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Bye bye zion, hello Page, AZ

We packed up from the watchman campground and headed for a hike to lower emerald pools before a drive thru the tunnel. 

   

We thought about hitting vermillion / Pariya canyon to catch The Wave. But it was kind of out of the way without permits. 5 mile hike roughly 6hr… It would look a lot like valley of fire from day 1. Google it. 

Headed out to Glen Canyon Dam which was definitely a spectacle to see. 

   

  

After the dam, we headed out to Horseshoe bend for a magnificent sight! Worth it for sure!

 

  

  

  

 We looked for atv activities but couldn’t find any around the Page, AZ area… So we hit up a quality establishment… The Bowl! Pool, bowling, and fooseball!   

Liquor and ammo on that last pic. Need I say more?

 

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Zion national park: The Narrows and Orderville Canyon

Woke up to a rather relaxed morning start after 12 hours of sleep (that was much needed!).  Picked up our gear from the outfitters around the corner from Watchman campground (literally walking distance and we didn’t need a reservation!).  Took the shuttle to the last stop Temple of Sinawava.  There’s a 1 mile hike on a paved road down to the river. 

 

From there you will walk roughly two miles through rocky River beds and cold water (today it was 50 degrees; yesterday it was 45) to the start of The Narrows.

The Narrows itself is gorgeous. Amazing how the river carves it’s way through the canyon. For any of you who live in a big city, sky scrapers are the norm; this is nature’s skyscraper downtown. Beautiful architecture! 

 But The Narrows isn’t the only amazing trail down here in the water… the Orderville Canyon is absolutely splendid (and I think it’s more glorious than The Narrows).  Why? It was less crowded, had stunning views of the tops of the canyons, offered more options for mountaineering, and had nice carvings as well. If you’re running short on time, I would recommend this offshoot right before The Narrows! It’s a gem!   

  

      

 After this terrific out and back hike (dunno maybe 6-8 miles total?), we returned our gear and grabbed some dinner at the Brew Pub next door. We found out that there are showers for $5/token for a 5 minute hot shower!   

Great way to end a wonderful day! 

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Valley of fire and Zion National Park

Saturday evening took the 9:30p train from San Diego to LA’s union station. It was a very pleasant rise and put me in LA around midnight. 

   

 

After that, drove with a friend to Valley of the Fire. 


Valley of Fire State Park (Nevada): http://parks.nv.gov/parks/valley-of-fire-state-park/

   

 

After a quick exploration, we headed to zion. We got there around 11am and checked into our campsite in Watchman.   On to Angels Landing! Roughly a 2.5 mile out and back (so 5 miles total) with incredible views and a steep elevation gain. 
 Young and old alike were on the trail looking for a challenge. 
   

  

This is a truly wonderful hike that I would recommend. It’s tough, so go at your own pace. 

We grabbed a bite at Meme’s cafe and then grabbed some groceries and gear for The Narrows tomorrow. The water temp is 45 degrees.  I am extremely exhausted!