Wednesday, March 19, 2014, Riverside Walk Trail, Zion National Park, UT

We were still in Watchman Campground, Zion National Park, UT, and the Riverside Walk was an easy 2.2 miles (round trip) from the Temple of Sinawava to the beginning of the Narrows. There was only a 57-foot elevation change from end to end and it was paved making it a very popular hike.

There was a 10-year-old boy with a camera trying very hard to get a picture under these rocks along the trail. I think the squirrels were just looking for a little privacy, but instead, they attracted a lot of attention.

Ahh, spring...

The canyon walls were nearly vertical and placards explained that once every 100-500 years there is a major flood that does 99% of the valley carving. Since the sandstone is so soft, it digs deep instead of wide. From the end of the Riverwalk Trail, you have to get your feet wet to continue. I was very tempted having seen pictures from upstream, but that will have to wait for another day (if ever).

"You have to get your feet wet" is an understatement. To get to the oft-photographed "subway", you must endure waist-deep water.

In the summer, waist deep is not an issue. But, trust me, this water was cold!

This young lady seemed to be alone and looked like she wanted her picture taken. That's what I do, after all, so I helped. I talked to her for a while and learned she is a foreign student here from Tajikistan currently studying pre-med in Kansas. I did not know our State Department pays for everything to have students come to the U.S. to study for a semester - very interesting!

Tellie took to David and they enjoyed a chat along the river. Her father was also a Physics Major/Electrical Engineer. She seemed very sweet. How brave to be this far from home alone, an adventurous soul.

One of the shops in Springdale (just outside the entrance to Zion) will outfit you with a wet suit and boots to make the trek upriver to The Narrows if you are so inclined.

Other, more hardy souls, just get their feet wet and hope the feeling will come back in a few hours after they warm up - I'm sure that will be my approach if I go for it.

Heading home, we stopped to see what was going on in Big Bend. A television truck with a huge satellite dish was set up and everyone was looking up at the mountain. There was a team of five climbers who were part of a British telethon raising money for Philippine relief efforts. The interesting thing is there were at least three climbers (on the sunny face of the cliff) who had nothing to do with the show and probably had no idea there were more climbers around the corner (on the shaded face of the cliff). They had to wonder why so many people were watching them.

You had to really crane your neck to see these guys! They were specks way up high!