due to the ice making machine being just outside the room. Staggered across to the restaurant for breakfast - Ruth tried the Mexican meal, I stuck to granola and fruit. Mine was delicious.......
Another shuttle bus system, great things these. One to get from Springdale to the Park only about a mile, and the other from the entrance to the top of the Virgin River Canyon road. The journey from the entrance took about forty minutes as the road wound its way up the canyon, stopping at various points along the way. There are many trails in and beyond the canyon, starting from the various shuttle bus stops. We chose the Riverside Walk, some 2.5 miles round trip, starting at the last bus stop.
Despite Zion being situated in the middle of the desert it does have a river that flows most of the year, and indeed it was flowing today, fed by water seeping through the layers of rock and a few springs. Most of the woodland was deciduous - cottonwood trees, very few conifers, the grass was lush and long and there were many wild flowers, all very pretty.
The views from the Walk were fantastic, several rock squirrels sitting on rocks looking appealing, quite a few people on the walk so not as peaceful as we would have liked but it was a glorious day..... Back on the shuttle we returned back down the Canyon to The Grotto stop; here we joined the Kayenta Trail. An unpaved trail that climbed up above the river and followed the canyon wall for a couple of miles before joining the Emerald Pools Trail. It was lovely walking, a bit up and down with great views of the Canyon.
Emerald pools were set up above the Canyon floor, the highest of the three at the top of a mile-long rugged, scrambling narrow track. Warm work! The lower pool was fed by little streams that cascaded over a rock rim above the trail. Several. Coach parties arrived, so it was time to go. The access trail from the lower end, Zion Lodge, was properly paved and a gentle gradient, too easy and crowded where do all these people come from?
So back to the Inn, courtesy of the two shuttles to pick up the car. We wanted to see the entrance road again but this time at a more leisurely pace. It was still spectacular, the sunlight still magical in the late afternoon, wonderful. We saw a flock of bighorn sheep, with two very impressive rams; huge curled horns.
Eventually, back to the Inn. We had been moved to a different room to avoid the noisy ice maker. This had two queen beds, so was much larger than the first with its double bed, luxury! Off to Oscars, recommended by the front desk, and just across the road for dinner, good food, if a little too much. Back to the Inn where we scoffed a pot of black raspberry and chocolate ice cream, yummy. Bed.
