I’m currently waddling my way through Utah. Flew into SLC on Wednesday and drove south to St George. Stayed the night there and hiked in the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area.
Made it to Springdale/Zion yesterday and headed into the park today.
Rented a car through Turo and I think of @89ute everytime I load the luggage.
Update from Zion. There are way too many people here. Half of them shouldn’t be allowed off of their bus because they’re too old, fat, slow or just plain dumb to be walking on a fucking trail.
On the plus side - no not my weight - renting an e-bike is the best advice for visiting this place.
Not a National Park, but walked around the Flat Irons in Boulder recently on a day trip from Denver/Aurora where my oldest is in Grad School these days.
I could use some help with some non-Venezuelan Denver/Aurora watering holes to hit when we're visiting my kid, cause I barely know shit about Denver. Day-tripped to Golden. Meh. Boulder & the Flatirons were nice though. Did hit Wings Over the Rockies for some decent food & brews, but it was a White Wakanda Yuppie Fest, IMHO.
1st day at Zion was on e-bikes (ask for the Nacho special) and we ride all the way to beginning of the Narrows which is a very very popular trail. We looked at it, realized you have to go through the river and said no thanks.
Trailhead there was over crowded as the shuttle stops there and everyone walks the mile to the trailhead. Bunch of old slow people and people who were oblivious to the fact that the path isn’t big enough for 2 people to walk abreast (yeah, I coulda said side by side but I wanted to say breast).
Hopped back on the e-bikes and stopped at another super popular trailhead. Too many fucking people. We almost said we were done with Zion after that because of the crowds in that part of the park but drive up toward the east entrance and realized there were trailheads there with very few people and that’s where we went the next day. Worth going through the tunnel and finding a hike that’s not marked.
Made it to Bryce Canyon yesterday and the town outside the entrance is tourist hell. Luckily we’re staying in Tropic, drove the park last night. Found a trailhead from town here and went in that way. Almost 7 miles up and into the park. Glad to go in this way because again, a shit ton of tourists at the trailheads up top.
I originally wanted to stay in the lodge in the park but after being up there today, no fucking way because all the fucking tourists.
It may not be clear, but I hate fucking crowds and anywhere in the park where people can drive up and get up attracts crowds.
Sadly @CFetters_Nacho_Lover most of our National Parks have been overrun by swarming masses of the general public and I don't know what to do about it.
Personally, I'm big into finding National Monuments or even state parks which offer National Park (or close too it) level scenery but aren't totally overrun.
Something like Newberry Crate is quite spectacular but not a total shit show.
I rave as much about that place as any NP. The twin caldera lakes with a cinder cone in between within a larger caldera, the twin waterfalls at the outlet, the massive obsidian flow towerIng above piney forests, one of Oregon’s highest elevation general purpose roads (Paulina Peak) leading to views of the above (sans the falls) plus the Three Sisters and the other Cascade volcanoes, and best of all, the hot springs seeping out of the beach where you can dig your own hot tub.
Agreed. We did a National Conservation Area, 2 NPs (Zion & Bryce) and 2 Utah State Parks (Kodachrome & Escalante) in addition to driving through the Escalante National Monument.
The NPs were bigger thus having more hiking available but the State Parks were incredible with what they offered.
My advice to anyone visiting Bryce: stay in Tropic and take a day to drive about 10 miles past the town of Escalante for some absolutely jaw dropping views.
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He smiles with the same intensity he played with.
I’m currently waddling my way through Utah. Flew into SLC on Wednesday and drove south to St George. Stayed the night there and hiked in the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area.
Made it to Springdale/Zion yesterday and headed into the park today.
Rented a car through Turo and I think of @89ute everytime I load the luggage.
Update from Zion. There are way too many people here. Half of them shouldn’t be allowed off of their bus because they’re too old, fat, slow or just plain dumb to be walking on a fucking trail.
On the plus side - no not my weight - renting an e-bike is the best advice for visiting this place.
If you get back to SLC, hit up Epic Brewing. Having a couple of their Big Bad Baptist varieties this very evening. Awesome stuff.
@CFetters_Nacho_Lover
We fly out Wednesday afternoon so there might be enough time for another brewery.
Not a National Park, but walked around the Flat Irons in Boulder recently on a day trip from Denver/Aurora where my oldest is in Grad School these days.
I could use some help with some non-Venezuelan Denver/Aurora watering holes to hit when we're visiting my kid, cause I barely know shit about Denver. Day-tripped to Golden. Meh. Boulder & the Flatirons were nice though. Did hit Wings Over the Rockies for some decent food & brews, but it was a White Wakanda Yuppie Fest, IMHO.
Updates from my waddles through Utah.
1st day at Zion was on e-bikes (ask for the Nacho special) and we ride all the way to beginning of the Narrows which is a very very popular trail. We looked at it, realized you have to go through the river and said no thanks.
Trailhead there was over crowded as the shuttle stops there and everyone walks the mile to the trailhead. Bunch of old slow people and people who were oblivious to the fact that the path isn’t big enough for 2 people to walk abreast (yeah, I coulda said side by side but I wanted to say breast).
Hopped back on the e-bikes and stopped at another super popular trailhead. Too many fucking people. We almost said we were done with Zion after that because of the crowds in that part of the park but drive up toward the east entrance and realized there were trailheads there with very few people and that’s where we went the next day. Worth going through the tunnel and finding a hike that’s not marked.
Made it to Bryce Canyon yesterday and the town outside the entrance is tourist hell. Luckily we’re staying in Tropic, drove the park last night. Found a trailhead from town here and went in that way. Almost 7 miles up and into the park. Glad to go in this way because again, a shit ton of tourists at the trailheads up top.
I originally wanted to stay in the lodge in the park but after being up there today, no fucking way because all the fucking tourists.
It may not be clear, but I hate fucking crowds and anywhere in the park where people can drive up and get up attracts crowds.
Sadly @CFetters_Nacho_Lover most of our National Parks have been overrun by swarming masses of the general public and I don't know what to do about it.
Personally, I'm big into finding National Monuments or even state parks which offer National Park (or close too it) level scenery but aren't totally overrun.
Something like Newberry Crate is quite spectacular but not a total shit show.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newberry_National_Volcanic_Monument
Chautauqua Park, has a nice set of trails.
Newberry Crater NM should be a National Park.
I rave as much about that place as any NP. The twin caldera lakes with a cinder cone in between within a larger caldera, the twin waterfalls at the outlet, the massive obsidian flow towerIng above piney forests, one of Oregon’s highest elevation general purpose roads (Paulina Peak) leading to views of the above (sans the falls) plus the Three Sisters and the other Cascade volcanoes, and best of all, the hot springs seeping out of the beach where you can dig your own hot tub.
Agreed. We did a National Conservation Area, 2 NPs (Zion & Bryce) and 2 Utah State Parks (Kodachrome & Escalante) in addition to driving through the Escalante National Monument.
The NPs were bigger thus having more hiking available but the State Parks were incredible with what they offered.
My advice to anyone visiting Bryce: stay in Tropic and take a day to drive about 10 miles past the town of Escalante for some absolutely jaw dropping views.
And the photo above doesn’t do it justice.
I usually try to fish East Lake once in a while and the kids love the Big Obsidian flow.
It's definitely National Parkish up there in many respects.
Alas, it can't compete with Crater Lake for jaw dropping views and it's hard to have to volcano NP's in one state so close to each other.