7/30-7/31
I came across a campground in Zion National Park in the highest and least visited part of the park. The six campsites here are on a first come first serve and basis here and FREE. I prayed desperately to be one of the six as we found the campground later in the evening just before dark. There was one site left! A lone camp chair made it look like the site was taken, but another camper assured me that the chair was just left behind.
The campground was nestled into an aspen grove perfectly surrounded by wild flower fields and fearless grazing deer at almost 8thousand feet in altitude. The part of the park most people know and visit is filled with rocky colorful pinnacles and impressive cliffs, and a glimpse of this can be seen at a nearby overlook. I found the better part, quiet and mostly untouched. We stayed here two nights.
Our full day there was a rainy one, and Anuk and I had a napping, reading, relaxing day in the tent. It was my last real day of rest until later in California, and much needed! All of my in-between days were full of driving, then setting up and taking down camp, which get exhausting. And my days on the farms were usually busy and productive, with down time used to take care of things needing to be done (like writing this blog). As you can see I have been a bit behind on my writing!
On our first night there thanks to Anuk, we met our campground neighbors, two guys from California. They loved Anuk and shared their fire and stories with us. They are business partners and were excited to spend some time in the wilderness. Adam later invited the two of us to stay with he and his wife in the Bay area and do some site-seeing in exchange for some artwork for his podcast. I will share more about this when I get to my California post.
We drove into the main section of the park before leaving Utah through Springdale. It was mega crowded and traffic was backed up all over, and the day was heating up. I for one was eager to move on. Anuk didn’t like walking at all in the heat or sun, and they have only ONE trail that is pet friendly. So we didn’t stay long.
Highlights:
Puppies make you friends
North Zion beauty and free
camping
Anuk proved her hiking skills already
Aspen trees
Lowlights:
Crowded Zion
The head of the desert in the summer