Just Around The Bend Episode VI UTAH The National Park

JUST AROUND THE BEND

Episode VI



JUST AROUND THE BEND




EPISODE VI


2000 – 2014











UTAH:

THE NATIONAL PARK







RICHARD E. ZIMMERMAN


And

ARLENE M. ZIMMERMAN






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Episode VI
JUST AROUND THE BEND
Episode VI EPISODE V













































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Episode VI




JUST AROUND THE BEND



Episode VI


2000 – 2014




UTAH:

THE NATIONAL PARK




Copyright
© 2017 Richard E. Zimmerman and Arlene M Zimmerman
All Rights Reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying
and recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without
the express permission in writing from the authors or publisher.
Cover and Cover Photograph by the authors
All photographs Copyright

© 2017 Richard E. Zimmerman and Arlene M. Zimmerman
April 2017





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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS



Our fifth book, Episode VI was created out of the last book,
Southwestern Deserts. During the first decade of the new
century we had traveled across the four deserts and wanted to
write about each. Plus include the State that provides all the
water for them, Colorado.

Fortunately, or not it became to large to print. We therefore
cut the book in half, with Episode V over 400 pages requiring
a coil binding and weighting about 10 pounds. At least that’s
what the Post Office said when we tried mailing them. But
who would believe that? No book could weigh ten pounds.
Not even the Gutenburg Bible is that heavy.

It’s been great fun, and most of the same knowledgeable, and
generous folks have given their time and continued to help us
prepare this one. Without them I’m sure we wouldn’t have
been so ambitious.
George Mindling has continued to offer his welcomed
suggestions and encouragement. Each time we visit him he
takes us to a Florida Writers Association meeting, where we
hear stories of every kind, poetry, and prose, read by their
authors. Each is followed with a discussion of helpful hints
about improving. We always leave feeling more enthusiastic
than before.

Our daughter Alyx and son-in-law Jim Movich have prepared
our book cover. It’s a long distance internet arrangement that
constantly try’s our technical expertise and proves their
patience.




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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS



Paul Klump, is more than a technical expert for us and our
poor computer. He has reviewed our work, made many
suggestions and created a Printable PDF version for us.

Our printer, Athens Printing has been with us every step of
the way. They are responsible for tweaking our photo’s
making them more realistic. They also keep encouraging us to
further edit the proof.
It has been a real test for these folks to continue to offer their
support. We appreciate it, and hope they never stop.

Thanks to all of you for your help and support.


Arlene M. Zimmerman
Richard E. Zimmerman




















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INTRODUCTION



We find this state so interesting and intriguing that we return
to it over and over.
Before it became a state in 1896 Utah was considered by our
Congress to become a national park. We believe that would
have been a good idea. Never-the-less between the Federal
Government and the State almost 70% of the 85 thousand
square miles are now set aside as park lands.

These parks, forests, monuments, and recreation areas are all
over the State. Lots of parks everywhere. The terrain plays a
vital role. Although mostly arid and desert, there are areas that
are forested. In the northeast the mountain forests are at a
high altitude where skiing is popular and small lakes, which
usually open in July, are nice for camping. The rest of the
State the desert, and Colorado Plateau dominate with National
Parks.
The climate has created some of the most interesting areas,
from the Great Salt Lake and the Bonneville Salt Flats where
the fastest cars in the world set speed records to the mighty
rivers of the southwest that carve their way down to Pre-
Columbian rock, the oldest rock known.

It is no secret that the land set aside by the Federal
Government is better protected than land managed by
corporations and individuals. One needs only to look at the
Teton area in Wyoming to see how it was abused before the
Rockefeller’s bought it and turned it over to the U.S.
Government.





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Although the Federal Government is responsible for
thousands of square miles through it’s National Parks,
Monunents, Recreations Areas and BLM, Bureau of Land
Management programs. The State has played catch-up.
th
The State began laying out parks itself in the middle of the 20
century. It has done a good job, starting with four in 1957
they have in the past 60 years created more than 40 others. We
have stayed in many of them.

Starting in Las Vegas we travel north to several of the National
Parks, Zion and Bryce. We then turn northwesterly for a long
desolate drive across the Great Basin Desert, past Rattlesnake
Gulch and back to a few of the State’s fine Parks further
north. Bear Lake State Park is one of our favorites, because
the Pickleville Playhouse is near. For summer theater they
write their own fascinating scripts.
In the northeast we’ve tried to find dinosaurs at the National
Monument, but each time we’ve been there the mountain side
is sliding away. There just isn’t enough money in the Interior
Department to stabilize it. Further south we revisit the
beautiful national parks around Moab and the Grand Escalante
Staircase.

