Zion!

Drove to Zion today and met an old friend at the entrance to the park - Checkerboard Mesa, with its cross-bedding and joints giving it the appearance it's named after.

As I was driving through the park, the amount of aeolian cross-bedding visible was astounding.  Utah really should change its nickname from "Beehive State" to "Land of Cross-Beds".

After leaving the main section of the park, I headed up Kolob Terrace Road to Lava Point.  The views along the drive were spectacular and there was practically no one around.  From the top of the plateau you can look down towards the main section of Zion.

Today, there was a wildfire visible in the distance on the plateau above the main section of Zion.

After leaving Lava Point, I went to the Kolob Canyon section of the park, about 45 minutes from the main section of the park.  This area is just as scenic as the rest of the park, yet there are very few visitors, which is good for me since I hate crowds.

As I was driving back to Kanab, I managed to get a photo of some "wildlife" - some bison on a ranch just east of Zion.