Monday, December 26, 2016 – Zion National Park
We returned to Zion on Monday, and what a difference fourteen inches of snow can make! The same views we saw on Friday were now blanketed in white. The day was clear and bright, which made the snow gleam all the more.
We planned our activities in Zion well to accommodate the weather. Although there were people ascending Angel’s Landing that day, I was glad we were not among them. Another very popular hike in Zion is the Narrows. The Narrows is the narrowest part of Zion Canyon. The canyon walls are a thousand feet tall and the river is just twenty to thirty feet wide. The only way to truly see the Narrows is to hike through the canyon in the Virgin River. But it is a mile walk from the trailhead to where you must enter the river to keep going, so we did that section.
When we arrived in Zion a few days before, we went into Springdale and overpaid for some traction devices for our boots – something it was hard to find in Florida before we left. We carried them up to Angel’s Landing on Friday but didn’t need them. However, they found good use on Monday! The trail to the Narrows was covered with snow. The trees, the rocks, and even a fence along the trail had thick piles of snow – snow deep enough that it muffled all sound and we walked with only the sound of the running stream. As we walked we encountered a frozen waterfall, a few persistent leaves that were just not willing to drop even though autumn was well past, and slippery conditions that fully justified the traction device purchase. When we reached the end of the trail there were several people enjoying the view and several more equipped with wetsuits heading up the stream. We were a bit envious, but also glad we were warm and dry. We enjoyed the view from our vantage point and made a note to return someday to fully see the Narrows from the stream, in summer.
On our way back to the trailhead we came across a deer, who did not seem to be bothered by us at all as he nuzzled through the snow looking for food.
Our second hike of the day was to the Emerald Pools. The Emerald Pools trail leads to a series of waterfalls that form emerald colored pools at their base. Like the trail leading to the Narrows, the Emerald Pools trail was covered with snow which made for beautiful but slow hiking. The flow in the stream was low and the pools were iced all around, but it was a pleasant hike all the same.
After the pools we went back into Springdale and then drove the length of the park one last time. Tomorrow we would leave our cabin in Greendale and head east to Moab.
Where Are We Going Now? 