The Grand Canyon

After a lightning storm during the night,

the sun was out in the morning and we got our first look.

After always having heard how awesome and grand it is,

I saw it, and realized that you cannot capture it in a photo.

The canyon is 277 miles long, about 10 - 13 miles across

and a mile deep, measuring straight down to the Colorado River. 

Layers upon layers of colored rock.

Again, we decided that going down a ways would be more

interesting than just walking the view points on the perimeter.

I'll just let you follow ...

Watch the puddles from last night's storm. 

We came upon the first look out about a mile down.

At one point we tuned into Spotify to listen to one of our favorite songs

by Brian Doerksen, Creation Calls

A moment in the Grand Canyon I don't want to forget. 

After sometime it was time to turn around and look up.

It felt like a backwards hike, 

but somehow I was more energized than expected.

He made it with a big smile.

It is humbling to see such greatness,

to feel the hush and to see the way one can be inspired. 

The Grand Canyon State

 

We left Kanab the next day and crossed another state line.

The clouds and the on/off drizzle did not take away from the beauty of the Lake Powell area in northern Arizona. 

Lake Powell was created by damming the flow of the Colorado River,

flooding, what was once a majestic travel route by the river runners.

The Glen Canyon Dam was built in 1963.

It is the second tallest dam in the United States.

We crossed the bridge spanning the canyon, 

one of the highest bridges in the world when it was completed in 1959.

Leaving the area, we came to a tourist stop called Horseshoe Bend.

It looked very unassuming from the highway, we almost didn't bother stopping.

But the short walk was worth it!

It is almost indescribeable! 

But unlike other canyons it is one that you can actually capture in one shot - 

if not the initial awe at seeing such a unique formation.

We were glad we didn’t miss it! 

We drove into Grand Canyon National Park in a rain storm

and ended our day with Mexican dinner and

a gorgeous sunset.

Zion National Park

From Bryce Canyon it wasn't a long drive to Kanab, 

where we checked into a Holiday Inn Express.

It was good to know our next day's visit to Zion National Park was close.

There was something beautiful about the color of the road leading to this canyon - 

a pristinely clean vintage look, maybe intensified by the colors of the cliffs.

We passed through several tunnels, one being a mile long, with no lights.

Every once in a while we'd see light coming in from a window,

as you can see in the photo in the center.

We parked at a view point outside to see where we'd just come from.

It was a breathtaking view - and was so from all around.

The tunnel went straight through this mountain from left to right.

You can see a few of the windows.

With limited parking, we ended up taking the shuttle from 

Springdale, situated on the other side of the park entrance. 

We got off to see a range of mountains called The Court of the Patriarchs,

named for the towering figures of the Old Testament - Abram, Isaak and Jacob

(with Mount Moroni and Sentinel in there as well)

These peaks rise close to 7,000 feet,

their grandeur intensified by being so close to them.

We were surprised and a bit overwhelmed as to the choices of trails to follow.

The shuttle dropped visitors off accordingly. 

We opted for an easy trail to see the Lower and Upper Emerald Pools.

Waterfall spray adds to the lush surroundings

with a labyrinth of trails leading and looping in many directions.

We followed steps up and down,

stopped for our packed picnic lunch,

admired the canyon beauty,

and the wildlife that had no concern about people watching them feed.

It was another very amazing day!

As we drove away 

I couldn't help but feel that this place could give a sense of security 

with its majestic natural walls.

A picture of a little heaven on earth.

 

Bryce Canyon

We left Salt Lake city and within hours came upon the most amazing rock formations, 

our destination close at hand.

Bryce Canyon seems to be a well kept secret, 

because I only heard of it once we told others of our travel plans. 

It is said that this is the largest concentration of hoodoos on the earth ...

I didn't know that is what these rock formations were called, 

but have to agree that the name suits. 

We found a nice lookout for our lunch

and marvelled at this place that truly surprised us ...

a grand ampitheatre of unimaginable design,

a delighful way of God saying, "And I also made THIS"

.

Having said that, there was something cartoonish about the landscape ...

where your imagination could run wild. 

At Sunrise Point we took the trail down into the canyon. 

At first I thought we'd be coming up the same way, but the trail kept

calling us on, something new around every corner. 

Visions of the Three Kings from the East

(in my imagination)

and  abandoned castles.

We kept going and eventually the trail led us back up

coming up at Sunset Point.

It was amazing from any and every vantage point.

So glad we could visit this canyon,

a part of the Grand Staircase of more to come.