Zion has been exactly what I’ve needed, a true fresh start. Once I put my uniform back on, we were in full swing of the schedule… giving programs, interacting with the public and learning everyday. The senior staff is very knowledgeable, super uplifting and just a fun staff to work with and learn from. So far I’ve given an evening program and a patio talk, but I am excited to try my hand at a guided hike and guided shuttle tour soon!

Memorial Day weekend was a bundle of chaos, weirdness and fun. We saw shuttle bus wait times up to 3 hours, parking lots filled by 8am and had to hard close the gates for crowd control. BUT I loved it. It gave us opportunities to have more personal interactions with visitors and make meaningful connections. I had a very special one with an older gentleman named Tom. He was around his 70s and traveling through the park alone, and I was able to chat with him 1:1 for about 20 minutes about the history of the park and share fun facts. We had a really nice interaction and moments like those always remind me why I started this job to begin with.

Since my first hike at Watchman, my strength has been gradually building, and now that I’m mobile I’m back with the travel bug again. Michael and me have had some great adventures in and around the park. We started light with the popular Canyon Overlook hike, and then explored the much less travelled sections of the park, Kolob Terrace Road.

Kolob Terrace Road was super pretty, it’s a whole different section of the park, considered more of a wilderness type landscape at higher elevation but it had some great trails leaving from it!

Over our long weekend we ventured outside the park and went to Kodachrome Basin State Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. Kodachrome Basin had some neat history, it got its name from the Kodak Chrome film, that was tested at the park because of the beautiful vibrant colors. There was a neat little slot canyon called Cool Cave where we got to have lunch too!

Bryce Canyon has to be in one of my top 5 favorite national parks I’ve visited, the Hoodoos were incredible and unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. We camped overnight, and because they’re over 8,000 feet it was chilly! We were lightly snowed on in the morning, in MAY! I wanted to glamp to the max, so we brought my air mattress, but even though I checked the dimensions it was a little tight with the tent, oops, but it was a great trip.

We clocked about 6 miles of hiking both days, there wasn’t a lot of elevation gain but I was incredibly impressed with my physical capabilities, I truly am improving everyday!

Towards the end of Memorial Day weekend, for my off days we decided to venture to the quieter parts of the park. We went up to Kolob Canyon and hiked the Taylor Creek trail. These areas are a part of Zion still, but not in the main canyon, so they’re much quieter and more peaceful. In all honesty, this wasn’t my favorite trail, it was a little too sandy and hot for my comfort level, but it was still neat to see. The end brought us to a rock formation Ampitheater, and it was much cooler and windy through there which was a relief.

Our Yellowstone buddy David is working in Canyonlands this summer, another Southern Utah park about a 5 hour drive from us. He came to visit us and we took him up the Kolob Terrace Road. It was so great to catch up and see how well we are all doing. Until next time! Ranger on.