21. Zion National Park, Utah

Jon and Jackie go on a 16-mile hike through mud and water in the Narrows of a canyon in their imaginations.  Welcome to Zion National Park where you can see the most beautiful scenery on earth, stand where only an Angel could land, and park three hours from the nearest city.

Jackie Reilly: Host
Jon Schaller: Host
Charles: Producer
Email: cozynookexplorers@gmail.com
Instagram: @cozynookexplorers

Community Shoutout:
Zion National Park Forever Project
Zion National Park Forever Art Show

Mentioned in this episode:
Zion National Park Website
Angels Landing E-Hike

Transcript

JACKIE: I’m Jackie 

JON: And I’m Jon 

JACKIE: And we are the cozy nook explorers!

JON: Welcome to our show where we explore the world from our cozy nook here a guest room in Southern CALIFORNIA using the power of the internet!

Jackie: Yes and it’s Wednesday which means it’s time for another exploration!  Today we are going to Zion National Park! It’s October, so I thought it was really important to do some leaf peeping on the show! Zion is known for its amazing fall foliage and wow- it really doesn't disappoint! My favorite fall leaves are the ones that are deep red although I really like the yellow leaves too! What about you, Jon?

Jon: Leaves.

Jackie: You don’t appreciate the fall foliage? 

Jon: I appreciate that fallen leaves increase microbial activity in the soil.

Jackie: And I appreciate that they are pretty!  Before we head to Utah- what’s keeping you cozy this week, Jon?

What’s keeping you cozy:

Jon: Watermelon 

• Do you prefer seedless or regular watermelon?
• Have you ever seen an impressive watermelon carving? 

Jackie: My search for canned pumpkin! It was mid-september and I decided it was time to start to make pumpkin treats and obviously that means buying canned pumpkin BUT I could not find it anywhere.  I was concerned that the west coast doesn't like pumpkin as much as the east coast. I went to 4-5 stores and NOTHING!  But, just a few days ago I was in Aldi and they had it! It was such a great win!

• What will you be baking with your canned pumpkin?
• Is canned pumpkin like pumpkin pie filling or is it different?

Let’s Get Into It

Jackie: Ok, we need to talk about how the rock climbers make their cute little campsites- and the bats!

Jon: What?

Jackie: You know, when they camp out on the side of the cliff during multi-day climbs... and the bats!

Jon: Oh, yes. Zion National Park is home to some amazing cliffs .  They are some cliffs which are  2000 feet high vertical climbs and it is a very popular place for rock climbers to explore. 

Jackie: A lot of the climbs take multiple days and you are probably wondering how that works because I sure was. What they do is make a little camp site and sleep on the SIDE OF THE CLIFF! It’s wild! I’m afraid of heights, so that’s my worst nightmare, but if climbing is your happiness you may want to look into this. 

Jon: It’s amazing. And the bats?

Jackie: Yes! The bats! Multiple bat species live in the cliffs that the rock climbers use! During the winter they hibernate in the chimneys and cracks and in the summer they use the cracks to stay away from predators and raise their babies. Do you know what a bat baby is called?

Jon: A pup.

Jackie: A PUP!! So the bats are really important to the Zion ecosystem, but there is an invasive fungus that is killing the hibernating bats by the MILLIONS! 

Jon: Oh no.

Jackie: I know, right?! The park biologists need to know where the bats are in the cliff so they ask the climbers to send them the name and location of the climb if they see bats and, if it’s safe, to take a photo with their phone. This way the biologists can go and check on the bats to make sure that the fungus isn’t there.

Jon: That’s amazing. What would you do if you were climbing up a cliff and saw a cave of bats?

Jackie: A lot of terrible things would have needed to happen for me to be in that position, so I’d imagine a really bad day had just gotten worse.

Jon:  Well that brings me to my next point. I wanted to go over some safety before we head into the park.  First, wear proper shoes that have grips and can deal with slippery surfaces.  Carry a gallon of water per person per day and drink it because it is very hot during the summer.  Stay on the trail. Stay back from cliff edges.  Observe posted warnings. And always keep an eye on children you are with.

