Zion was so beautiful that we just had to go back a second day. First we hiked up the Watchman Trail. This was a moderate 3.3 mile trail that led to the top of a butte with a striking view of the valley. Along the way we spied a (thankfully) small snake in the trail.
Later we opted to drive to the eastern entrance of the Park to see the topography above the canyon walls. To get to this less crowded area of the Park, you have to drive through a 1.1 mile tunnel that was blasted through a mountain in the 1930's. On the other side the scenery is quite dramatic.
The mountain tops are rugged and beautiful, and it's easy to see the various layers that form them. One particularly striking example is called Checkerboard Rock.
Seeing wildlife in the southwestern national parks is difficult in the oppressive heat of summer, and we have been disappointed to not see more. Thane and Jordan especially were hoping to glimpse a mountain goat or two. We briefly spied the back side of a few sheep on one of our hikes, and we were grateful for this rare glimpse. But then on our way back, Jordan spotted another group of desert sheep. We followed them slowly until they crossed the road right next to us. What luck!
We drove another mile or two when Jordan spotted another pair of rams on a stone shelf just off the road. We parked the truck and watched them eyeing each other (and even butting heads once) for about 30 minutes.
It was a truly incredible experience - one that we won't soon forget!
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