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Mike Yardley: Zion National Park

Author
Mike Yardley ,
Publish Date
Fri, 29 Apr 2016, 1:16PM
Zion National Park (Supplied)
Zion National Park (Supplied)

Mike Yardley: Zion National Park

Author
Mike Yardley ,
Publish Date
Fri, 29 Apr 2016, 1:16PM

Zion National Park is the sort of place that won’t quite fit inside your camera, no matter how hard you try to capture the exalted magnificence. Some aspects of the park resemble a hand-tinted Yosemite, with drop dead gorgeous vertical cliff faces. Zion’s sandstone cliffs are some of the tallest in the world and the rock faces are fawned over by big wall climbers. If you get up early enough, you’ll notice they will sleep overnight halfway up a rock face, in a bid to conquer the climb.

One of the prized possessions of the mighty Colorado Plateau, Zion is a rarefied place where you’re best to just look up, tilt your head and let your eyes trace the soaring landscape. This wonderland of geologic time, bathed in a mosaic of colour, is characterised by red and white sandstone monoliths, rock towers and mesas. In addition to Zion Canyon, which is still carved and sculpted by the Virgin River, there’s a honeycomb of deep and narrow slot canyons, throughout the park. The Virgin River was barely tinkling, on my visit. But it can swiftly and dramatically turn into a raging gusher, given the area’s propensity for flash floods following summer monsoon downpours. 

I entered the park from its eastern approach, on the famed Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, punctuated by a one-mile long tunnel, blasted out of solid sandstone. The three year guts and glory project was finally completed in 1930, and hailed across America as an engineering miracle. 800 feet high, a sequence of open air “galleries” were built into the side of the tunnel, which early sightseers would stop at, to gasp at the elevated alpine vista across the national park. That’s no longer allowed. Emerging from the tunnel, and before the engrossing sequence of switch-backs down into Zion Canyon, I stopped at the Canyon Overlook trailhead, which as the name suggests, offers up one of the prized panoramas of the national park. It’s a very short walk to score the condor’s view.

Once you enter Zion Canyon, the hallowed heart of the national park, you’ll feel the sense of greatness. Clearly the first European settlers, Mormon scouts in search of terrain to grow cotton thought so too, because the loftiest landmarks have all been bestowed biblical monikers, from Angels Landing and the Great White Throne to the Altar of Sacrifice and the Three Patriarchs.

The very name “Zion” is also a biblical name, describing a place of quiet sanctuary. Ancient Puebloans settled here 2000 years ago and it was a Paiute Indian tribal member who led the Mormon scout, Nephi Johnson, into the canyon in 1858, which the Paiutes were farming. Before you hit the trails, head to the Zion Human History Museum for the 22-minute orientation film, a beautifully presented overview of the park’s key sights and profoundly ancient roots.

The main heart-piercing artery running through the park, Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, is off-limits to private vehicles between April and November, from Canyon Junction. Park officials wisely imposed the ban to combat the absurdity of having such a majestic piece of protected wilderness log-jammed with fume-spewing lines of cars. So instead, complimentary shuttle buses zip the throngs of visitors to all of the major trailheads and points of interest, with nine designated stops along the six mile road. It’s a high-frequency, super-efficient service, plus you’ll glean a few factoids from the on-board narration delivered by the friendly shuttle drivers. It’s a ninety minute round-trip on the shuttle from the visitor centre through all stops. So, if you’re feeling hopelessly lazy, you could just sit back and soak up the park’s beauty on the shuttle ride.

I was eager to hit the trails. In a bid to dodge the steadily building crowds, I took the shuttle to the final stop on the circuit, Temple of Sinawava, which is the gateway to The Narrows.  The riverside walk is a cracker, quietly drawing you into the mystery of the narrowing canyon walls. Along the way, playful squirrels and cheeky chipmunks scrounge for human food. Despite the bold signs urging hikers not to feed the wildlife, plenty of halfwits do. The mile long trail is smooth and meticulously paved, which actually makes it accessible to wheelchairs. The walk culminates as the Virgin River enters The Narrows, a pencil-thin passage where the vertiginous canyon walls nearly intersect. Backdropped by soaring mountains, it’s a ravishing setting. If you’re feeling extra-intrepid, you can walk further into The Narrows, but you’ll be walking in the river, with the water level likely to be ankle-deep, as you wade upstream.

Hungry for something more strenuous? Angels Landing trail is the famous, thrilling and fatal path up to the summit of this towering fang of rock. It’s remarkable the national park created this nerve-rattler, which runs along a narrow rock fin with dizzying, unforgiving drop-offs on both sides. Rarely is such an intimidating trail so heavily trafficked by hikers – but the world flocks to it.

I only went up as far as Scout Lookout before chickening out venturing on. Beyond that, the path narrows as you ascend the final 400 feet to the bald, rocky summit. A section of chains to grab on to supposedly provides hikers with a degree of comfort, as you negotiate the exposed vertical-drop edges.  Unsurprisingly, it is not uncommon for hikers to slip, fall and die. Tread carefully! But however you choose to savour Zion, it’s undeniably a rousing sanctuary for the spirit. www.zionnationalpark.com

Where to stay? If you’re more of a glamper than a camper, Cable Mountain Lodge is a sensational boutique-style lodge, nestled below the cliffs of Zion National Park. The Arts and Crafts stone-work architecture unmistakably evokes the pioneering building style of early lodgings in American national parks. My Centre Suite was gorgeously furnished and beautifully appointed with all of the contemporary indulgences you’d expect from a luxury hotel. The on-site swimming pool is a godsend after a long day’s toil on the trails! www.cablemountainlodge.com

Mike Yardley is Newstalk ZB’s Travel Correspondent on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame. 11.20am

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