We set out this morning with Dennis and Cheryl to catch the Zion shuttle again. This time we took it all the way to the end, to the Temple of Sinawava. That’s where the ranger-led hike called the Riverside Ramble starts. As the name implies, the trail leads along the Virgin River up-canyon to the point at which no trail is possible because the river fills the entire canyon.
That point is the beginning of “the Narrows,” which many people enjoy hiking/wading, but right now the Narrows is closed to hiking because the river is flowing too fast for it to be safe. In fact, it’s flowing three times faster than normal because of extra snow and rain over the winter.
It’s about a mile from the shuttle stop to the beginning of the Narrows, and along the way our ranger shared lots of information about the role of water in the canyon and its plants and animals. She pointed out many things we would otherwise not have noticed—like the tiny Zion snails clinging to the seeping walls in the hanging gardens, where columbines and maidenhair ferns and various mosses and algae grow from the sandstone walls. Our guide showed us some dry, brown mossy growth on the walls, then poured a bottle of water on it. As she spoke, the moss turned green and seemed to spring to life.
Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop
Our ranger explaining the formation of the canyon from sand dunes packed down by water and pressure and cemented together by minerals.
American Dipper hunting for dinner in the rushing water.
Migrating Canadian goose
The Narrows--river from cliff wall to cliff wall.
Western Columbine
Golden Columbine
In the afternoon Dennis and Ken and I walked over to the Nature Center in the South Campground. Along the way we spotted this deer, and a few minutes later, we were started to notice two deer browsing only a few feet from the path we were walking on.
After dinner we played Rummikub and talked about our plans for Dennis and Ken and Lee to take the hike to Angel's Landing in the morning.
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