I loaded up my truck as I tried to figure out what I wanted to do with the rainy day. At the time the rain had seemed to stop and I thought I might save Zion for the next morning and at least go check out Bryce Canyon. I had stayed at the Parry Lodge, a historic motel famous for being the place to stay for everyone that came out to make all those forgotten Westerns of the
Of course, as I drove, the weather got worse and I figured I would not get to see much due to low visibility. Before you even get to the park, you drive through Red Canyon, which is an incredible place in itself. It feels like it comes out of nowhere as it doesn’t match the geography of what you’ve been driving through.
I got up to the gate of Bryce Canyon to find it under quite a bit of snow. I was only able to drive to a few viewpoints and hiking would only be possible with snowshoes. I took in the view in the sleet and rain of the hoodoos. They are quite a mesmerizing geological feature to see. They look like something out of this world.
It was then time to head towards my next motel in St. George, Utah. On reflection, staying in Hurricane would have been a better choice due to its proximity to the highway and Zion National Park. Google Maps gave me a suggested route and I started over a mountain pass. It was a few miles before the sleet turned into snow but the road seemed fairly drivable. As I gained in altitude the snow deepened, so I clicked the truck into 4-wheel drive. I kept going on but, between the snow coming down and the wind blowing snow across the road, I couldn’t see. The snow banks were about as tall as my truck. At one point I lost all visibility and brushed into one of the snow banks.
It wasn’t too much longer before I accepted that the snow was getting deeper and I didn’t seem to be descending to a lower elevation. I executed a 16-point turn and headed back down the way I came. As I returned, I noticed all manner of vehicles going up the mountain, some of them being just two-wheel drive. Maybe living in the South has made me soft as a winter driver. I ended up wasting a lot of time and taking the long way to St. George.
I didn’t know what to expect from Zion National Park. Several people had told me that it was their favorite National Park. It’s just a park that I did not know much about. I was definitely wowed as I drove up the canyon to see all the waterfalls flowing down the red rocks. Unfortunately, I was supposed to be meeting a friend in Salt Lake City for dinner so I did not get much time to explore.
An Annual National Park Pass should be on everyone’s yearly expense list. It’s an incredible value at $80. On this pass, I’ve seen Arches ($20), Grand Canyon ($35), Bryce Canyon ($35), and Zion ($15). The Pass has more than paid for itself in this short time. Also, it provides much needed funds to keep the Park Service operating and tells Congress that we value our park system.
I really enjoyed my drive up I-15 towards Salt Lake City. The scenery was incredible and filled me with so much joy and optimism. I found myself going back to a lot of the old Red Dirt country music I used to listen to (Randy Rogers Band, Robert Earl Keen, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Cross Canadian Ragweed). I was just driving down the highway singing these old songs at the top of my voice in my truck (A Gnarly Ram Playlist on Spotify is coming!). I’m sure I provided plenty of people with a good chuckle. There is something about a road trip that sets you free and lowers your inhibitions.
As I approach my final days on the road, I do look forward to having a place to lay my head and store my stuff. I am expecting plenty of adventures in Portland and won’t just stop there. I am also looking forward to my wife’s visit for our anniversary in a week. I guess, for now, stay tuned for what is next.