This is truly the loveliest gem of the many gems in the National Park System. The view above right is a fine example of the beauty and serenity of Zion. This scene was taken from an overlook that lets you peer down into the southern end of Zion Canyon with the great "Altar of Sacrifice" in the distance, along with some of the famous beehives. I consider this viewpoint one of the six great scenes in the US. The other five, in no special order are: Looking southwest from the tip of Dead Horse Point in Utah; looking across Maroon Lake at the Maroon Bells near Aspen Colorado, especially in late September when the Aspen have turned gold and the Bells have a skiff of snow on them; the view out the huge windows of Teton Lodge across Jackson Lake at The Grand Teton; the view from up fairly high and at the west end of Yosemite Valley, looking somewhat downward and through Yosemite Valley toward Half Dome and the falls; and the view of the old bridge, the river and magnificent autumn foliage along Route 9 in Southern Vermont in early October. To get to this Zion Canyon Overlook, park in the lot at the upper east end of the Zion Tunnel. It is about a half mile walk to the viewpoint and requires a little work, but not a great deal, and it is sure worth the effort.

Zion is made up of two sections; the Northwest section is less well known than its more famous sister of the Virgin River Canyon. The newer portion is called the Kolob Section, after the Kolob brothers of Grand Canyon fame. The Kolob entrance is located on Interstate 15, about forty miles to the northwest of the main Zion entrance. Along the seven mile drive in the Kolob Section of Zion, you will see soaring walls of deep red Navajo sandstone, the deepest, most beautiful red of any Navajo in the Southwest.

To the right is a view of the Zion monoliths from above. You can drive to this viewpoint by going West a few miles to Virgin Utah, and then take the only paved road leading north from the town. The round trip from the visitors center is about fifty miles. There's a nice campground up there. It is much cooler in the summer as it is 3500 feet higher than the campground in Zion Canyon.

The photos to the right and left are views of some of the highlights in Zion. On the left is the Great White Throne. This is a magnificent slab of light buff Navajo Sandstone. On the right is the Court Of The Patriots. They are next to the February '95 landslide which blocked the exit from the upper canyon and lodge for several days.

The photo to the right is Angel's Landing. The Landing is 1500 feet above the Virgin River bed. On the opposite side is an excellent, but very steep trail, going to the top. To achieve the summit, you must cross a very narrow ledge holding onto a chain. Behind you it is over 1200 feet straight down. This trail is not for the faint-of-heart, but for those who do make it, the view from Angel's Landing is magni-
ficent. It's fabulous looking south down the Canyon. The view is similar to the photo below taken from Cable Mountain, although the "mountain" is higher. The trail leaves the Gotto Picnic Area and is about six miles, round trip. You'll hate leaving the top, even if you're not an Angel, and please be careful on your way down, or you could become one.

Because of the grandeurs of Zion Canyon, and it being so photogenic, the upper part of Zion beyond the tunnel is often overlooked. As the photos on either side show, this section is also interesting to explore, especially lots of fun for the kids. The scene in the photo on the right is called Checkerboard Mesa.

Zion National Park