After dropping Zach off , we decided we would take a few days to go explore Zion National Park.
What a good decision that was!
It was so nice to get away! Nice to drive somewhere (we have been barely using our cars during Covid as we don’t go very far and living downtown we can walk most places! Not complaining – but it was nice to play music – and listen to podcasts:) and to just chat).
It was about a 4 hour drive with some stunning scenery as we got closer. We stayed in Springdale, just outside the park gates in a super cute Best Western.
We hit a super easy trail right away in the early evening – it was still really hot but doable. We stayed until about sunset.
We went and grabbed dinner on a patio. We were surprised at how good the food was – some really cute places!
The next morning we got up early so we could beat the sun and heat. It was a gorgeous hike – even though we ended up doubling back over the same path (but went a different way so did get some different views!). Sadly, I slipped on the way down and hyperextended by knee which hurt a tad:(
We had to head into St George in the afternoon to get Covid tests mailed off for our trip home (they were self testing kits that had to be sent via UPS from St George). We had a nice lunch there and did a tiny bit of shopping before heading back.
We wanted to go on another sunset hike. To get there we had to drive through this incredible tunnel that was about 1.1 mile!
We hiked up and what was supposed to be an easy hike – and it was except my knee was killing and there was a lot of up and down – not hard – but not great for my knee. Luckily I had purchased a knee brace that afternoon so it helped.
It really was beautiful to see the sun set against the red rock. We headed back to the town and had a really nice Thai dinner.
The next morning I was hoping my knee would feel better because we planned on doing the Narrows – a hike that is apparently on the bucket list of must do hikes in the world.
It did not disappoint! My knee enjoyed the cool water and we just took it easy. We ended up going much further than we anticipated but it was truly awesome.
I highly recommend that you rent the water shoes and socks and the walking stick like we did. It made it so much more enjoyable!
We went for lunch in the town (we were starving!) and then headed back to the hotel to read and lounge by the pool. I have to say that the hotel – even though pretty full car wise – there were never many people around so we had the pool almost to ourselves! It was a nice to just chill and relax. That night we had a great dinner at another local place with such a gorgeous backdrop!
It was a great little getaway and really has me itching to travel!!
We headed back to my brother and sister in law’s and were able to have dinner with the fam and say a last good bye to Zach and hear all about his first few days (which were jammed with all sorts of new things).
Can’t believe that that’s 3 kids in University (Gabe is in law school in Florida, Zandra is still at BYU Hawaii, Zach is at BYU Utah and thank goodness Josh decided to defer his acceptance to Carleton for a year (so we did not have two University set ups this year! However, he is planning on heading out west to work and then hopefully to Europe to travel so he will be gone too). That leaves only child Sam sweating out grade 11.
How does time march on like this without me noticing!!
Love all the adventures everyone is having – including our adventures (Rob and me) but it is still bittersweet.
“Backward, turn backward, O Time, in your flight,
Make them a child again just for tonight!”
