ZION

This is the view we were treated to as we drove from Kanab, UT, into Zion National Park.

Checkerboard Mesa was one of the first structures to catch our attention.

The Maldonado foursome poses at the base of Checkerboard Mesa.

Along the journey somewhere in New Mexico, we talked Brice into buying a cowboy hat. Pretty cool cowboy with his little girl.

Weeping Rock is a solution niche in Zion National Park. A strata of red sandstone sits above and has absorbed water from rain and snow throughout the ages. As the absorbed water trickles down through the porous rock, it meets an impermeable layer of slate and moves horizontally to the edge of the cliff. The solution running down the side of the cliff finds a crack to enter and after a great deal of time causes the crack to increase. Gravity then helps the rock fall, leaving a chunk missing from the side of the cliff…this is the niche. Here at Weeping Rock, water continuously flows down the cliff and trickles past the niche opening.

Steve pantomimes his location.

The water flowing over the red sandstone leaves it moist enough for us to paint our faces. Wyatt takes it as war paint!

Wyatt continues his war cry long after we left Weeping Rock.

There is a great amount of vegetation in this section of the desert area of Utah. Brice and Lily lead the hike to the Emerald Pools.

A critter posed for us along our hike to the Emerald Ponds.

At the lower pool, this structure caught my attention. A piece of red sandstone stands vertically.
What happened here? It looks as if roots of a fallen tree hold the rock upright.




At the hotel in Springdale, the Gateway to Zion. Temps ran over 100 degrees and the view was beyond beautiful.

Catherine applauds as Stephanie successfully floats on her back. Steph loves the water but like her mother is unable to swim. After some coaching and encouraging from her dad, Stephanie floats on her own. A proud moment!!








Steve leads Lily on a cruise around the pool.

Moving with turbo power through the shallow end of the pool.

Catherine captures the waterbaby for a few minutes.

Steve and Brice served as sea monsters taking kids forth and back through the pool.

Lily has developed into a waterbaby.

The sea monster surfaces to surprise Mandy and Lily. Frightening? I think not!