An uneventful and fun trip through the spectacular Zion Canyon. They have 9 shuttle stops and I hit every one of them in the day and a half we spent here. I didn't take any of the longer 5+ mile hikes but did take many of the smaller ones. We rode the shuttle up to the last stop and worked our way back to the Zion Canyon Visitor Center where we'd left the car.

The Temple of Sinawava is the Riverside walk, a 2 mile round trip easy hike on a paved trail.
The Ivy tree
Not much rain at this time of year leaves the river just a trickle instead of a raging torrent from the flash floods that shoot down from The Narrows.

The Big Bend stop I remember as a viewpoint without any hiking trails leading from it.
The Organ and the White Throne.

Weeping Rock also continues into The Hidden Canyon.
Weeping Rock
Frosty's melting in this heat!

The Grotto has a half mile hiking trail back to the Lodge and the 2 mile Kayenta Trail which goes to the Emerald Pools and on to the Lodge which is where I was meeting up with Mom and Dad. The Lower Pool is an easy 1 mile round trip hike on a paved trail. The Middle Pool heads off the pavement and is rated as a Moderate hike while the Upper Pool is a bit more strenuous but not too bad. All 3 together are close to a 3 mile round trip hike. This is also the trailhead for the strenuous 5 mile Angel's Landing.
Angel's Landing


Zion Lodge is the Emerald Pools trailhead. They also offer a horse trail ride.
The Lower Emerald Pool from behind a barely flowing waterfall.
The Middle Emerald Pool.
The Upper Emerald Pool.

Court of the Patriarchs offers stunning views of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob Peaks along with Mount Moroni.
Abraham and Isaac Peaks
Jacob Peak is the white peak hiding behind the reddish Mount Moroni.

The Zion Human History Museum stop, as you can guess, has the Museum and Ranger talks about the history of Zion Canyon.
Panorama of The West Temple, the Virgins, and the Altar of Sacrifice.
The West Temple
The Virgins
The Altar of Sacrifice named for the red streaks running down the side.

Heading out of Zion Canyon towards Mt. Carmel on Highway 89, we stopped at several viewpoints for yet more pictures!
Checkerboard Mesa, named for the patterns on the side of the mountain.
The Fortress
Okay, maybe I've been reading too many of those medieval fantasy books again! :)
A window in the cliff face that was drilled to expel the debris from building the 1+ mile tunnel back in the 1920s. They have to shut down oncoming traffic everytime a RV wants through because the tunnel isn't tall enough for vehicles today. They have to drive down the middle of the road or they won't fit.

The rest of my Zion Canyon pictures are here