Candi's Corner: Wanderlust and Passions

From the moment we started approaching the park, we got a glimpse of the beauty that awaited us. But it wasn't until we actually put our hiking shoes on, and climbed its cliffs to gaze down at its canyons, that we really felt the enormity of the magical geology that surrounded us. When we got into waist high water, felt the chillness of the 60F waters of the Virgin River, that we appreciated the stubbornness and power of this river that carved the amazing canyons we were gawking at. At first I teared up; it is hard for me to take in the awe of something so beautiful, then I was thankful, I was grateful that I had the chance to visit the phenomenal creations that make up Zion National Park.I thought a lot about the Greatness of God, the Creator of heaven and earth, land and sea, rain and wind, all essential in the formation of the amazing geology of Zion.

The three main characters in the story of Zion are deposition, uplift and erosion. Sediments were deposited on layers and later hardened to form rocks, then the whole area(known as the Colorado Plateau) rose higher above sea level than it was originally deposited, and finally the water(the main factor in the geology of Zion) carved into the rocks creating the canyons. These three players, taking millions of years, succeeded in creating the mysterious geology of Zion National Park.

The lower rocks in Zion, mainly deposited by slow moving streams and rivers, are mostly mud stones, seltstones and some sandstones. The thickest(and most visible) layers of rocks however are Navajo sandstones,which were formed by winds blowing sand grains from the desert. Isn't it amazing to think, that these spectacular rocks were once sand dunes?

I learned a lot about Zion National Park by watching the free short film presented at the Human History Museum in the park.It highlights the geology and history of the park. I highly recommend making it your first stop at the park, powered with knowledge, marvelous creations will look even more brilliant.

We spent a total of five days at Zion National Park, staying at Zion Park Motel, which is a decent motel, not fancy, but clean and comfortable and the price is right.Having visited Zion National Park when everyone else was visiting(September), we had the advantage of the free and convenient shuttle buses, both in Springdale(the town in the backyard of the park and where we stayed) and the park. The shuttles operate April through October making stops at the main stops in Springdale as well as the park. We made it a point to get up early in the morning, board the shuttle to the park and do some hiking, then take the shuttle back to the motel and nap, sleep the hot afternoons away.Then we'd go back out when the sun started sinking. It worked out great for us. We got to experience wonderful hikes, caught up on our sleep, and enjoyed peaceful beautiful evenings. In future posts, I will highlight some of the sacred beauty that we experienced hiking the spectacular Zion.

For more information on the park, you can visit the national parkofficial website.