Zion Canyon

The night in the campground near Bryce Canyon was difficult for us.
The temperature dropped to +2 degrees, and it was very cold.
We were shaking from the cold in a tent, because we had only one sleeping bag.

And it was my fault.
How could I forget that we were on a high plateau, in September.
A very hot day and a sharp the temperature drop during the night

The sun rose, we ran around the tent trying to keep warm
But we were not alone, the "frozen" tourists came out of the other tents.

A store, near the gas station, was opened at 7 am and all rushed over coffee.
The lady at the counter showed where the coffee, it was a common situation for her
I was read a dumb question in her eyes:
"Well, how do you so?
I asked you yesterday - are you need a site for a tent, you're sure...?"

The coffee warmed us and we were able already to think.
The sun had risen and after a cup of coffee, our mood improved.
So, September 15, 2014 - the Monday.
We were planning to visit Zion National Park, and then go to Las Vegas.

We drove for about 2 hours to Zion National Park
At first, by the road 12, then by road 89 and then by the road 9, which runs through the park.

At one place, the hills gave way to the cliffs and we decided to stop.
The sun was hot already and it was possible to take a walk and forget about the cold night.

The rocks were like the cliffs in Bryce Canyon, when you look from below...

After the walk we drove on.

After a hour of driving, forest hills were left behind, and in front were the mountains.

It were not the cliffs - it was a mountainous country.

The cliffs were on both sides of the road.
They were not like the walls of the Grand Canyon and the peaks of Bryce Canyon.

It seemed that the cliffs could crush the road but we saw the tunnel ahead.

We drove out of the tunnel.
Oh my God...
We were at a great height among the mountains, and a green valley lay at the bottom.

Zion National Park was established in 1919 and is located in the south-western part of Utah on the Colorado Plateau.
GPS-coordinates: 37°12'02.4"N, 112°59'10.1"W
*Zion National Park*

The main attraction is the Zion Canyon, 24 km in length and a depth of 800 meters.
Formation of the canyon began 150 million years ago and ended 13 million years ago, when the Colorado plateau was formed.
*Zion Canyon*

That's where we were.
And we need to drive down the road, down the serpentine to the canyon, to the base of these mountains.

The road winds like a snake, sinking lower and lower.

We were almost beside the base of the mountains and the rocks...

As in the other US national parks, here created excellent services for visitors.
You get a map of the park and can ride between lookout points by the bus.

Zion Canyon - it is primarily the mountains and cliffs that surround the valley...

And also, a very rich fauna and flora...

And you will see it if you take a short hike between the trees...

Unlike the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon, are more of deciduous trees, rather than of conifers here.

This diversity of flora I can explain by the presence of water.
Water flows down by the walls of cliffs into creeks.

150 million years ago began the formation of Zion canyon.
You can trace the history of the canyon with the Mesozoic era.

You can touch the rocks by the hand, to walk by the roads where dinosaurs have hunted.

There are several interesting trails for tourists in the Zion National Park ...

We used one trail and came to the river ...

The river is not deep; you can cross it to the other side.
But this river feeds the entire green valley with water ...

We rested on a stone by the river and talked about canyons...
And now it was time to go back to the tourist village.

We saw Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion Canyon.
What are the differences between them?
Well, we decided to say so:
"Grand" - you look at the mountains and rocks from top to bottom...
"Bryce" - you look down on the castles, peaks and spiers...
"Zion" - you look at the mountains and rocks from bottom to top.

Our trip to Zion National Park has been completed.
Many thanks to the people of America that they preserve such beauty and tourists from around the world can see it with your own eyes.

So, we had traveled to Las Vegas by the road 9 and by the Highway 15...

We drove about two hours and stopped only once - in a very interesting place.
GPS-coordinates: 37°12'18.0"N, 113°12'19.9"W
*Souvenir Store*

Here we said "Goodbye" Utah...
The State of Nevada and the wonderful city of Las Vegas were ahead...