Monday, July 22, 2024

Starting mileage: 17049, Distance travelled: 88, Miles hiked: 6

We moved out of our Zion Lodge cabin and headed out for a day of adventure in the Narrows, a deep, 16-mile canyon continuing to be carved out by the Virgin River. On the way out, we realized the one thing we forgot at home, the dry bag! We had to improvise using nested ziploc bags to protect the one phone and key fob we took along. There was an added complication of the river water being tainted with toxic Cyanobacteria so we had to keep water bottles and snacks dry as well. David became anxious that we weren’t equipped properly, seeing all the rented water boots and wooden walking sticks but our old Keens and hiking poles served us well. Laura volunteered to navigate without a pole since we only had three and we dubbed her, the water goat by the end because she was much faster and more agile than the rest of us. The one-mile Riverside Walk lead to the beginning of the Narrows, which varied from an inch to about 4 feet in depth. While there were occasional stretches of sandy bottom or dryish trails, most of the walk was on pebbles, rocks, and boulders typical of a river bottom. The footing was treacherous and Susan and David definitely needed the poles to stay upright. We were joined in the river by hundreds of other hikers, in various states of dress and preparedness, from full flotation devices (in case of flash flood) to crocs and slides, some of which were lost downriver. We were only mildly concerned about flash flooding, which the Park Service listed as possible (not probable or likely). Only through one early section did the water require you to go in waist high (or chest high for Laura). The canyon walls were spectacular, including hanging gardens, waterfalls and many seeps creating beautiful colored sections. We made it in almost a mile and a half before deciding to turn around, which ended up working out perfectly, for two reasons. First, it was nearly noontime so the sun began to reach the canyon bottom and heat it up. Second, we made it back to the shuttle stop just before a possibly flash flood-inducing thunderstorm rolled in. Susan and David still got wet through the open roof of the shuttle but it felt good in the heat.

We retraced our steps out of the park, including back through the giant tunnel, which we had to wait for an RV to pass through solo. Before we reached our destination at the Bryce Canyon Visitor’s Center, the landscape began to transform.

We stopped by the Visitor’s Center to get information to plan our next day and get the passport stamped. Not only was there a 3D model of the entire Giant Staircase from Bryce to the Grand Canyon but also…a prairie dog habitrail for Laura and Brady!

We drove back out and checked into our campground and quickly scooted over to get dinner because we had skipped lunch and everyone was starving. We went to Ruby’s Inn Cowboy Buffet and Steakhouse, the restaurant attached to our campground. Although the reviews were not promising, the quick buffet access to food saved us from a hangry kid catastrophe. Laura and Susan took a dip in the pool before we all crashed for the night.