USA 2019: Zion National Park

Another day, another National Park and what a National Park this one was - Zion National Park. Totally different to Bryce but equally spectacular in its own way. Whereas at Bryce you are looking down into a canyon, at Zion you are in the bottom of the canyon looking up. The trip there was interesting as we took a mountain road that got us into Zion via the Zion-Mount Carmel road tunnel, built in the early 1930s. Zion was very busy and it took us a long while to get a parking space at the Visitors' Centre before getting the shuttle up into the canyon. Unlike Bryce, the shuttle was the only way in but, as they came every 15 minutes or so, it was a very convenient - and free - way to see everything.

We chose to get off and take a couple of trails - the 3 mile Riverside Walk and the 1 mile Lower Emerald Pool Trail. Several of the other possible trails were closed and the remaining few involved using rope and chain guides - we thought we'd give them a miss!

Spectacular scenery all the way around - towering peaks, sheer walls, incredible colours, varied geology. A real treat to be there, as the photographs show.

This unknown bird sits in the trees surrounding our cabin and heralds the day with a stream of notes.

This one was high up in the tree canopy and this is the best shot I could get. A Park Ranger thought it was an American Robin. I'm not convinced.

And now a series of landscapes to give a feel for what Zion is all about.

On the Lower Emerald Pool Trail, a fellow walker pointed out this Terrestrial Garter Snake hiding under a rock. Fully extended it would be around 18 - 24 inches or so. It's mildly venomous, despite what a Park Ranger told us.

You want geology? Zion has geology.

Our joy was complete when we heard that another Royal Baby has been born. Our distance spares us the furious speculation about what his name will be but we will always know him as Ziggy Zion, in memory of a special day.