Sunday we awoke and continued west. We stopped at the visitor's centers for Glen Canyon NRA and Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, arriving at the Watchman CG in Zion around 2:00. The Griffins (my roommate from college, his wife and 3 kids from Pasadena, CA) had arrived at the campsite about 15 minutes before us. We set up camp, enjoying the challenge of keeping eight kids aged six and under corraled. We then took the shuttle to the Zion Human History Museum and then walked back to the campground after stopping at the Virgin River to play.
Monday we took the shuttle up to the Zion Lodge where we had a snack under a massive cottonwood in front of the lodge.
We then loaded up the kids and hiked the Emerald Pools Trail. It was a beautiful walk, although quite crowded. The kids did a great job hiking. We decided to ride the full trip through the canyon on our way back to the campground and made it back around 5:00.
Tuesday we awoke and took the shuttle up to the Temple of Sinawava. We spent the entire day playing along and in the Virgin. Once again it was quite crowded but beautiful. We finally finished up around 5:30.
Wednesday we drove up to Spring Creek Canyon on BLM land adjoining the park to the north. We loaded our packs and walked about a mile and a half to a small shelf where we set up camp. From there our families split up to explore the narrows of Spring Creek.
We made it back to the campsite around 5:30 as snow flurries began to fall. We cooked dinner and I managed to build my first fire with flint and steel and all natural tender (no dryer lint this time!). We warmed ourselves by the fire as the temperature dropped into the 20's.
Thursday dawned to clear skies and a temperaute of 24 degrees. We packed our gear and walked back to the cars.
We drove through the Kolob Canyons portion of the park before arriving back at the Watchman CG where we set camp back up. The kids enjoyed an Easter egg hunt underneath the towering sandstone walls of Zion Canyon.
Friday morning we broke down camp. We celebrated Good Friday with each other by having Brad administer communion before we parted ways. We headed up to Denver to see my parents and one set of my grandparents for Easter. On the drive we stopped through Colorado National Monument, completing the scenic drive. Finally, on Monday we drove back to Dimmitt.
