Out of habit and due to the cold weather Tim and I woke up early this morning, it was 31* at daybreak. Today is moving day. The North Rim closes for the season in two days so not much we can do to extend our time here. By the time we departed it was 44*.
We drove north out of the Rim and back through The Kaibab National Forest, into Kanab, Utah and finally landing at Zion National Park. The scenery today ... OMG!!! I'll let the pictures tell the story. We had to drive through two tunnels. One over a mile long that we had pay an extra $15 due to our size and because they have to shut down traffic to one way so that we could drive the center line to make it through. Plus you can not be over 50' in length to pass due to the extreme curvy and narrow road after the tunnel. I've never looked over a cliff while in a vehicle to see the same road I'm on, four more times, terraced down below me on switch backs.
Zion National Park is one of many National Parks in Utah. But only five of them are considered The Mighty Five. Our goal is to try to visit all five before we need to book it home. I'm hoping we don't have to cut any out. Time will tell.
Currently we are at Watchman Campground here in Zion. From what I can tell so far this is the most organized super crazy national park I've ever seen. Almost like the Disney World of National Parks. The camp spot we are in is right next to the visitors center parking lot. Which is right next to the river and a walking bridge that allows you access to town. We can see the town market, a few stores and the pub from here just across the river. But we feel like we are out in the middle of nowhere!
One absolutely great thing about this park is the shuttle service. Most interior roads in the park do not allow vehicle passage. There are stops everywhere and the buses arrive/depart every six minutes. So hopefully no driving tomorrow.
After we settled in we walked to the Visitors Center. Then returned to base camp to get our clothes so we could drive into town to the laundry. A gentleman that I met at the laundry said the rest of The Mighty Five are even more spectacular! How can that be? Tomorrow should entail some crazy intense hike of some sort. There are so many hiking options here (a few considered the best in the US) we have still yet to choose which one!
TEMPERATURE: 72* on arrival, 51* tonight.
ELEVATION: 3,907'
MILES DRIVEN TODAY: 122
TOTAL TOW MILES: 3,094
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