Hatch and Zion

  Hatch, Utah, United States
Saturday, October 18, 2008

We left Vegas this morning on the most unappealing stretch of road that we have travelled so far. We had no choice but to take the interstate, but even if there had been an alternative, it is doubtful that it would have offered any more charm. The surroundings were a dull brown colour and the landscape featureless except for some dull brown hills on the horizon.

The road gets a bit more interesting

The only plus was that being on an interstate meant quick progress and after about an hour our perseverance was rewarded. As we approached the state line, the road suddenly took a much more spectacular turn. We became walled in by high rock-faces as we twisted our way up through the canyon of the Virgin River. Then it was soon time to leave the interstate and make our way East to Zion.


We came upon Springdale first, the little resort town that stands at the gateway to Zion. We couldn't believe what we saw - cars, Rvs and people everywhere. It would seem that all of California had decided that Zion would be a nice place to spend the weekend and it also appeared that the schools have their autumn break, so there were children and students here too.

Zion's sandstone cliffs

There were also lots of signs warning that the parking lot at Zion visitor centre was full and showing the way to alternative parking in town from which you could take the shuttle-bus into the national park. Most of the posh B&Bs had notices outside proclaiming "no vacancy" and there was a distinct shortage of affordable-looking accommodation. So much for our plan of staying here tonight. Caught entirely unprepared for this kind of peak-season madness, we just kept driving through the village, speechless and shell-shocked. We ignored all of the warnings about the full parking lot and simply lined our car up to pay the entrance fee into Zion before checking on the parking situation ourselves. Thankfully, it was not as bad as we had feared. We found a space and while we ate our picknick lunch, other visitors started to return to their cars to head home for the day. We decided that we were here now, we might as well take a look at the park. To do so, we had to take the shuttle-bus that operates along the main scenic road - a measure that was implemented because during the high season the park attracts more than 5000 cars a day and this was causing terrible congestion and polution. We stayed on the bus all the way to the end of the scenic drive, admiring the high sandstone cliffs and monoliths as well as the babbling river through the windows.


We disembarked the bus at the last stop, only to find even more people milling around, taking photos or ambling along the walking trail.

The river in Zion

There were several bus-loads of what appeared to be first-year college students, sitting or running about, many of them shivering with the onset of hypothermia - they had been playing about in the river and had got soaking wet and were now catching the chill in the shade of the canyon. We did our best to ignore all this and set out on the short "hiking" trail (not really hiking here, since the trail was paved and largely wheelchair accessible!). The path led further up into the canyon where it narrowed and the vertical walls drew closer together. Here and there on the cliffs were areas where water had seeped out either blackening the rock surface or causing mosses and plants to grow - the so-called "hanging gardens".

Discoloured rock faces

Hanging gardens

Meanwhile the little river was flowing peacefully beside us, ever now and then forming little rapids as it raced over some pebbles or flowed over the top of a persistent little stone ledge. The trail ended at the point where the riverbed covers the width of the canyon. You can continue on up it, but you have to hire waterproofs and special high-grip water shoes - or if you are a "more balls than brains" college student and wade in clad in shorts and trainers. 


Back at the trailhead, we boarded the shuttle for the return journey. The afternoon had ebbed away and there was no time to stop and explore any other part of the park. We retrieved our car and drove on the other bit of road out through the Eastern exit of the park. This route took us through an impressive mile-long tunnel that had several little windows in it through which you could look out across the multicoloured rocks.

Our new car, looking handsome in Zion

Zion as the sun goes down

It also carried us away from the crowds of Springdale and towards the hope of finding some accommodation to meet our budget. There were not many villages on this stretch of road, just isolated farmsteads, grazing cattle and small herds of deer. It grew dark as we drove on, the road going up and down over hills and through small valleys. We were getting closer and closer to Bryce Canyon - tomorrow's destination - but we were also growing tired. As we pulled into a town called Hatch we caught sight of a promising looking motel sign. Sure enough, they had one room left and charged a modest 60 dollars, so we gratefully took it. After changing into warmer clothes - the evenings are growing cooler and cooler - we drove on another 2 miles to the other end of the town and to a comforting, homely meal at the "Cactus Cowboy" restaurant before turning in for the night.