July 17 – Susannah and Ben got up with the early birds for a four-mile morning run through Bryce’s canyon trails. Returning to camp with many pictures of hoodoos and ridge lines, they faced a series of steep switchbacks on the way home.

The short drive from Bryce to Zion was over by mid-day, in time for a picnic lunch in our campground. We really appreciated Chester’s extendable canopy under the relentless noon sun. But Chester had already done a yeoman job in getting us here, as the steep route into Zion involves some six hairpin turns and two tunnels, one over a mile long built by the good men of the CCC. They had to measure us before we went in to be sure Chester would fit.

The afternoon’s first activity in honor of Rowan was an hour-long horseback ride along the Virgin River that runs through Zion Canyon. We followed this with a hike up the canyon to the aptly-named Narrows, where the 1000 foot sandstone walls approach within 20 feet of each other at some points. On our way back we paused to wade in the river and build a sandcastle.

We finished the day with another lodge dinner and a ranger program on the geology and history of Zion Canyon.

Day 19: Bryce Canyon National Park UT to Zion National Park UT – 85 miles.