Jackie:  You must watch the bebies

Jon:  Avoid contact with wild life because you don’t want to disturb them.  And, this isn’t very cozy, but it’s very important, If you see a rockfall move safely away from the cliffs.

Jackie: And on that note- welcome to Zion National Park in Southwest Utah!  It’s basically a young grand canyon and the third most visited national park in the United States! 

Jon: Well they do call the Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce national park the sedimentary staircase because they keep moving up.  So the elevation of the Grand Canyon is very low Zion is medium and Bryce is high.  Just in Zion alone there are nine layers of geological sedimentary rock.  And this place is big.  Zion National Park is 148,016 acres or 296.032 Disneylands with pre pandemic numbers puts roughly 4 million people visiting every year.

Jackie: As you alluded to, most of the rocks in the canyon are sedimentary rocks which I remember from our grand canyon episode.  Sedimentary rock is made from a bunch of bits of old rock that deposit into layers.

Jon: The main river that runs through the canyon is the Virgin River. 

Jackie: Generally, you are allowed to go in the water and let your dogs go for a swim, but there is currently a Toxic Cyanobacteria Bloom in the river so you can’t go near the water right now which is a bummer.

Jon: Zion is not close to any metropolitan areas. The two closest cities are Salt Lake City, Utah which is about 4 hours away by car and Las Vegas, Nevada which is about 3 hours away by car. 

Jackie: So, if you are planning to fly to Zion it’s important to know that you will need to rent a car and drive there after your flight.

Jon: The closest town to Zion is Springdale. That’s actually close for real which is good. 

Jackie: Yes, that’s really good because Zion National Park only has one hotel and a few campsites inside the grounds.  Most people stay in Springdale. They even have shuttle busses that run from Springdale to Zion so that you don’t need to take your car to the park and deal with parking. 

Jon: It looks like the busses mainly run from March to November, but if they aren’t running that means it’s at a lower capacity and parking is probably easier to find.  Also the shuttle buses are running at 25% capacity right now and you have to make a reservation beforehand because of the pandemic.

Jackie: So, let’s get hiking! There are tons and tons of trails at Zion and there is something for everyone. 

Jon: There are paved trails and unpaved trails and hikes for every level. There are over 100 miles of trails. Activities other than hiking include horseback riding and river activities.

Jackie: In terms of hiking, the coziest hike seems to be the Canyon Overlook Trail. This trail is about a mile and considered easy. It also has one of the best views of the canyon without all the fuss of some of the more challenging trails. 

Jon: For a more adventurous hike there’s the Narrows!

Jackie: Yeah, this is so neat! Basically, the canyon walls get really close together and make a NARROW path that you can walk through, BUT you need to walk through water for a majority of this adventure.

Jon: It’s definitely a family friendly adventure if everyone is prepared to get a bit wet.  It is also the most popular hike because it is a cool view being at the bottom of a canyon in water. The only things you need to be mindful of are flash flood warnings and making sure you don’t slip in the water. So make sure you rent neoprene boots and walking sticks.  Other than that it looked reasonably safe.  Oh- and when they say narrows they mean narrows.  At one point during the trail you can almost touch both canyon walls at the same time.  It is so high and narrow that the amount of direct sunlight it gets a day can be measured in minutes.

Jackie: I watched a video where two people brought walking sticks to help with their balance and I thought that was a good idea!  Also, this is not a winter activity. The water is too cold, so the best time to do this hike is in the summer months.

Jon: And for the most adventurous of hikers there is the Angels Landing Trail. Should we talk about that after a quick break?

Jackie: Sounds good- see you soon.

Ad 1- WATERMELON

Stacy-There is nothing like the end of summer especially when you can celebrate it with with a big bowl of freshly cut watermelon

Jack-  Hi Stacy woah that looks good

Stacy- It sure does would you like a wedge of watermelon

Jack:  No I will just have the cucumber

Stacy:  What?

Jack:  The cucumber

Stacy:  Jack all I have is watermelon

Jack:  But the cucumber is on top watermelon

Stacy:  No it is just watermelon

Jack:  I guess the cucumber could also be on the bottom of the watermelon it just depends on how you look at it

Stacy:  Jack there are no cucumbers in this watermelon

Jack:  Not “in” the watermelon.  Outside the water melon.

