the view from our campsite at Zion

So far, we’ve enjoyed Zion Cayon Campground the best. As we had no immediate neighbors, and were set beside the Virgin River, the dogs loved playing in the water and evenings provided us with fantastic stars set between the jagged rocks of the Zion mountains.

the Pup-Up

Hiking The Narrows

We hiked The Narrows, a two and a half hour, upriver trek, where there is no path; the river is your trail. Early on we crossed chin- deep in the 55 degree clear currents. The majority of the hike was knee to crotch deep and we found that holding hands was the safest way to navigate the strength of the river. However, when we tried to pass this info along to other, often clueless, hikers, no one ever heeded our advice.

In fact, the intelligence of some of the hikers was questionable at best. As we rented neoprene booties, special boots, and long sturdy hiking sticks, others attempted the hike in sandals or worse, barefoot. I wondered aloud if these people were just stupid or just too cheap to spring for the shoe rental, but HK warned me to keep it to myself. I did, however, belt out a “You’ve GOT to be kidding” when we saw a guy desperately needing to show off his importance by whipping out his….

ipad! What did you think I was going to say??

navigating the Narrows

 For any sweat-inducing activity, or water-based sports, cotton clothing is a no-no, as it keeps you wet and cold. Quick-dry attire is a must. However, again, the clueless wore bluejeans and tee-shirts, looking miserable, slogging along the waterway in their soaked, clinging clothes.

The morning we went, we watched a short, informative video about the potential dangers, including the risk of flash flooding thru the Narrows Canyons. Hikers have drowned in these floods, and since there was a 70% chance of rain this morning, I admit I was leery. But hey, it would make for a great story, so we prepared for the worst, hoped for the best, and went for it!

The narrows is a very deep canyon that has been cut through the mountain by thousands of years of water running through the mountains. At points, it is impossible to look up and even see the top of the canyon. In many places, there is no escape route in case of a flash flood. Hikers are told of the warning signs of an oncoming flood–a change in the color of the usually clear water, stronger currents and debris flowing downstream, such as logs and other hikers.

It was well worth it. This, so far, has been my favorite hike. There is something about the slightest possibility of danger that feeds my soul and brings out the old risk-taker that I used to be.

At the campground, we met another blogger, Russ, from N.J.. His travel blog is www.raffaytravels.worpress.com. Check them out, it’s a great site. Russ is a teacher, traveling over the summer with his wife and four kids, in their popup. We have camped near them in Moab and Bryce, but only just met in Zion. It’s fun to meet other travelers along the way, and he shared some helpful tips, as well.

We’re off again, but check back, whenever we find reliable, free wi-fi, I will update our adventures.