Zions National Park 2001

Zion's 2001             Page 2 -->

We returned again to Zion's this year. This is becoming a fall tradition, we have visited Zion's 4 times out of the past 5 years. Once again the weather was perfect.

We left Halloween night at about 7:30 pm and rolled into Barstow at 1:15 AM. Highway 5 moves along quite nicely late at night doing 90, and a DVD player never hurts.

If your incredulous or curious about us traveling with children, see my comments.

The next day we awoke and went for breakfast at McDonalds.

I have a special page of pictures for those of you who love McDonald's.

The first day we spent in Zion's by ourselves, the Zollinger's (Claire, Shari and Nat) arrived the next evening, and then Penrod's arrived much much later (awaking me from my precious sleep at 12:30 AM, nothing like setting up a tent in the middle of the night).

After November 1st, Zion's and the surrounding area slows down, the shuttle no longer runs, only a single campsite is open (there are two South and Watchman campground) and they no longer take reservations. We stayed in loop B of the Watchman campground and pitched our small tent.

Let me pause here and have you check out the size of the tent. I know compared to the mountain in the background it is small, but compare its size to my daughter Sofi, just to the left of it, or click on it for a larger photo. The tent a "Klondike II" 2-Room Cabin Tent With Fly/Gazebo made by Wenzel. The documentation says it sleeps 8 comfortably, although we have never had more than 4 sleeping in at one time. Believe it or not, it is not Wenzel's largest tent, they have a Sentinal that sleeps 12. Suffice it to say these guys know how to design a tent here is my opinion why:

• It is very easy to setup
  • the ridge poles are color coded
  • pole systems that contain multiple pieces have a chain running through the middle so that pieces belong together don't separate
  • the tent snaps into place underneath the steel frame pole
• the bottom is a built in tarp so you don't have to bring one with you if you don't want to (although I lay an additional tarp down anyway)
• the rain fly rest on top of the frame so that it does not touch the tent, this lets you set it up separately, but most importantly, if you have ever been in a tent in the rain, if the rain fly and ten touch the rain has a tendency to seep through.

Unlike last year when we flew, one of the reasons we drove this year was to be able to bring our bikes along. The first day Sofi and I took a bike ride along the Pa'rus Trail.

This is paved trail, whose name is Paiute meaning "bubbling, tumbling water." This runs parallel to the road, although not adjacent. Like the road, the trail runs along the Virgin river, however it is on the opposite side that the road runs on, so you don't get a lot of road noise. The trail runs 2 miles from the visitor center to the point where the road splits between the East entrance and the Narrows. Along the way there are some beautiful views:

                      (Click for larger version)

While riding through the empty South campground there were deer feeding on the tree leaves:

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