This is a story about our travels around the State of Utah.










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UTAH: THE NATIONAL PARK

TABLE OF CONTENTS



Copywrite 3
Acknowledgements 5

Introduction 7

Table of Contents 9
Chapter 1 13

Las Vegas 14

Chapter 2 27
Zion National Park 28

Virgin River Canyon 28
Kolobo Terrace 39

1930 Tunnel 43
Bryce Canyon National Park 45

Kodachrome State Park 55















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Chapter 3


Great Basin National Park 58

Palisades State Park 69
Bonneville Salt Flats 74

Bear Lake State Park 77
Fossil Butte National Monument 85

Best Hamburger Ever 90

Wild and Wooly 92
Mirror Lake State Park 95

Dinosaur National Monument 97


Chapter 4 101
Grand Stair Case Escalante Natl Mt 102

Calf Creek 103

Escalante Township 113
Hole in the Rock 114

Escalante State Park 117

Anasazi State Park 120
Burr Trail 121

Escalante River 125
Capital Reef National Park 133



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Green River State Park 145

TABLE OF CONTENTS


Chapter 5 153

Moab 154

Cisco: A Ghost Town 160
Westwater 163



Chapter 6 177
Arches National Park 178

Five areas 179
Firey Furnace 188

Landscape Arch 197
Moab 201


Chapter 7 203

Canyonlands National Park 204
The Maze 207

The Needles 208

The Island in the Sky 212
White Rim Ocean 216

Dead Horse Point State Park 221

Hiking the ‘Isle 228





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Chapter 8 239
Choosing an Adventure 240

Safety First 242

Petrographs 246

Canyon Cruising 250



Chapter 9 259

Long Canyon 260
Shafer Trail 269

White Rim Ocean 286



Chapter 10 295

Route 128: The River Road 296



Appendix 1 Maps of Utah 319
Appendix 2 Planning and Traveling 323

Appendix 3 Weather 327







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CHAPTER 1



NEVADA

Las Vegas


































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VIVA LAS VEGAS!


Going to Las Vegas was never high on our to do list. We’re
not gamblers, and during the ‘80’s we were still spending most
of our spare time sailing our 30 ft sloop ‘Citizen’ around Long
Island Sound and going to Bermuda each year. We never
thought much about the city in the desert, where two cows,
mother and calf, wandered around on six hundred acres. We
didn’t see much use for the place.

Living in Connecticut we also had access to the theater in
Hartford and New York, which we took advantage of and we
loved it. We did however have an interest in going to a couple
of National Parks in near by Utah, Zion and Bryce.

It would be a hoot to catch a five day excursion flight to Las
Vegas from Hartford. Ditch the group and head for a
weekend in the Parks. It would cost $79 each including a hotel
room just off The Strip, around the corner from the Flamingo.

Within hours of arriving in Las Vegas and once settled in our
hotel we rented a van and were on our way towards Utah, and
our other reservations in Bryce Canyon.
That was a Wednesday afternoon, and believe it or not we had
seen lots of these two grand parks by Saturday. We returned
to our hotel, talked with the concierge, who made reservations
for us at the Hilton to see, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Musical
‘Star Light Express’. It was wonderful, and just so you know
it’s the one where the entire cast spins and whirls on roller-
skates, while singing his lyrical music.






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Enough said, we were smitten and have been returning to
Vegas ever since. It has become another center in our travels.
Austin, Texas, and Moab, Utah are two others. Each has been
a jumping off place for us to go to many other areas.

We use to come into Vegas from San Diego and Mexico, after
visiting with Arlene’s brother Doug and sister-in-law Irene.
But, things have changed over the years, with Austin no longer
on our list since Richard’s brother passed away. We now take
a more direct route.

Also, in 2013 Dan and Pam moved from Washington State to
Las Vegas. Alyx and Jim moved there later in 2014. We
visited Dan and Pam during the fall for Thanksgiving.

