2010 November, Photo

Fall Colors in the Virgin River Narrows, Zion National Park

Filed under: Utah, Zion on 11/16/2010

The Virgin River Narrows in Zion National Park is an incredible slot canyon carved out of the red rock sandstone that characterizes this part of Utah. One can walk upstream on the river bed from the Temple of Sinawava for several miles. I plan to return with my daughter next year. While this is not a difficult hike, my hunch is that it would feel like an adventurous outing to a youngster (perhaps akin to hiking the Mist Trail in Yosemite when the Merced River is at peak flow). We walked as far as the “Wall Street” section of the Virgin River Narrows before turning around. The return hike back downstream was definitely easier, with the flow of the Virgin River gently pushing us back to the parking lot. We timed our visit for what we hoped would be the peak of fall color in Zion National Park and we were not disappointed. The cottonwood trees were blazing yellow, while maples were typically turning red. Below is one of my favorite sections of the Virgin River Narrows, with a large shore along the river providing habitat for a group of cottonwoods to grow.

Yellow cottonwood trees in autumn, fall colors in the Virgin River Narrows in Zion National Park.
Image ID: 26091
Location: Virgin River Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah, USA

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Arch Angel Falls, The Subway, Zion National Park, Utah

Filed under: Utah, Zion on 11/11/2010

Archangel Falls is located a few hundred yards before and below the Subway, in Zion National Park, Utah. Our hike to the Subway took us past a number of small cascades. Most of them would be hard to categorize as waterfalls, but Archangel Falls (or is it Arch Angel Falls?) is large enough that I’ll call it a waterfall. Beautiful red rock slabs, with autumn trees and colorful falling leaves, all surrounded by the distinctive towering cliffs of one of Zion National Park’s narrow canyons.

Archangel Falls in autumn, near the Subway in North Creek Canyon, with maples and cottonwoods turning fall colors, Zion National Park, Utah

Archangel Falls in autumn, near the Subway in North Creek Canyon, with maples and cottonwoods turning fall colors.
Image ID: 26097
Location: Zion National Park, Utah, USA

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Fall Colors, The Subway, Zion National Park, Utah

Filed under: Utah, Zion on 11/10/2010

On the approach to The Subway in Zion National Park is this intriguing erosion slot, about 4″ wide. Water rushes through it, blurred in this photograph. The maples and cottonwoods were in their full fall color and their fallen leaves were everywhere.

Water rushes through a narrow crack, in the red sandstone of Zion National Park, with fallen autumn leaves.
Image ID: 26100
Location: Zion National Park, Utah, USA

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Hiking the Virgin River Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah

Filed under: Utah, Video, Zion on 11/9/2010

I recently made a couple of fantastic hikes in Zion National Park: the Subway and the Virgin River Narrows. I am editing photographs now, but here is a short rough video I shot on our hikes. The highlights were Archangel Falls near the Subway, and the Wall Street section of the Virgin River Narrows. Oh, and the fall colors in Zion National Park were awesome!

Here one quick image from the Subway. Those yellow cottonwood trees were in raging color all over Kolob Terrace and in the Zion Canyon. Just wonderful!