We;re Marching to Zion, Beautiful, Beautiful Zion!

Well, maybe not marching so much as entering via luxurious motor coach, complete with adjustable seats, loads of water, a P.A. system and electrical outlets for re-charging mobile electronics!  The first glimpses of Zion National Park were already spectacular.

Approach to Zion National Park, Utah.

Our instructor, Dave, continued in his efforts to make us all more appreciative of the history of rocks, and as far as I can tell, he included a great deal of information that would be fascinating to any interested geologist.  Nearly all of it went completely over my head!  Zion was created by the raising of the Colorado Plateau, 65,000,000 years ago.  Rock which had been 3,000 to 6,000 feet underground was suddenly thrown up to where the curious could examine, analyse, comment and obsess about it,  In other words, not me!  My fascination comes with witnessing the sheer magnitude and scale of the aftermath, and a good deal of awe over it's stunning, and I would guess, unrivaled beauty.

Our excursion into the park was focused on a two mile hike up Zion Canyon, which has been formed over eons by a combination of natural erosion and geological activity.  The Virgin River flows through the canyon and creates a beautiful flood plain by which explorers such as we can take in the amazing sights leading up to the place where the canyon narrows and only the young, the sturdy and brave choose to go.  There are no restrictions to prevent traveling further, except most of it is in water, which is very cold, and good sense.   The hike through the"wide" as opposed to the "narrows," was truly eye opening.  Rather than try to describe the scenes or explain the rock formations, I think a few pictures will serve better.

The River Walk, Zion Canyon,

 Weeping Rock, Zion Canyon

 Hanging Gardens, Zion National Park, Utah

The Narrows!   Not for amateurs like me! 

Unexpected visitor.

Following the River Walk, we enjoyed a box lunch by the riverside, and proceeded to the Visitor's Center, where we saw a Park Service film presentation about, you guessed it, the history of rocks.  All that was left for the end of the day was to exit Zion National Park via the mile-long tunnel excavated out of solid rock in the 1920's to our evening destination "Ruby's," where we found far more satisfactory lodgings, a very nice buffet supper and a good night's sleep after an active and eye-opening excursion into unfamiliar terrain.

It was a stunning day, and a redemptive one for Road Scholar.  I may not have become more articulate about rocks, but the experience of the power and resulting  magnificence of mighty geological forces at work registered deeply in my consciousness, and opens the way to a deeper and more authentic humility.  Memorable in every way.