What a swell time to visit, when all across America, Christians,
and others are preparing to celebrate the holiday season. It
began with a feast, and was it a swell one. There were eight of
us, Pam her daughter, Aimee, a couple of friends from Hawaii,
Dan’s sister Najea, and us. Turkey, stuffing, cranberries,
vegetables, more trimmings, several pies, ice cream, wine and
lots of interesting conversation. It was a grand family dinner.
Through the years we’ve come to believe that shopping and
preparing for an occasion is just as much fun. Dan is a born
shopper. Even as a little kid he and his sister would go to the
grocery store with their allowance and he would always spend
his. Often talking Alyx into spending some of her’s. Did I
say born shopper or spender.






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So it was, that we took two grocery carts at the Base
Commissary, and filled both.



















There’s more to the celebration as they live near the end of a
cul-de-sac where for years neighbors had one special lighted
Christmas extravaganza. You know how some neighborhoods
go crazy filling their yards and homes with the joy of twinkling
lights.
So as not to be left out and a little encouragement from
everyone Dan and Pam were on their way to their own
lighting program, It’s one that begins and never ends. Just
keep adding. First you have to shop until you drop, Home
Depot, K-Mart, back to the Commissary, and 5 other stores.





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Thanks to Pam’s design, she planned how everything would be
arranged. Then everyone joined in the assembly, construction,
and setup, with lots of good cheer.




















In one day we were able to lay out the entire design, and as
night fell it all came together.












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Of course, there’s other things to do in Las Vegas and during
the years we’ve tried many of them.

Here Rod Stewart entertains us with his gravely voice.





















Out on the streets we always felt safe as Spiderman, and a
multitude of Disney characters’ were always around.










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There’s nothing real in Las Vegas. Fantasy from one end of
the ‘Strip’ to the other. Here’s Luxor, Excalibur, and New
York, New York, where we stop for ‘egg cream’ sodas and
blintzes.






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The water fountains at Bellagio are such a greeting. Inside we
marvel at Chihuly’s 3 foot glass pansies that fill the grand
entrance’s ceiling. We’ve stopped for their champagne brunch,
and beautiful botanical gardens.


















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Further north is Circus Circus. It has the only RV park on the
‘Strip’. We loved staying there in it’s large parking lot with
electric, water and sewer connections. Richard’s even been on
there stage in a juggling act.

We’ve stayed at Circus Circus often, but during the years it’s
management changed; each time raising the rates. It started at
$25 a night, by the time KOA took over it was $135. We’ve
moved off the ‘Strip’ to Sam’s Town at $38 a night.
What a watering hole this place is, and now with Alyx’s and
Dan’s families here we might stay a little longer before we
continue our wandering around the Great Southwest.






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For now we’ll leave this grand city and head for Utah, and the
State we think is really our countries National Park.






































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CHAPTER 2



THE NATIONAL PARK STATE


Zion National Park

Virgin River Canyon


Kolob Terrace

1930 Tunnel



Bryce Canyon National Park



Kodachrome State Park




















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ZION NATIONAL PARK

VIRGIN RIVER CANYON
On the way to Zion through St George’s I’d picked up a
straight Aspen limb to make another hiking stick, but found it
lost all it’s character, after removing the bark, not white, but
peeled tan lumber. So I decided to carve a design in some
fashion leaving sections of bark in places. Our camper is
beginning to look like a small pile of firewood. My collection
of hiking sticks, Iron Wood, Mesquite, Verde, Cedar and
others. Maybe collecting these sticks isn’t such a good idea.
After all I can only use one of these at a time, and unless I
become a master artist, Arlene wouldn’t think it was such a
good idea to keep them.

Since 1997 we’ve been to Zion again and again,. It’s really a
grand place, hidden in the valley of this long canyon. It rises
several thousand feet, off the floor of the Nevada desert,
following the Virgin River, which has one of the greatest drops
in America, through really narrow and steep canyons. Navajo
Sandstone’s light pink, and cream cliffs are replacing the open
country side.
Zion National Park has one very popular area, the Virgin River
Canyon, where 99.99% of tourists and campers go. It’s a
splendid place. A long narrow canyon over 2000 feet, high
with steep walls. It’s hill sides are covered with bushes and
small trees, with many trails leading up on both sides.









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ZION NATIONAL PARK

VIRGIN RIVER CANYON
The campgrounds, once deep in the canyon, have been moved
near the entrance, just outside of Springdale, a small watering
hole for the park. The Valley floor is wide enough for the
river-stream, a single lane road, lots of shade trees, several
trails, a rustic lodge, Museum, and Visitors Center.

