4/21 Zion National Park Lodge and Temple of Sinawava

The photos here are really from more than one day, but I wanted to focus this post on the places I stopped at on my trips on the shuttle and my bike.  I have been to Zion National Park several times, so did not feel the urge this time to see everything.  

One interesting thing that was very different on this visit was that there has been a lot of snow melting in the mountains, so not only was the river raging, as shown in my last posting about the campground, but there were some huge waterfalls that only rarely show up.  Most people visiting here this month will never see them again in future visits.  

First stop was Zion Lodge.  It is the only park-owned place to stay in Zion, other than the campgrounds.  It has a cafe for hotel visitors and visitors, as well as a gift shop and some great views.

One of the shuttle stops below.

This is the last of the shuttle stops--The Temple of Sinawava.

Normally, you would be able to take an easy trail that follows the river until you reach a place called The Narrows.  When the river is calmer, you can wade through the shallows at the Narrows for about a quarter mile upstream.  However, the long trail to the Narrows is closed right now because of the river's current being so strong and part of the trail washed out.  (Best time to see and wade in The Narrows is late summer or fall.  You can even rent waterproof boots and hiking poles in Springdale for that purpose.)

However, because of the snow melt, the falls shown in this photo are a bonus because they are very seldom here, even in spring. 

 

 

Most people were focused on the waterfall, but if you turned around and looked at the cliff face behind the shuttle stop, you could see these two climbers.  I watched them for quite a while, and they were definitely headed down, so I assume they had started up in the morning.  The sun was setting behind the cliff face, so it was getting quite chilly, and I was cold in my nylon jacket.  I am sure these two will be happy to get down from their climb and get warm!

 

 

 

 

Back to these gorgeous falls.  Hard to get it all in one photo.   

 

 

The water from the falls drops directly into this pool and then goes into the Virgin River. No wading or swimming in this river right now because of the strong current and also the toxic cyanobacteria in the river.  

 

 

A view up the canyon from the falls area.  

 

It has been several months since I had ridden my bike, so it took me a couple of days to get it uncovered, cleaned up, and air put in the tires.  But I finally took my first bike ride on the paved bike and walker's trail that goes from the South Campground to the Zion Lodge. 

 

I saw several deer along the bike trail. The deer have not been doing well at Zion for several years because of the toxic cyanobacteria in the Virgin River, which is mainly where they drink from.  Last time I was here a couple of years ago, you could count their ribs.  This time, they looked a little better, but their fur was scraggly, as if they had mange or something similar. 

 

 A couple of views from the bike trail. 

 

I was here late in the afternoon, so there were not very many walkers or bike riders on the trail. 

 

Next post is about Weeping Rock in the Canyon.  I separated that one from this post so it would not be too long.