Zion NP and Cedar Breaks National Monument

Knowing that the temperature in Zion reaches mid 90's during the day, we got an early start for the hour drive south.    The topography was much different than the area around Bryce Canyon, less than an hour in the other direction.    It was green and cool (51degrees) and looked like the mountains.   We saw mule deer and wild turkeys.  

Before long, we came to interesting geological formations, this one called the "checkerboard".   The road was windy and climbing and very pretty.   

The towering granite and sandstone cliffs were formidable and difficult to capture from any angle.  

I 'borrowed' this view from the Web and you can see the roads winding thru the canyon.   At one point is a mile long tunnel with windows to view the scene.   It was built in the 1920's and is a marvel of engineering.   

And here is an artist's view of the mighty walls of the canyon....early 1900's. 

 The only way thru the park is by shuttle.   It makes frequent stops for the hikers to begin their rambling.   The trails are either fairly easy and level, or very strenous and dangerous.   One climbs up 1500 ft and you can walk on a ridge over the canyon.   The warnings noted that the  most frequent cause of death in Zion was from falls.    Altho the shuttles allow tourists to see the park without massive traffic jams, it also prohibits decent photography as the views are all UP and even from the scenic stops, it is hard to capture it.   It was VERY busy, the shuttles were standing room only and the paths were crowded.   And, by the time we left a couple hours later, the heat was on and in the 90's.  

My guide chose a very scenic ride home.    We climbed steadily upward into the Cedar Breaks National Monument.    It is more like  

Bryce Canyon with views looking down into an amphitheater.   But at over 10,000 ft, it was chilly up there with strong winds.   

These bell shaped flowers were everywhere and I neglected to ask a ranger what they were and they are not in my Wildflower guide.    On the web, they are called bell shaped flowers but I'm sure they have a better name.   Flowers are less than an inch long. 

And the easily recognizable Indian paintbrush were plentiful.  

 Tomorrow, we pull up stakes and head a bit farther north to a State park.   Probably won't have connectivity for a couple of days.        Today, we stopped in Cedar City on the way home....it is a real metropolis compared to anything we've seen since Grand Junction.    We even stopped in Walmart and marveled at the abundance.     Amazing how being out in the hinterland changes one's perspective.    Starbucks also got some of our business.