It’s famous landmarks are all visible from the floor, including
the Great White Throne. We have always made reservations
and stayed in the Watchman Campsite. It has EWS, which
qualifies it for a 2 ½ rating for us. Maybe anywhere there’s
electricity, in the summer desert heat should rate at least a 2.

The canyon floor’s are mostly Oak and Cedar trees. They help
shade us from the 95 degree heat. It’s easy walking and hiking,
just be careful of the Prickly Pear cactus.

Through the Canyon flows the Virgin River. It’s a beautiful
clear stream, that according to historical accounts, has forever
been freezing cold. Perfect for the middle of the Summer.
This is the natural corral enclosure, along the Virgin River.
We’ve hiked the length of the valley, into the river, and up the
wall’s trails to the Emerald Pools.

Seventy years ago Mom and Pop Zimmerman visited here
staying in the Grotto Campground, now closed, but still a nice
place to rest.









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ZION NATIONAL PARK

VIRGIN RIVER CANYON


















One year we arrived on March 23, 2000 which was a big day,
as the new Visitors Center was opened, and it was the first day
for the park’s shuttle bus service. From that day forward there
would be limited auto access from the entrance along the
narrow 6 mile road down to the end of the canyon, and the
Lodge. We celebrated the opening as traffic had been terrible
in the past years. Each time we’d visited cars lined the
roadside on both sides. It was impossible to find a place to
park. Or worst to see or visit the park.
The shuttle was supposed to reduce the number of visitors by
20%. That would be okay by us, but we didn’t have any faith
in the reduction lasting long. This park is too beautiful





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ZION NATIONAL PARK

VIRGIN RIVER CANYON
We were the first to take the pleasant ride down to the last
stop the Temple of Singwava,. We hiked up the river side to
the narrows. Here the Trail enters the river and runs between
2000 foot high, sheer cliffs.


















Arlene had a walking stick which helped as another stabilizing
point as she walked across the rocky bottom. We try reading
the waters before boating or hiking in them. It makes it safer
for us. I had soft sole beach shoes, and could feel every rock.
It worked well for a while, but soon my feet were numb from
the 50 degree water. It was challenging to push ahead, reading
the rivers current and direction to choose the shallowest side.
I crisscrossed the river time and again staying on the shallow
side, away from the deepest part.




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ZION NATIONAL PARK

VIRGIN RIVER CANYON
When the river flowed to the left, I crossed to the right side,
when to the right I crossed to the left thus staying in the
shallows. It worked well and I was soon around another bend
and out of sight of everyone. I continued through some rapids
to another bend before turning around.
































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ZION NATIONAL PARK

VIRGIN RIVER CANYON
By the time I got back to Arlene I was frozen from my waist
down. It didn’t take long to recover. I dried off and warmed
up quickly in the 99 degree sun.































ZION NATIONAL PARK


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VIRGIN RIVER CANYON

We stopped at the Great White Throne, and a couple of
tourists took our picture.
It’s a land mark for the Park. By this time in our journeys I
began drawing with a vengeance, never without my sketch
book.




















We walked into town that evening and had an ice cream. The
local grocery ‘Sols’ was a disaster. Parking was under the
building and only a car or van could get inside the 7 foot
opening. There were many delicacies’, including the smallest
mayonnaise jar for $7.00. Our list got short fast. Plastic bags
cost 5 cents each. The summer help said there were few


ZION NATIONAL PARK



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VIRGIN RIVER CANYON

repeat customers. You just wonder how they stay in business.
On the way back we used Arlene’s Golden Age Pass to reenter
the park. They also gave us a reentry sticker which we
attached to my diary.
With electricity, sleeping wasn’t a problem. One morning we
got off to a slow start. It was 11 by the time we started up the
trail to the Emerald Pools.















From the lodge it looked like a shear cliff, across the river.
Sure enough the pathway was steep, but there was plenty of
shade from the trees.

The red dusty trail was lined with thick bushes which we
welcomed as it made it difficult to look out and see how high
we were climbing, or how far it was to the valley floor, straight
down.



ZION NATIONAL PARK


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VIRGIN RIVER CANYON

We walked up to the first pool, and rested for ½ hour while I
sketched and Arlene had a snack. The next pool was higher
and by the time we got to it we were hot and flushed.


















