North Rim of the Grand Canyon - June 12

After a quiet night in the pine-scented forest, we headed to the North Rim - a first for the both of us. It's been cool enough here that snow is still around.

And we saw deer.

Have to say, the staff at the North Rim Visitor Center were the rudest folks we've encountered in our travels so far. The people at the information desk were rude to everyone and gave barely cursory answers when asked questions. Matthew asked how much is the average winter snowfall and got an "I don't know" before the woman moved on to another task. The same women gave out a Centennial map and the man at the desk snapped at her to not hand them out unless someone asked. So, of course,  we went back after our hike and asked for one. He rolled his eyes, was clearly exasperated, and grudgingly handed me a rumpled one.

Here's a hint at the snow they get.

Despite the staff, the views were spectacular (that's a controlled burn in the background).

At this point we were a little awed out and several places we would have gone to were still closed due to winter damage (they had such a long winter that they just couldn't get to it earlier), so we left the North Rim and headed to the Fredonia Public Library so Matthew could grade his online classes. A few hours there, a stop at a Costco for cheaper gas and Al Pastor salad for dinner, and we were on the road again, with more incredible views. It is so amazing how much the land changes in such a short distance.

Drove past Las Vegas in the dark and, after finding the road we intended to boondock off of closed, we settled down for the night under a cell tower on a dirt road of I15 - definitely the most sketch place we stopped at by a long shot. 

Zion National Park - June 11

The spot we chose to camp in was lovely, fairly isolated, and smelled of pine. It was heavenly. After a yummy breakfast of cottage fries and eggs, and an inaugural run of the portable showerhead so Cheryl could wash her hair (it worked great!), we headed off to Zion.

These were our initial views. We loved the criss-cross erosion on these hills.

 And these cool forms.

Then we drove through the mountain in a very, very long tunnel. Cheryl, waiting her turn for the tunnel.

The arch cutouts in this photo were actually a few of the windows in the tunnel.

The formation on the right is what we drove through.

The views entering the valley were beautiful.

The Court of the Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is Utah after all.

More beauty.

Cacti in bloom.

We hiked to the lower falls but it wasn't really a waterfall when we were there, more like a tropical oasis with a constant misty stream coming from above.

Loved the plants growing out of the rock walls.

A close up.

We couldn't hike to the upper falls because of the winter damage to the trail.

But we saw lots of wildlife: turkey, stubby lizard, snake (which we noticed because a woman came running around the corner in a panic after having seen it), bold squirrels, and deer.

And another tropical overhang.

We couldn't hike down through the narrows since they closed it because of the high water. 

 Last views as we were leaving the valley.

And then, within a few miles, its as if those peaks and valleys were never there.

Spent the night dispersed camping in the pines of Kaibab National Forest near Jacob Lake.