Stacy:  Did you name the bowl cucumber?

Jack:  No that is crazy

Stacy:  This cucumber are they in the room right now

Jack:  Yes

Stacy:  Point to it!! Point to this cucumber right now!!!!!

Jack: Right here

Stacy:  You’re pointing to a WATERMELON!!!!

 Jack:  I know but I just want to have the cucumber

Stacy:  I am not going to the store to buy you some cucumber 

Jack:  Why would you do that if there are perfectly good cucumbers right here

Stacy:  (Miming giving a cucumber and sarcastically saying) Fine here you go here    

Jack:  You are handing me nothing right now are you ok?

Stacy:  Am I ok?!?!   Am I OK?!?!?  I am dealing with a person who doesn’t seem to realize that there are no cucumbers in this bowl of watermelon and now YOU’RE CALLING me crazy!  (Now with whispered deadly seriousness)  Ok do it grab a cucumber and eat it in front of me.  I want to see you do it.

Jack : Ok (crunching sounds)

Stacy:  Did you just eat the green part of the Watermelon.

Jack:  Yep it is called the cucumber and is completely edible

Stacy:  Now I know your crazy

Jack:  (Tagline) “Watermelon when you find someones edge you can remind them they can go a bit further”

LET’S GET INTO IT 2

Jackie: So, the Angels Landing Trail I did a virtual tour of this hike because I know that I’ll never take part in real life.

Jon: Yeah, I think I’ll be passing as well. It is a very popular hike and the most dangerous hike in Zion, but if you are skilled enough and brave enough, it looks like the adventure of a lifetime.

Jackie: For those who would like to hike to the top of Angels Landing virtually I will include a link in the show notes to the tour that I did.

Jon: What did you learn on your tour?

Jackie: Oh, lots of things! So, Angels landing is 1,488 feet high and the hike is about 4 hours round trip and about 5 miles.

Jon:  I saw that it got its name from one Frederick Fisher, in 1916.  He took one look at the peak and proclaimed, “Only an angel could land on it.”

Jackie:  That is adorable.  There is part of the hike that’s called refrigerator canyon where the cliff hangs over the hiking area so there is shade and there’s a blast of cool air! There are lots of plants and animals that flourish in this part of the canyon because it’s cooler and more protected from the elements. AND guess what else it’s known for?

Jon: Ummm- I don’t know.

Jackie: IT’S FALL FOLIAGE!!

Jon: Oh yes, I should have known. 

Jackie: The trail to the top of Angels Landing was constructed in 1925 and the idea was spearheaded by a man named Walter Ruesch who was the superintendent of Zion at the time.

Jon: Didn’t he want to create a path to the top purely because he wanted to see the view?

Jackie: That’s correct, Jon. I love that it was kind of a selfish endeavor, but he also wanted others to be able to enjoy the view.

Jon: Tell everyone about what happens when you get near the top.

Jackie: Ok, so you have three choices onces you get to a point called Scouts Landing which is 1,000 feet above the canyon floor. One- you can enjoy the view, pat yourself on the back, and head back down the cliff. Two- you can continue on the west rim trail for some spectacular views. Three- you can climb to the top of angels landing which is another 400 feet up. You do so by climbing up a - and I quote- NARROW SPINE OF ROCK- to the top. Some sections are a few feet wide with sheer cliffs dropping down the side.  But, don’t worry- they have chains for you to hold onto while you climb.

Jon: Ah! YIKES! 

Jackie: I KNOW! It’s amazing that they offer this hike for people who would be interested, but I was very happy sitting on the couch and looking at photos of other people climbing up. Please don’t try this unless you are a really experienced climber or hiker and enjoy heights. 

Jon: The view from the top definitely looks amazing though. 

Jackie: Agreed. So, the other thing that I learned during my virtual tour is that people have been visiting Zion National Park since prehistoric times. 

Jon: According to the National Parks website, archeologists have found artifacts from the Archaic culture that date from about 7000 BC to 300 BC and from the Fremont and Ancestral Puebloan cultures that date from 300 BC to AD 1225.  There are also artifacts from the Southern Paiute culture, dating from AD 1250 to today.

