I have visited Zion National Park in the past. So, instead of battling the weekend crowd inside the park's main entrances, this time I opted to see the park from a completely different perspective.
I hiked 7.4 miles out-and-back through a forest of mostly pine, juniper, oak, and manzanita which stands atop the East Mesa.
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| Trail Goes through Oak, Manzanita & Pine |
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Trail Enters a Thicket of Juniper Trees
(with a few cacti to remind me it's high desert) |
On my way to the edge of Zion's canyon, I caught glimpses of surrounding canyons, mesas, and plateaus as well as a hint of what awaited me.
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| Canyon Wall of Many Colors |
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| Closer View |
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| Will They Eventually Become Islands? |
The view at Observation Point was spectacular, even if the sun angle interfered with the photography.
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| Zion Canyon |
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| Mighty Wall of Zion Canyon |
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| Angels Landing & Canyon Floor |
While I and other hikers sat, ate snacks, and absorbed the views, several chipmunks skittered over the rocks and through the tree branches. They seemed to have learned it's a good place to find food accidentally or intentionally dropped because they showed little fear and came right up to people and their gear.
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| Uinta Chipmunks on the Hunt |
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| Noshing in the Shade |
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