Friday, June 24, 2011

Zion, Baby! Observation Point Trail

Amidst the chaos of a family trip to Zion National Park this week, I was able to find a little sanctuary of my own yesterday with a blazing hot, noontime trip up to Observation Point, a 4 mile trail up to - you guessed it - a fantastic lookout over Zion Canyon. The trail climbs about 2,200 feet over 4 miles, with basically two steep climbs punctuated in between by a fairly flat section through Echo Canyon - a slot canyon with some really striking features. Took the camera, as usual.

Trailhead
First set of switchbacks.
Through Echo Canyon.
Getting nearer to the top. Beautiful, exposed, and hot.
Cactus with a view.
Observation Point.

5 comments:

Gretchen said...

Oh how I love Zion! Some of the best running I've ever done. Beautiful photos, Hank, as always.

ChrisB said...

Really like those pics. Looks like a great run!

Olga said...

Beautiful! So many places, so little vacation time:)

Stacy said...

Nice! That shot of Echo is especially beautiful. You really should come back sometime when you can steal a bit more running time ... and when it's 40 degrees or so cooler. Hope you had a good time.

Hank Dart said...

Thanks, all. It was my first trip to Zion, and it didn't disappoint, even with the heat and crowds. Can't wait to get back and explore some more of the far-flung areas - already have map in hand.