The color of the Emerald Pools wasn’t exactly as green as we
expected. These waters had sifted through the rocks and cliffs
for years before reappearing in the pools. They were clear,
cool and refreshing. We sat for a while soaking our feet, then
waded around, and finally before starting back bathed our
heads and neck. Our hats and bandanas were dipped one
more time as we turned toward the trail back down the
mountain.



ZION NATIONAL PARK




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A short way down we were surprised by a large Mule Deer. It
was in the bushes on the high side of the cliff. First we
thought it was a Big Horn Sheep, because of it’s size and gray-
brown color. Fortunately, it wasn’t interested in us. It
browsed, looked up at us browsed a moment more then shot


ZION NATIONAL PARK



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VIRGIN RIVER CANYON

straight up the hillside out of sight.


































ZION NATIONAL PARK



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KOLOB TERRACE

95% of Zion is in another area of the park. It’s seldom seen
or visited by campers or tourists. It’s the Kolob Terrace. To
get to the Kolob Terrace we had to drive outside the canyon’s
park entrance, past Springdale, the small town, and up a small
back road twisting and turning as it climbed into the back
country. It’s remote, most of the way fields and pastures line
the road, with an occasional sign warning us not to have any
guns, or drive an ATV.


























ZION NATIONAL PARK


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KOLOB TERRACE

It’s easy enough to get to the back side of Zion, but it’s
another entrance and isn’t guarded like the Virgin River
entrance. A single road weaves up into the country side
between rolling hills, pastures and mountains. About 20 miles
along we came to this overlook.
We had assumed we were in the park all along, but the sign
told us differently. Maybe it meant the campground was this
way.















We went on to Lava Point and the West Rim along a rough
road with chunks of granite instead of gravel. It was slow
driving. Once there we found picnic tables, a small
campground and a view of the Virgin River Canyon. It was a
pleasant place to spend a couple of hours.





ZION NATIONAL PARK


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KOLOB TERRACE




















From the Rim we could see the thin line that the Virgin River
cuts through the mountains. The river drops over 4,000 feet
from Zion down to the desert floor. It’s the greatest drop of a
river in America

While we had lunch a Ranger drove by, stopped and visited for
a while before moving on. We never saw anyone else.
At the campground there was a pit toilet, a couple of water
faucets, and a registration box. Arlene checked out the box
and found the last








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ZION NATIONAL PARK

KOLOB TERRACE
entry was for 3 nights, 3 months earlier. A lonely sign warned
against bears.




































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ZION NATIONAL PARK

1930 TUNNEL
Leaving Zion we had the strangest experience. We left early in
the morning driving up the eastern cliff toward the tunnel that
leads to Bryce. My folks had driven through it so many years
before. On the first straight away a white pickup raced passed
us. Later at the entrance of the tunnel we found the pickup
and the driver, a Ranger. He stopped us and admonished us
for being so early to go through the tunnel. ‘It wasn’t open
until 8:00’, and he wondered if we hadn’t read the sign. We
would have to wait 20 minutes to go through. Two other
campers arrived early and he made them wait also. I suppose
he was late for work, and otherwise annoyed, but after a short
while, no one came through and waved the three of us
through.

When the tunnel was originally built, in 1930 it was pretty
narrow, and had large windows along the walls where tourists
could stop and look out across Zion Valley.
Today, it’s different, as our vehicles are much larger. Two cars
can barely squeeze by and a Class A RV driving down the
middle could scrape it’s air conditioners on the roof. It was
this tight fit that caused the Ranger to be so disturbed. He was
late, yet responsible for one side. On the other side a timely
Ranger was waiting to hear from him with a radio signal.
Waiting to send travelers through.









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ZION NATIONAL PARK

1930 TUNNEL
On the far side of the tunnel the road twisted up and around
these strange looking barren mountains looked like layers of
pancakes laid down one on top of the other. We knew it
wasn’t lava as it was cream colored. It looked like it had been
poured, not black, or porous as lava. It was our first sighting
of Slick Rock.




















Beyond the Slick Rock we came to my favorite of all forests.
It was the Ponderosa Pines. They have red bark, are 200 feet
tall with branches of long green needles. They grow apart
from each other, but allow little vegetation on the ground in
between. You can see long distances underneath them. They
make a beautiful forest.



