In late September I jumped at the chance to meet a friend in Zion National Park for a few days of hiking. I arrived on Saturday to hike Angel's Landing in the late afternoon (not so crowded) and set up camp at the South Campground. I met Charu the next morning and we opted to hike The Narrows due to rain the next day, even if it meant getting a later start. We rented gear from Zion Adventure Company and found the footwear package sufficient (we got dry pants, but didn't use them. This time of year is an in between time and we waffled on the dry pants). The Virgin River was around 45 CFS, clear, and warm enough for shorts. Great conditions for a hike. We spent around 5.5 hours hiking to the end of Wall Street, exploring a little of Orderville Canyon, and hiking back to the Temple of Sinawa. It was my third time in The Narrows and just as amazing as the first two times. Love this place!

Monday morning we were up early for sunrise at Canyon Overlook and continued to East Mesa (waylaid a few minutes by a herd of bighorn sheep). The normal trail from the valley floor to Observation Point was closed due to a rockfall, but the point was still accessible from East Mesa. This trail isn't as scenic as the normal route - it mainly meanders through a pine forest - and the advantage is that the 6.4 miles round trip is mostly flat. And it still delivers you to one of the finest views in the park.

It was a quick trip to Zion and I was happy I was able to squeeze in the highlights. Zion is always a lovely park!

Note: the pictures with white borders are from my camera and the others are from my phone