Monday, June 26, 2017

Zion National Park

Last week on a work trip to Cedar City, I planned on doing a short hike in Zion National Park.  Taylor, Parker, Xander, Sophi and Lexi wanted to come with me.  We also invited their three cousins that live in St. George to come meet us for the hike and swimming in the hotel pool afterwards.  When we got out of the van in the small parking lot across from the trailhead, Trey looked up at the sheer cliff face in front of us.  He quickly spotted a bighorn sheep!  We were all excited.  In all of my hikes, this was the first bighorn I had seen in the wild.

As we started hiking, the sheep worked it's way towards the trail from above.  It ended up on the path just ahead of us, and we followed it for several hundred feet.  It was a really neat experience, and the kids were fascinated.  This particular trail is less than two miles round trip without much elevation gain, so it's pretty easy.  But the views at the end are unparalleled.  Even though it was short, it had lots of rocks and ups and downs and even overhangs that we had to navigate.  I was so proud of Lexi for working her way through all of that.  And a huge thanks to Taylor and Parker who guided her through much of it.  For most of the hike I carried Sophi in a backpack baby carrier (thanks Matt and Carla!), but she did walk some of it.  

The hotel we stayed at was right at the entrance to Zion NP and the views as we played in the pool and ate breakfast the next morning were breathtaking.  It is so much fun to have such great travel companions!

-Jer

Ready to Go!
A new friend...





Great rock formations along the way...



Incredible views and vistas...





Taylor is having fun growing his hair out, but it gets in the way during a sweaty activity.  Fortunately, Sophi was willing to switch from pigtails to a ponytail and let Taylor borrow an elastic:)



Our hotel was fun.  It had a pool table and some computers in the lobby.  Something for everyone...



We stopped and visited Grandma Larsen in Richfield on the way home...