Utah

Kanarra Falls Trail – May 2023

Just a few minutes from our place in Cedar City was the Kanarra Falls Trail. It was incredibly exciting to walk through a slot canyon like this. Due to excessive snow melt we were unable to do the slot canyon while at Zion, but we made up for it by going to Kanarra. However, the water at Kanarra was much higher and swifter than normal, and extremely cold! It was very worth it though!

Bryce Canyon National Park – May 2023

Dale and I spent just one night at Bryce Canyon, May 20. We have never seen anything like the hoodoos, which are the tower-like rocks that filled the Bryce Amphitheater. The days were warm but the nights were chilly! And, an unexpected storm blew through!

The visitor center. Apparently the park is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Dale sets up our tent.

Our camping setup is so much simpler these days. We used to take half of our house with us for every camp trip. Of course we had kids, so ...

This photo in the Bryce Canyon Lodge was interesting. People with their fancy rooftop tents think they are doing something new. Apparently our grandparents had it going on!

After our hike into the canyon, we took a mental health break at the pizza place!

The Queen's Garden Trail took us from the rim of the canyon to the bottom. It was strenuous, but not too bad.

At the bottom of the Queens Garden Trail is a hoodoo that has the shape of Queen Victoria on the top. Can you see her? She's wearing a full gown and a crown.

The trail had three passthroughs.

It was chilly at night and in the morning. Here is my hunk enjoying his coffee in the sunshine.

Sun is going down in the woods surrounding our campsite in Sunset Campground. How appropriate!

Dinner was simple and sad. But a fire-roasted wiener is delicious.

Perfectly toasted marshmallow. Dale is a master.

Some delicate beauty among the scrub.

The view goes on forever!

A turkey got aggressive with a girl trying to eat her lunch. So she threw down her pepperoni and ran. Ha ha!

The Bridge.

Dale getting the perfect shot from the end of the Bristlecone Trail.

We got we during a crazy storm that blew in. We could see it off in the distance across the canyon, but we didn't realize it was headed our way!

Dramatic skies!

Before the king was back on his throne in Gondor.

This section of the canyon had a lot of trees. It was a nice break from all the rocky hoodoos.

Stormy skies over the canyon.

When the freak storm hit, lightning, thunder and sleet sent us to the nearest shelter - the porch of the men's restroom.

Another beautiful view I couldn't resist sharing.

Can you see the cross cut out of the rock? I don't know if this is documented. I just happened to see it.

The foliage was just as beautiful as the canyon.

A nice frame for a canyon view.

We always have a snack on hand.

Our campground. The shuttle stopped right outside the campground which was very convenient.

A famous rock formation called Thor's Hammer is in the center of this photo. Can you see it?

You may be able to see, on the right side, tiny people on an overlook. Our pictures do not do justice to the scale of this canyon.

A winding road through the park.

Dale had to stop every other minute to take some video.

So happy to be at Bryce Canyon.

Zion Canyon National Park – May 2023

Dale and I camped for two nights, May 14-16. It was a wonderful trip. The weather was beautiful, our campsite well located and the scenery was amazing! The only thing missing ... a shower!

Entrance to the park.

First time to use our tent. We bought it from D&A.

All of our food items fit in a small container which we then locked in the Bear locker.

Relaxing in the campsite.

Oatmeal for breakfast!

Our first day we took a short hike on the Parus Trail.

We got rained on a bit. Fortunately we found a bridge to hide under.

All park visitors were required to ride shuttles to access most of the park. We never had to wait long for one to pick us up.

The River Walk Trail is very easy to navigate and is worth the effort. We saw all ages on this trail.

A delicate flower clings to a rock.

Dale is always getting video.

When the water is not gushing, park visitors can hike in the river in an area called "The Narrows". It's the most popular hike in the park, but it was not allowed while we were there.

Eating our sandwiches on a rock near the Narrows.

Our campsite was conveniently located near the bathrooms and the visitor center.

Every where we go, the squirrels are wanting our food, and they don't take no for an answer!

The Virgin River, a tributary of the Colorado River, runs through Zion Canyon. The river was running at a dangerous rate due to large amounts of snow melt.

A view of the lower falls. You can barely see the upper falls at the top of the photo.

Somebody's watching me!

I sat down to soak my feet in the cold river water and to wait for Dale to get his video. It was hot!

The trail under the lower falls on the Kayenta Trail.

Yum, reconstituted food. Notice the metal bear box in the background.

This is looking toward the main canyon.

Too close to the edge for my comfort!

Every vista is beautiful on the Canyon Overlook Trail.

Sunrise on the mountains of the Canyon Overlook Trail in Zion Canyon NP.

Ready to capture video on the Canyon Overlook Trail in Zion Canyon NP.

Early morning on Canyon Overlook Trail in Zion Canyon NP. Lord, how beautiful are the works of your hands!

This is our campground. It is for tents only. No electricity or water. Thankfully it was a good time of year to visit - not too warm or cold.

We could hardly believe the beauty that surrounded us. The sunrises and sunsets were especially nice.

Our little tent light that D&A gave me for Mother's Day made a warm glow in our tent!

Site F07 is all cleaned up and we are ready to head out.

We grabbed one of the best seats for our lunch.

Zion Lodge was a great place to grab lunch and rest.

Early morning at the end of the Canyon Overlook Trail.

The ground stays moist in many areas due to the water seeping out of the rock. Snow melt from higher elevations continues well into summer.

We noticed quite a few rock formations that looked like arches.

Looking out into the canyon from the Overlook Trail.

The Canyon Overlook Trail was an especially great trail because of the scenery and the trail itself.

The Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel was built in the 1920s to allow access from Zion Canyong to Bryce Canyon. It was the longest tunnel of its kind.

The entrance to the park. What a view!

Some of the peaks of Zion Canyon.

Though it was cloudy, the morning sun lights up one of the cliff faces near our campsite.

Kolob Canyons Hike – May 2023

Our first weekend in Utah we hiked the Taylor Creek Trail which is located in the Kolob Canyons in Zion National Wilderness.

The hike started at a parking lot in the Kolob Canyon Area of Zion. We only had to drive about 15 minutes to get here. I expect we will come back before we leave.

Our first hike in Zion was in the Kolob Canyons Taylor Creek Area

The trail followed Taylor Creek. We had to cross over the creek many, many times. Thankfully, other hikers had placed rocks to help keep feet dry.

Another beautiful sight.

Snow-capped mountains are all over the place.

The trail was well defined and mostly followed the creek.

One of the many scenic areas along the hike. You can see the creek to the right.

There were two log houses on the trail that were built in the early 1900s.

Dale shoots video of our hike.

Every bend in the trail brought new and beautiful sights.

Dale striking a pose on this old tree over Taylor Creek.

At the end of Taylor Creek Trail is the "Double Arches". This photo does not accurately illustrate the size.

This is the end of the trail looking back toward where we started.

Disc Golf – Extreme Edition – May 2023

After church on Sunday we tried out a disc golf course just a few minutes from us. It was crazy! The highs, lows, rocks, obstacles, scrambling, and wind made it extremely challenging. I skipped the last two baskets because I felt unsafe!