Zion National Park

We woke up early and prepared for the day's adventure with the Zuni RV shuttle to the park's gate. The shuttle service charges $15 per person, which we found to be a reasonable price. We departed at 8:30 am and needed to be back at the pick-up location by 2:30 pm. The shuttle drops you off right at the gate, saving you the hassle of finding a parking spot. Moreover, all parking on the side we entered is paid by the hour in the town of Silverdale. The park has a restriction on most vehicles driving through it. 

After reaching the park, we charted our path to reach the Temple of Sinawava and rode the shuttle bus to the endpoint. Then, we hiked on the paved trail to the beginning of the Narrows. The hike was 2.2 miles long and took us a little over 2 hours to complete. 

The line to purchase a pass and get into the park was a little long, but the line to board the park's shuttle was even longer. I couldn't imagine how long the line would be during the summer heat when more people are visiting.

We both agreed that the park is primarily intended for hikers who enjoy exploring nature. The trails in the park vary in length, ranging from 1 hour to over 8 hours, with some of them offering camping opportunities. However, I found some of the trails to be challenging and not suitable for me. If a trail involves the use of handrails and has minor or moderate drop-offs, I would not consider hiking it.

The rock formations were truly incredible. It's hard to believe what mother nature can create! After our journey, when we got back to the entrance, we noticed that the line for the shuttle had become four times longer than when we left. Sadly, our line took 45 minutes to get on the shuttle. But once we got back, we decided to head to a restaurant to grab something to eat and explore some of the shops before the shuttle had to pick us up.

Around the park

some type of lizard, they hid in the rock berm along the river/campground

They do keep the park clean, no more than a camper leaves and the workers come in and rake, wash down tables, etc. 

 

This towel is great.

 "This towel is amazing! It feels like a giant chamois cloth and works wonders when drying my hair. We have a bigger one from a different company and brand that we've yet to try out. This towel dries really quickly and takes up less space than a regular bath towel."

"I can envision several practical applications for this towel!"

• Lightweight, packable towel is ideal for camping, backpacking, hiking, boating, and travel; suitable for bath, kitchen, and beach
• Made from luxuriously soft, super-absorbent microfiber fabric with an ultra-suede finish

Amazon.com : Sea to Summit Drylite Towel, Lightweight Camping and Travel Towel, Large (24 x 47 inches), Baltic Blue : Sports & Outdoors

Here is the bigger one we have to try later........78x35, a little different material than the smaller one.

Amazon.com: Elite Trend XL Beach Towel for Travel – Extra Large 78x35 Inch w/Bag – Lightweight Microfiber, Compact, Soft, Quick Dry, Sand Free – for Swimming, Pool, Camping, Yoga, Workout – Artsy : Sports & Outdoors

Zion River Resort Park & Campground

 We were aware of a high wind advisory in effect from 9 am to 9 pm as we planned to travel to Zion. The advisory warned of gusts ranging from 25 to 35 mph, with potential for up to 50 mph gusts. Neither of us were looking forward to driving or even being a passenger in such windy conditions, especially since the trip was going to take over 3 hours.

To avoid the strong winds, we woke up early, loaded up the camper, and hit the road just before 7 AM. Fortunately, we had smooth sailing for the most part of the trip. We feel immensely grateful that we left early. However, about 20 miles before our destination, the winds began to blow, and we had to slow down and hold on tight.

We arrived at our destination after a little over four hours of travel. We are staying at the Zion River Resort & campground in Virgin, Utah. The check-in process was smooth and we were pleased with our RV spot, which was spot 88 and located by the river. It's one of our favorite spots, but keep in mind that when making a reservation, it's important to provide accurate information about the size of your RV or trailer, as some sites may not be able to accommodate larger vehicles. We booked this particular spot in September of last year and we're glad we did, as some spots were already full by the time we arrived. By the end of the night, the park was completely full.

Zion River Resort RV Park and Campground Virgin, UT 84779

Virgin, UT | (utah.gov)

We have settled into our new site, and it was the easiest one yet. We were able to back in and get level without any trouble. Once we hooked up everything, we could relax and enjoy the amenities. The resort has a heated swimming pool and a hot tub, although we haven't had a chance to try them out yet.

The Virgin River is not ideal for fishing, but it is a great place to cool down or go tubing, although the water may be too cold for tubing at this time. We have been experiencing highs of 53 degrees recently. The trees are just beginning to bud, as shown in the picture. 

While we were sitting and enjoying the day, a storm rolled in with strong winds and rain. One gust was so strong that it shook the camper. We both felt relieved that we had left when we did. Throughout the night, we saw people arriving at the site at all hours. Unfortunately, they had to set up in the rain. I am sure they had to travel through those high winds. It rained a bit during the night, but this morning, the sun is out. 

They say we could get some off-and-on rain. We are just going to use this day to do laundry, relax, and maybe check out the big town of Virgin to see what it has to offer. We will be taking the shuttle to Zion National Park tomorrow, leaving the driving to someone else! You must make reservations, they day before you want to leave. 

Rollin Hills, Nephi Utah

 "Phew, it was another long day on the road! We started our journey at 10am and drove for 5 hours straight to reach Nephi, Utah by 3pm. Unfortunately, we had to face a crosswind which slowed us down a bit, but we pushed through to get past Salt Lake City before the rush hour. Luckily, we made it through the city with ease, thanks to everyone driving responsibly. Overall, it was a smooth ride and we had no issues."

The upcoming leg, as my husband mentioned, will be shorter. We may encounter some rain and winds, which could prolong our journey to Zion and that is what we are not looking forward to. The best part is once we get to Zion, we are there for 3 days, so will be able to relax, get the bikes off the back and check some sights out.

We arrived at the Rollin Hills RV site, which was a really nice park established in 2020. The park had plenty of RV sites, each with ample space for every RV, and the wifi worked great. However, I must mention that the park filled up very fast for this time of year, so I was glad that we had made reservations in advance. While we didn't experience any issues with most of the other parks we visited so far, state parks were a different story altogether.

A meadowlark signing away

Mt Nebo, Wasatch Mountain range