World United States Utah Zion National Park

Terry, Doug and Roxie's Summer Trip 2011

Zion National Park Sep 5, 2011

Today we toured Zion National Park. Zion and Bryce are a short drive from each other but totally different to look at. In Bryce you look down at the most beautiful unusual limestone rock formations. In Zion, you are in a canyon looking up at towering rock. Zion National Park is the oldest national park in Utah. There are deep sandstone canyons, striking rock towers and high plateaus. Looking up at the towering rocks, the difference in colors is from the Navajo sandstone being white on top and more red and orange coloring toward the bottom. Down in the canyon the rocks are solid red from top to bottom. These rocks have been recently uplifted and the overlying layers have not been worn away. Quite often you would see dark black streaks along vertical cracks in the rock which is caused by tannic acid from coniferous trees. There were also sandstone rocks that covered the canyon floor that looked coral pink. Again pictures just don't do it justice.

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