Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Zion National Park November 2010

Looking for something a little different than my Normal Weekend Shooting Adventures, so I decided to go to Zion National Park, in Southern Utah, on the way there I stopped at Kolob Canyon  in Zion Park.

I was Very impressed with Kolob, Pretty Small area, unless you go back country, but Very Beautiful.


I then made it to Zion National Park, So Beautiful, I have been there a couple times before, but this time, the Fall Colors were in there prime, Making things Pop even more.

I headed into the Park, and up near the Tunnels I find 15 Bighorn Sheep, a couple smaller Rams, 1 Very Big Ram, and the rest were smaller sheep, so Fun to Watch and this was the First Time finding the Sheep in this park, and to have them is this Setting with all the Red Rock was Amazing, I watched them until sun was starting to set, then went a scouted out Kolob Reservoir Road so I would not have search for it early Saturday morning as I was going to do the Subway HIke from the Left Fork.




Friday Night Sunset in Zion National Park




Adult Big Horn Sheep Ram

Big Horn Sheep (Kid)





I drove to Hurricane to find a room, and I cannot in any way recommend
Travelodge HurricaneUtah    I asked Specifically if the Internet was good on the backside of the motel, I was assured it was,  after a several calls to the front desk Complaining to fix it, they Stopped Answering my calls and this was 9:30 pm  So I can say I would never stay there again.




11-06-10  I arrived at the Left Fork just after sunrise, what a Gorgeous Day, very blue sky, and a couple wondering clouds.


Zion National Park Sunrise




I started the hike about 400-500 feet Down the cliffside to the Virgin River, then I head for the Subway, not really having a clue what it will look like other than a couple internet photos, it  looked like a great place, I get a couple miles into it, ran into some hikers, and they are taking photos of these white rocks,  not too interesting to me so I ask, what they are taking photos of, they tell me they are Dinosaur Prints in the sandstone rocks, and I look and I was in Total Amazement, sure enough, Several Well defined prints of Large  Dinosaur’s from Millions of years ago, What a site to behold.


Dinosaur Prints in the Siltstone 
 


There I meet Jason  a Photographer from CA. he and I shot the breeze for a bit then hiked to the Subway, stopping Several times for Photo Ops one of the most impressive was the Arch Angel Cascades


Arch Angel Cascades



Its pretty much Possibly with some Work to make it to the Subway without getting all wet in the Virgin River, but about 2 1/2 miles into the hike I went in the water to my thighs, so from that point on for the rest of the day, I pretty much stayed in the water, the Photo ops we much better in the water, and it was not very cold, so it was all good

We made it to the Subway and there were a few people there, and more coming form the upper side of the Subway, so I was able to get a Couple Photos without People in them, I wanted to go through the Subway but the water was too Deep with all my Camera gear, the water would have been up to my neck, there is a Place in Zion that rents Wet and Dry Suits and dry Bags for camera gear...  
Zion Adventures   but I did not learn about that until afterwards. 

About 2:30  I started hiking back out, it was a Bit Slower on the way out LOL  stopped at the Dinosaur Rock again and took a few more photos, made it back up the Cliffside to the Left Fork Trailhead.

Round trip with Taking my time and a lot of Photos it took 8 hours to hike 10 miles, Well Worth it, especially this time of year, with all the Fall Colors, Great Temperatures 

After the Most Beautiful Hike I have taken, I went back today Zion NP to find a Room for the night
I stop at Zion Park Inn  go in and they have (1) Room left and King with Kitchenette   I am thinking $150-$175.00  Nope  he says $95.00 and then Offers a 10% Discount out of the Blue, Sweet, I Get to the Room, and it is Very Nice Large Room. I go next door to the  Jacks Sports Grill part of the Motel, and get a Great Steak, Outstanding Service.

I Highly Recommend Staying at Zion Park Inn


Sunday Morning I got some Great Coffee of this little coffee shop next to the Shell Station, Great Breakfast Sandwiches too.

I Got into the Park and took some Scenic Images and then got up near the Tunnel and Found the 15 Big Horn Sheep again and spent a couple hours with them it was Sweet, they got so used  to me and actually came closer to me out of Curiosity, took some more Scenic Images and left the park after stopping by Zion Visitors Center, for a couple Souvenirs.

Big Horn Sheep Family


Scenic Zion National Park in the Fall



Red Rock - Sandstone of Zion National Park



On the way out of town I ran across this Cool Very Old Horse / Cattle Corral  and stopped to get some photos, it really took me back in time, i just imagined how life would have been back then.

Old Corrals of the Old West


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