2014 August Southern Utah vacation: Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon, Snow Canyon

For a very long time I've been wanting to go to Southern Utah and check out some of our National Parks around there.  So in the winter of 2013,  when we were talking about where to go in the summer of 2014 and I saw that an RCI exchange into the  St. George Worldmark resort was available for the last week of August, we decided to book it.  Shortly after booking it, some friends asked if we were still going to show them around Oregon in 2014.  So, our Southern Utah trip turned out to be the beginning of a fantastic 3 week long trip, with a night in Las Vegas and 2 weeks in Oregon to follow our 6 nights in Utah.  I've included a link to our Oregon trip at the end of this post.

Unfortunately, shortly after making our plans, I started having pulled and torn calf muscles.  After about 5 months and about 50 torn calf muscles, I finally went for physical therapy (something I've never done before).  It seemed to help, for awhile.  Didn't pull or tear any calf muscles for about 2 months, but then noticed some pretty severe knee pain.  Went to the Dr. and was told I needed surgery to remove some torn cartilage, but by then it was too close to our trip, so surgery was scheduled for the week I got back.  So, although I had a great 3 week trip!, I also suffered a lot while walking.  Ken was probably happy, though, since I didn't insist on many of the hikes in the canyon.  The torn calf muscles (in both legs) occurred again, as well as the  knee pain, so I hobbled a lot.  Really felt like an old lady!!!!

Aug.23, 2014:

Aug. 24, 2014 -- Bryce Canyon National Park:

Aug. 25, 2014 --- Snow Canyon:

Aug. 26, 2014 --- Zion:

Aug. 27, 2014 --- another day around the St. George area:

Aug. 28, 2014 --- North Rim of the Grand Canyon:

Aug. 29, 2014 --- leaving St. George:

This was a big bucket list trip!  In fact, it remains on my bucket list to see again!

Tomorrow----on to OREGON

Aug. 29, 2014 --- leaving St. George:
But first, a ride through town to see what we missed there.   They have a really cute historic downtown area.

 another art piece in the middle of a round-about.

 How cool would it be to have this view in your neighborhood?

Along the outskirts of town again.

I wanted to get overview pictures of Snow Canyon by day, too, so we headed there before leaving town.

 Bye beautiful Utah!!

 And on our way back to Las Vegas.

 Heading into the Virgin River Gorge on I-15.  It was dark when we were going the other way.  Even this ride was impressive.

 I like the way they want you to "Focus on the Road", but they put these big signs up!

 Back in Vegas.

About 3 we were checking into our 2 bedroom unit at the Wyndham Grand Desert.  Our friends had already checked in about 9am, and were living it up on the Strip.  Time to check out another Wyndham.

Then we were off to find the free shuttle and meet up with our friends for dinner.  Ended up at the buffet at The Mirage.  I would have liked to have seen more of Vegas, but I wasn't in any condition to be walking much more.

So back the resort we went and Coni and I enjoyed a beer while we took a dip in the 24hour pool and jacuzzi.  The perfect end to a perfect (almost) vacation and perfect start to a new one!

Aug. 28, 2014 --- North Rim of the Grand Canyon:
We were on the cliff (pun intended) as to whether or not to go to another far away National Park, but who knows if we'll ever get the chance to again.  (who knew that in 2025 a wild fire would burn down the lodge?!)  Besides, it's considered one of the seven natural wonders of world, honored as a World Heritage Site and visited by five million or more each year.  How could we not go!? It helped that we were still waking up early, too.
With directions punched into Garmin, we were on our 139 mile excursion to the main gate of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  This was another 3 hour each way trip, but turned out to be well worth it!

Along the 3 hour ride. 

Ken's "old age pass" got us in here free, too, otherwise it would have been $25/car good for a week.

We drove straight to the Lodge.   I was surprised to see cabins there by the Lodge.   These cabins looked like they would be great to stay in, but I bet they're hard to get.

 Just past the cabins is the Lodge.  The Lodge was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987 and the original was another one designed by Underwood.  We went straight to the restaurant figuring we finally got to one at the right time to get lunch.  Wrong----we forgot about the additional time change!  We had another hour or so before they would open for lunch and they had just closing for breakfast.  Strike 3!!!

 (2025-7-4   Flames from the Dragon Bravo Fire engulfed the lodge, visitor center, gas station, wastewater treatment plant, administrative offices, and employee housing, according to park Superintendent Ed Keable. The National Park Service (NPS) estimates between 50 and 80 structures were lost.)

