Springdale, Utah: This small resort town is just outside the gate to Zion National Park. Zion is my favorite of the four parks we’ve visited this trip, I’m happy to be here.
We are at a much lower elevation here than in the prior parks, several thousand feet lower in fact. As you might expect, it feels like summer here, where it felt like spring at the first three parks.
Before I forget, at north rim Grand Canyon, the dining room at the 90 year old lodge there has excellent food at quite reasonable prices. Honestly, I was surprised by both quality and price.
I ordered a Navajo taco on which was more of a quesadilla on frybread (a Navajo delicacy) and very good. The other DrC enjoyed her fish and chips and both of us had more food than we truly needed, though I ate all of mine. Lunch for four came to $45, plus tip, very reasonable for a served meal in a beautiful old dining hall.
We drove here via Colorado City, which is in AZ, and the drive was more scenic than I remembered. Our campground in Springdale is as crowded as we remembered it to be, from when we last stayed here in 2011. Its convenience makes up for the crowding.
Today the other DrC took the two gals - our niece and her friend - for a drive through the mile-long tunnel-with-windows to the eastern boundary of the park. I will do the same tomorrow with the three fellows - a nephew and his two buddies. Make no mistake, these “friends” of theirs are also our friends. They’re no strangers, we’ve happily traveled together before and will again.
We’re using the truck-minus-trailer for these forays as it passes through the tunnel without occasioning comment or special restrictions. Thursday we’ll take the park shuttle up to the narrows and back, though the trail we love there is supposedly closed due to high water.