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BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK


We entered Bryce Canyon National Park past Ruby’s, the local
concessionaire, who has been there longer than the Park.
Often parks have small towns or services beside them. It’s a
little more expensive, but they are welcome. We stopped at
Ruby’s for ice cream several post cards and a pretty lavender
sapphire and silver ring. These cheapo rings are really okay.
They add a little color and flair to Arlene’s otherwise snappy
life. They are inexpensive, sparkle, and if lost at a camp site,
are not as dear as the Sapphire or Diamond left back home in
our safe.

Several miles later, in it’s high desert environment we passed
antelope, deer, sagebrush and pine trees before entering the
Park. We registered and picked a flat spot at the North
Campground, site #15. They don’t take reservations, don’t
have electricity, and it’s hot. We’ll sign up each day and see
how it goes.
After getting settled we drove around the park. It’s at the top
of a ridge, and pretty flat. We drove around the two
campgrounds, the Lodge, where we had stayed in 1995 on our
first trip, and out along the ridge stopping at each viewing site.
The last was Rainbow Point. There’s a sign on the outhouse
door, declaring it closed because of the drought.

Rainbow Point shows the expanse of Bryce Canyon from the
top. It’s not really a canyon, as they are usually closed ended.
Bryce Canyon is open ended. From the bottom of the ridge it
runs off into the valley.





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BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK


During our first trip we ate in the lodge and had local trout
from down in the valley. The trout came right out of the river,
across the grill and on to our plate. It’s a standard way to
serve fish, head and tails, but we’d preferred they look like
something from the grocer when they got to us, not the river.
We asked politely for the chef if he couldn’t prepare it a little
differently. He did and it was good.



















This is the land of Hoodoos. Those tall pinkish red earthen
towers that have white top knots. Thousands of years in the
making. They supposedly started with earth quakes that split
the land into columns of squares and rectangles. Years and
years of soaking rains, ice and snow eroded the edges, but the
harder tops remained and protected their under core.




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BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK


They’ve’ stood in rows like sentries on guard for over
30,000,000 years and are expected to continue on watch for
another 30 million .




















Last night we stayed up late, until 11 to look at the heavenly
skies. We’re use to the sunsets in the Southwest. They are
spectacular, oranges, reds and purples. We’ve also gone to
several amateur star gazing presentations and two
Observatories. So we’ve had lots of the heavens pointed out
to us. Enough so we can pick out all the simple constellations,
planets and stars. Like the Big and Little Dipper, Polaris the
North Star. Arcturus that little red spot, Orion’s Belt or the
Southern Cross.



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JUST AROUND THE BEND

Episode VI
BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK


This was different, we’d never seen so many stars. The sky
was so bright and filled that we couldn’t tell one from another.
We were looking straight into the center of our Milky Way
Galaxy. Millions and millions of stars twinkled, blinked and
sparkled at us.

We were astonished, at the sky. Around the camp we didn’t
need flash lights. The white light lit the ground as bright as
day.

We didn’t know it but, we were at one of the clearest and
brightest spots in North America. Bryce Canyon’s visibility
was measured at 103 miles, topping the 1980 study of the
clearest skies in America. We’d always thought Idaho was an
artists’ dream, or in Provence, France. But here’s the scoop on
the study’s conclusion. Grand Canyon and Bryce were tops.
While the East Coast had the poorest. New York and Boston
15 miles, the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia 35 miles and
worst back then was Houston at 12. I’m sure clarity changes
from time to time, so Pittsburg, Pa. and Los Angeles, Ca.
could have done poorly in the ‘50’s but improved since then.

We were so excited about the brilliance of the sky, and the
number of stars that it was difficult to fall asleep. We would
take more time in the night to step out of our rig and gaze in
awe above.
Every day isn’t an early start for us, but after last night we got
up a little later than usual. Today we were headed down into






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JUST AROUND THE BEND

Episode VI
BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK


the Canyon, along the Navajo Trail. Misnamed, as the
Navajos never lived here, rather it was the Piaute Indians, for
whom Utah was named. From the rim we could see down the
trail as it switched back and forth into the narrow passage
called ‘Wall Street’.
































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JUST AROUND THE BEND

Episode VI
BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK


Inside the passage were a couple of huge pine trees, 3-4 feet in
diameter and 150 feet high. There is little or no sun for them,
yet they are suspected to be original growth, never cut, and
maybe 700 years old. I’d doubt that just because they are
pine, but we’ve heard stories about long lived trees. Besides
the Giants in the Sierra Nevada and along the California and
Oregon coasts the Bristlecone pine in California is estimated
to be 5,000 years old..




























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