So we wandered out to see the canyon---WOW!!!  With an average elevation of 8,000 feet, the North Rim offers views of the canyon from a higher vantage then the South Rim.

 The hour and half went by very quickly as I snapped picture after picture!

 Heading down the steps to the viewpoint above.

Looking back at the back of the Lodge.

Selfie time again--although the sun was intense.  Which was a good thing since we found out it stormed really badly there the day before.

From the view point.

 Check out all those geologic layers!

   We started to walk the trail, but it started going away from the rim.

peeking back to the canyon

 Then we were heading back towards the Lodge when we spotted this other viewpoint on the other side of the Lodge.

 View of the Lodge from there.

 By now we were hungry and ready to try the restaurant again.  There was already a line and they were just starting to seat people.

 I snapped a few pictures of the inside of the Lodge while we waited our tun to be seated.

The back lobby looking over the canyon.

there was a really nice patio behind the lobby, too.  You can barely see some of the chairs through the doors.

 We had the buffet lunch here, too, and thoroughly enjoyed it.  It was pretty similar to the one at Bryce (even having the pulled pork and sloppy joes), but they also had cookies and brownies for dessert.

 We had thought we'd take the .5 mile walk on the Bright Angel Point Trail after lunch since we didn't think there was much else to do at the North Rim.  Fortunately the waitress asked us if we had been to Cape Royal and seen Angel's Window.  Dumbfounded we asked what those were and she told us of another road, about 4 miles from the Lodge, that had lots of viewpoints along.  We had passed that road on our way to the Lodge, but we didn't know where it went.  So we jumped in the car and took off to discover that area of the Walhalla Plateau.  Figured we'd come back and hike the Bright Angel Trail later.  Well, we found a lot to do and see on the Walhalla Plateau so we didn't make it back in time to hike the Bright Angel Point Trail.  I didn't do a very good job of marking what these viewpoints were, but most of them didn't have signs.  Most didn't have marked trails, either.  But we had no trouble spending about 4 hours traveling this section of the Plateau.   But first, we hit the gift shop and bought an expandable hiking stick.  I used it like a cane and it has been very handy (even at home after surgery).

The colors here were even more grand then at Zion or Bryce.

 I imagine this is part of the Grand Staircase, too.

 Pink, purple, orange, gray, ...   so many colors!

And the Painted Desert somewhere in the distance.

I can't believe we almost missed this whole area!

Six thousand feet deep at its deepest point and up to 18 miles across at its widest, the canyon is immense and colorful with steep canyon walls and jutting mesas.

Exposed geologic formations chronicle three of the earth's four eras of geologic history, making the Grand Canyon one of the most studied geologic landscapes in the world.

Carved by the Colorado River over a period of six million years, it is one of the finest examples of arid-land erosion in the world, averaging 4,000 feet deep for its entire 277 miles.

 the river to the far right

The road was quite curvy.  Fortunately it wasn't very crowded.

The road ended at Cape Royal.  It is the southernmost viewpoint on the North Rim, and it has the widest panorama of any Grand Canyon overlook.  From the parking lot, there's a nice paved walk.  All along the trail are signs talking about the plants in the area.  This is a Utah Juniper.  Indians used to bark to make sandals and to pad cradleboards.  Digging sticks and other farming tools were made from this wood, too.

A view of Angels Window from the trail.  Hard to see here, but there is a viewpoint on top of it.

 close up through Angels Window with the Colorado River framed behind it.

 Ken charging ahead.

 heading to the viewpoint on top of Angels Window.

  Cape Royal

 Resident of the canyon

another view of the Colorado River

 stacked rocks for good luck.

Heading back to the car.

 forest fire?

A few of the wild flowers along the way.

Our last viewpoint was Point Imperial.  It was a short detour off the road that took us to Royal Point.At 8,803 feet, Point Imperial is the highest of the North Rim overlooks, and the northernmost.

The sun was casting a lot of low shadows now.  

 I understand this is where you're suppose to be able to see the Painted Desert from.

 One last look before heading out.

 About 7pm we were on our way out of the park---prime time to see a bunch of deer. 

Also witnessed a pretty nice sunset.

 Another fantastic day exploring another fantastic National Park.  Again, totally different from the last 2!  Which did I like the best?---I really can't say, but I know there's a lot more of the Grand Canyon to see!