Zion National Park, Utah

I have dreamed about this place for so long. We drove in with a storm that shrouded the peaks in mist, promising even more incredible sights than we could easily see.

The next morning was clear, cold, and perfect, with the storm leaving a dusting of snow at the highest elevations, the sky fresh, and the colors ultra-saturated. We walked along the Virgin River with our dogs on the Pa'rus Trail, crossing multiple bridges, each offering amazing views.

Views of the Virgin River along the Pa'Rus Trail

The park's name and many of its features reference religion, and it doesn't take much imagination to understand why. It is just gorgeous, with light filtering through the peaks in soft beams and the colorful canyon walls rising and falling all around. The way the park was named resonates deeply with me, someone who feels most connected to spirituality and the universe when in nature. The Mormon settler who named it felt God's presence there as much as in any man-made cathedral.   

I can't say enough about traveling there in January. Yes, it was cold. But it was also gorgeous and we had the space to move. Each year, up to 4.5 million visitors come through the park, and it's not a large place. Parking is so limited that for most of the year, you can only enter by shuttle bus. We had none of those challenges.   

We even drew same-day permits to hike Angel's Landing, which was a whole experience unto itself. Numerous signs warn that you might just fall off the cliff, and the trail lived up to the warnings! For the second half of the hike, there are chains that you have to hold on to as you hoist yourself up the sandstone cliff to one of the highest points in the park. Looking anywhere but where you are putting your feet is a mistake, let alone ever looking down. Did we make it to the top? YES. But only after a pair of nice ladies changed our minds about turning back. We were so glad they did. We could see where the trail was headed and it looked improbable if not impossible to climb that much higher than we already were. But the view was worth it, as well as the sense of accomplishment. 

On the Angel's Landing Trail

On our last day in the park, we hiked along the river to where The Narrows begin, took in a different perspective from the Canyon Overlook Trail, and explored a frozen river bed and a waterfall that had frozen into icicles.   

Exporing on the banks of a frozen stream