I decided to combine my last two days into one blog post since neither are overly exciting on their own. Yesterday ended up being a pretty low-key day, given that my legs were very sore from my hiking adventure the day before.
For my last day, I took the first shuttle into the park and got off at the Zion Lodge to enjoy another buffet breakfast with views of Zion Canyon. After breakfast, I walked the Grotto trail again and took the shuttle to the Temple of Sinawava. I took my time meandering down the Riverside walk and taking some pictures before heading back to the shuttle stop. One thing I found is that the contrast on the canyon walls makes it very hard to get good pictures. Either the sky is too bright or the foreground too dark. In fact, many of my favorite pictures from this trip have come from my phone rather than my camera.
I then stopped at the Court of the Patriarchs for a couple of pictures before walking the Pa’rus trail back to the Visitor Center. The views of the Watchman with the river in the foreground were a great final memory of my time in Zion National Park.
I had dinner again on the deck at Zion Pizza and Noodle Co. I had read great reviews of their “Angel Fire Sticks”, and decided that would be my dinner. Wow! Breadsticks topped with mozzarella cheese, honey, and hot sauce. They were amazing and lived up to their reputation!
After dinner, I spent a couple of hours on the deck, just soaking in the scenery one last time. One of the things I’ve loved on every visit to Zion has been the stark contrast between the gray/brown/red cliffs and the lush green colors in the valley surrounding the river.
I was on the road at 5:30AM today for the drive back to Vegas and flight home. Along the way, I was treated to some pretty cloud formations as the sun rose through the clouds.
I was especially looking forward to this flight as I treated myself to JetBlue Mint and was able to book a “throne seat”; basically an individual pod akin to an international business class seat. I’ve heard nothing but excellent things about Mint, but hadn’t yet been on a flight where it’s been offered. The lie-flat seat, privacy door, full meal, and personalized service were an amazing experience. I would say it was superior to Delta’s first class product. If you ever have the chance to fly JetBlue Mint, just do it!
I don’t normally share many packing tips, but there are a few things I am very thankful I had with me on this trip:
- Packable backpack – I bought this backpack from Eddie Bauer, thinking it might be handy to have. I used it every single day and it was the perfect size for hiking and carrying my necessities.
- Two pairs of hiking shoes – I knew I needed my regular hiking shoes with me, but I’m glad I also brought a pair of trail runners. Though my hiking shoes are comfortable enough, I don’t like to wear them every day. The trail runners were a nice break.
- Allergy medicine – My allergies were horrible. The pollen count was consistently around 11 (out of 12) and the allergens really put my three allergy medicines a day to the test!
- Granola bars – I ended up eating these for snacks/lunches just about every day, and I’m glad I brought them from home instead of buying them each time I was hungry.
- Water bottle – Zion has an abundance of spring water taps at the shuttle stops and it was great to just stop and fill up my bottle each day.
- Grocery bags – This isn’t in the picture, but I always keep a couple of plastic grocery bags in each of my suitcases. You’d be surprised how many times they’ve come in handy, whether for laundry, dirty shoes, a wet bathing suit, or just to carry things.
And so another vacation comes to an end. Part sightseeing, part adventure, part rest… all necessary.
“Wilderness is not a luxury, but a necessity of the human spirit.” -Edward Abbey
Traveling with Laura 