Jackie:  Mormon’s have also lived and farmed at Zion since the 1850’s and the Paiute and Mormons still live in the area today.

Jon:  I would like to talk about the Mt. Carmel tunnel.

Jackie:  MMMMM carmel.

Jon:  Not Carmel carmel.

Jackie:  It just sounds like you are saying caramel with an accent.

Jon:  Anyway the Mount Carmel tunnel is like on of the most awe inspiring things ever.  It is a mile long tunnel  that connects two highways.

Jackie:  How did they build it 

Jon:  Dynamite

Jackie:  That will do it.

Jon:  And they built six small tunnels from above so it so they could have 6 different crews working on it at the same time it surprisingly only took them three years to make.

Jackie:  And if you are looking for a natural tunnel they have one that is in the shape of a subway tunnel.  Do you know what it is called?

Jon:  Subway tunnel

Jackie:  That is right it has a round overhang that looks just like an old fashioned subway tunnel but was made by mother nature without dynamite. Well, that’s just about it over here. Anything else?

Jon:  Oh yes.  Kolob Arch is one of the world’s 2nd largest free standing arches - 287.4 feet long, only three feet shorter than largest which is in arches national park. Anything else?

Jackie: The warning about flash floods in Zion is no joke. I saw a video of a flash flood going down the river and it is insane. The river is running totally normal and then out of nowhere there’s TONS of water that’s carrying sticks and rocks and all sorts of things and it is barreling down the river at an insane speed and intensity. 

Jon: The virgin river moves about 1 million tons of material from the canyon each year and most of it happens during flash floods, so that makes sense. Anything else?

Jackie: Yes- the ideal time for leaf peeping and seeing the fall foliage is late september/early october! I saved the most important fact of the podcast for last!

Jon: (sigh) And on that note we will back with our community shoutout after a quick word from our sponsor.

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Did it leave me behind?

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Community Shoutout/Outro 

Jon: Every episode we like to research and highlight something special in the community that we are exploring.

Jackie: Today’s community shoutout is the Zion National Park Forever Project.

Jon: They are a non profit organization in partnership with the National Parks Service. According to their website, their mission is to engage in collaborative efforts with federal agencies, gateway communities, and guests to create connections to the Greater Zion Landscape that will lead to lifelong stewardship.

Jackie: I loved how they have three phrases all over their website: Improving Today, Informing Tomorrow, and Protecting Forever. Their mission is to keep Zion National Park as a wonderful tourist destination while maintaining and protecting the park and all the wildlife that live there for the future.

Jon: They also have classes you can take for a reasonable fee like poetry in the park and you can go hiking with a naturalist who will teach you all about the geology, flora, fauna, and the cultural history of Zion.

Jackie: Oh those both sound like so much fun! I’d want to take a hiking tour in the fall so I could ask all about the changing leaves!

Jon: We will include their website in the show notes.

Jackie: I’d recommend checking out the website because they currently have a virtual art show going on called Art In The Time Of Covid! A handful of really talented visual artists made some beautiful art and they are selling it to benefit Zion National Park and you can see all of the paintings on their website in a little gallery! They also talk about the different artists! It’s really neat to see something online that traditionally you were only able to see in the park!

Jon: That is wonderful. You can also donate through their website as well.

Jackie: Alrighty- that’s the show. Thank you so much to Charles- our wonderful producer.

Jon: Thank you Charles. And thank you to our listeners! It means the world to us that you take the time to listen to our show.

Jackie: Yes, thank you so much! If you have been enjoying this podcast we would love it if you took the time to rate us and write a review on Apple Podcasts. This really helps the show!

Jon: Also, you can follow us on Instagram @cozynookexplorers or send us an email at cozynookexplorers@gmail.com. Let us know where you think we should travel to next. And we love hearing what’s keeping you cozy!

Jackie:  We will be back in TWO Wednesdays with our next exploration. 

Jon: Yes, on Wednesdays we explore! It’ll be our Halloween episode, so get ready for a spooky time!

Jon: Not if I have anything to say about it. And I do, so it won’t be TOO spooky! Stay cozy, and we’ll see you soon.