Spring Break 2011 - Day 5: Zion's National Park and Bryce Canyon

    Are we there yet? Are we there yet?  That is how I felt as this day began.  We were trying to get out the door and Brayden went out back.  Of course Mister Danger found the only mud pit outside.  The car was packed and we have to unpack it.  He was thigh high in mud.  We had to take him out back and spray him down.  Smart thinking on our part (meaning the parents) he had two pairs of shoes.  Finally we packed the car (for the second time) said our goodbyes and we were on the road.
 
       The plan today was to get into Utah.  With Brayden's little adventure we started a little behind.  As we drew closer to Utah we challenged the kids to look for as many temples that they could see.  Our first stop was St. George.  Some of us got out of the car and took pictures.  Then we jumped back in the car and were back on the road.  Driving through St. George there were some cute families playing in the water on a hot day.  It was time to move on.



St. George

                                                 
      Our second stop for the day was Zion's National Park.  We didn't know very much about this Park and our friends told us of some places to stop and see.  There were a few people camping but lots of traffic.  There is normally a bus shuttle that drives people to different locations, like the Grand Canyon, but it didn't start until the next day.  So we drove back into the park.  Zion is a place that you can do a lot of quick day hikes and see a beautiful sites.  We parked the car and headed up to Weeping Rock.  Weeping rock is a waterfall that depends on the snow melt from the neighboring mountains.  Because it was early spring their was a lot of water.  It was really wet and slippery.  Of course there were puddles everywhere and puddles attract kids.  The kids run through the puddles and try and get as wet as they can.  On the way up the trail and down there are signs pointing out all of the flowers and trees.  A really good nature walk for cub and boy scouts.  So now I have wet, enlightened kids and what do I do with them?  We drive around the rest of the park.  They have quiet a few references to Church things in this park.  There are a hike and place called Angel's Landing.  It is a waterfall that looks like Angel's are landing.  There are also rocks formations that is called the Organ.  We decided to park and do another hike to dry out the kids.  This one was called the Emerald pool.  Surprising enough the kids were quit enough that a family of deers walking across the trail we were hiking on.  Once you walked into the shadow of the mountain it cooled off a lot.  It was off back to the car and to drive through the park.  Zion's National Park was absolutely beautiful and a very picturesque place.
Two of my favorite things is the natural bridge and the checkerboard.



Weeping Rock




Angel's Landing



Emerald pool

Nautral Bridge

Checkerboard

   It was finally off to Bryce Canyon.  Between the two parks it is about 2 and a half hours.  By the time we got to Bryce it was almost sunset.  Bryce is also higher then Zion and there for more snow.  The kids were beyond exhausted and ready to get out of the car.  So we treated Bryce like the Black Gunnison earlier in our trip.  However, Bryce had more to look at and was much more beautiful.  I was feeling like I was back in Colorado.  The painted rainbow and the natrual bridge where my favorites here.  The painted rainbow is the layer of rock that looks like a rainbow when the sun sets.  So the prefect time to be there.  The natural bridge has it's own outlook from the road.  You have to get out of the car in order to see it.  It was a big surprise to both Matt and I.  He got out first and told me that I needed to see this one.  We finished a quick drive through the park and headed for the hotel.  This hotel was the negative side of the trip.  It was everything that we didn't pay for.  We went down to a family own resturant for dinner where the fruit of choice was oranges.  So all the kids had orange smiles.  It was off to bed and move on to the next day.

Nautral Bridge

Painted Rainbow

Overlook of Bryce Canyon

See Mommy is done!!

 

Pin count 6, State count 5, and two very tried parents.