Wild Wild West Part II

On the second half of our trip out west we made sure to drive up to Utah and get another unique hike off of our queue.  We drove into Springdale, a quintessential resort town filled with outfitters, great restaurants, shopping, and picturesque views from most accommodations.  Our intention was to hike as much of the Narrows as we could given our limited time.  Hiking the Narrows at Zion is ranked #5 in National Geographic's list of America's best 100 adventures.  This section of the Colorado Plateau is a wondrous ode to nature.  We started at the Riverside Walk Trail and made it up to "Wall Street".  I must add, the only Wall Street for me will be seen below.

I highly recommend the following for this hike: walking stick, waterproof and close toed shoes, merino wool layers for quick dry and temperature controlling properties, and a sense of humor for when you slip and fall in front of a large group of "serious backpackers".

I couldn't tell you if hiking up or down river was better because you zig and zag across either way.  Down river did seem faster, and by then you have your bearings moving more swiftly.  This is a wider section of the Narrows still easily traversed and close in proximity to the section more traveled.

At this point you can get an idea of how "narrow" it is on average.  It was quite tough to get the whole vertical panorama in one shot, especially on my waterproof cam (a.k.a. Spongebob due to it's little kids toy look).  

There is something about our country's western landscape that breaths spirit into a person.  This was truly one of our favorite vacations, and we didn't even have to use our passports.

For a sense of scale, that is me standing on a log hanging over the river.  Walking through Zion's Wall Street you are uplifted by the fresh, crisp air and natural beauty.  Unlike this Wall Street's bullying step-brother in New York that paints you with a thin layer of grime literally and metaphorically as soon as you step foot near it's presence.

Under the Eaves Bed and Breakfast

This is the other reason you come to Springdale and Zion, simply to experience the hospitality of this wonderfully ran establishment.  The owners will make you feel like an old friend and better yet- the guests all felt like old friends as well!  On our stay, we met a few truly kind hearted individuals from New Zealand who humored us with their interesting travel stories from around the world and love of New Zealand wine (Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is my all time favorite-Cloudy Bay is the way to my heart).  The owners have a plethora of knowledge about the area, all of the trails, what to do when, etc.  It's obvious their home isn't just this beautiful cottage but also the entire natural surrounding paradise.

When can we go back?