Retirement Travels

Our next adventure was Mount Rainier National Park. We were able to drive Paradise Road but not Sunrise Road because it typically doesn't open until July due to snow. There was snow along the sides of the road and the further up we went in elevation the clouds were pretty thick.   The clouds cleared a little to be able to see the peak of Mount Ranier Narada Falls Reflection Lake

Zion National Park, another beautiful park in it's own unique way. I wish we would have had more time here as well. We took a drive on the Mt. Carmel Highway and glad we did, the views were stunning. We also rode the bus through the park. It was hard to get pictures because they pack people on these busses like a can of sardines. 😱😲 The tunnel Checkerboard Mesa We hiked the Grotto Trail and then Riverside Walk that led to the Narrows. We definitely will be back prepare to do hike the narrows. Depending on the time of year, you have to walk/wade through water to get to the Narrows, on this day flash flooding was probable. After hiking we found a great restaurant/cafe to have lunch.

Bryce Canyon National Park, so much beauty. I swear, I took so many pictures because every area, every turn, every view was amazing. We spent 4 days in the National Park but it wasn't long enough. It was warm the days we were there so we didn't get a chance to do any hiking which we would love to do. A  hoodoo  is a tall, thin spire of  rock  formed by  erosion and  typically consist of soft rock topped by harder, less easily eroded stone that protects each column from the elements.  Sunset picture While waiting for the sunset, I was able to walk down the trail for a half mile or so and got some amazing pictures.

Capitol Reef was another beautiful place. As you drive through the park, there are several petroglyph panels/rock art. The Castle Capitol Reef is sometimes called the Land of the Sleeping Rainbow. The rocks are colorful because of the different layers of rock. Each layer is composed of totally different material. The Chinle Formation is primarily composed of volcanic ash that gives us the grayish hue. The Wingate Sandstone layer is virantly red because it is the product of solidifying sand dunes which are hight in iron.  Olyer uranium mines Chimney Rock We hiked the 4.4 mile in and out Grand Wash into a slot canyon.  Casen is standing in the holes caused by water rushing through this wash over the years. Checking out an opening in the canyon walls. Butterfly The bottom side of this canyon wall was carved into a ledge by water running through the wash. Casen is laying on the ledge. Standing under the ledge Ernie standing under the ledge. The unique canyon walls were similar to ...