Kolob canyon

I saw this canyon was a part of Zion that we would pass on the way to the airport so we stopped by. The views were beautiful and the air was very clear and cool. If I had known about this place earlier, I would have definitely come for a hike.

Zion - Angel's Landing

After doing the Narrows the previous day, we decided to complete other of the "strenuous" hikes with Angel's Landing. We stayed overnight in the Zion lodge and the air was so cool and refreshing in the morning we stayed a bit longer to enjoy the cabin. 

We started on trail around 8:30 and there was already a lot of people on the hike. Some people must have started before 6am to be heading down the trail by then. 

I know I'm totally fearful of heights so I knew I might not be able to finish. I got past the first rocky area with chains but did not attempt the second part. But still, the views were amazing! I ended up sitting on a beautiful precipice while the rest of my party did the vertiginous portion. I was able to chat with 2 others who were sitting out the scary climb. While waiting we saw maybe 20 vultures flying around. Maybe it's mating season?

The hike was fantastic and I'm glad I got as far as I did. 

Zion Lodge

I was able to get a 1-night reservation at Zion Lodge for our trip to the park. This was fantastic not only because we could get an early start and enjoy the sunset and sunrise in the park but also because with the covid-19 restrictions, we were able to get into the park without a shuttle bus reservation (more about reservations on my post Zion - The Narrows). We had a special access code and parking permit to allow us to enter the park. 

The drive in from the east was stunning. 

We ate dinner at the Lodge restaurant which was quite tasty and sat in the outdoor patio with a panoramic view of the canyon. I even had a tasty prickly pear margarita. Some deer visited the grassy area in front of the restaurant. 

After dinner we were able to enjoy our porch that had views of either side of the canyon.

I got up during the night to try to take some night sky pics but unfortunately clouds had rolled in overnight. But it was so peaceful in the park. 

Zion - The Narrows

We decided to brave the waters without the rental gear of waterproof pants and shoes. I wore my regular hiking boots with neoprene socks and lightweight/quick dry pants. Air temp was 86F and water temp was 42F. Water flow was 40-50 cubic feet/min. The cold water felt great when the sun was shining down on us and was very refreshing. However, later in the day when there was no longer sun on the river, we got a bit cool. We hiked up to the Orderville junction. It was a fun experience but if we did it again, we'd get the gear, start first thing in the morning and do the whole trail - up to big springs which is the limit without a wilderness pass. See info on the shuttle below.

We obtained shuttle ticket reservations the previous afternoon for Zion National Park and were able to take the shuttle to the Temple of Sinawava to hike The Narrows. 

(Due to covid-19 precautions, you have to have a reservation from recreation.gov for the Free shuttle bus. Each reservation is $1 and has a 1hr initial boarding time. If you plan in advance you can buy online 2 weeks in advance or the day before after 5pm MDT.)

Paddleboarding to Antelope Canyon

It was a 1.5 mile paddle to the beginning of the walk through the back of Antelope Canyon. We walked most of the canyon, about 9 miles in and out of the canyon. 

We rented paddleboards from Lake Powell Paddleboards for a day. I picked this place because you rent in town, pick up life vests and the boards are ready for you at Antelope point. Some other places expect you to transport the boards. However, we did have to carry the boards out of the water, up the hill to the loading area which was a bit annoying. The kayaks were easier because there's wheels on them but not on the Paddleboards.