Our final stop was Valley of Fire State Park, east of Las Vegas about 30 miles. Judy and I visited here several years ago but it was very hot and we did not explore very much. This trip the temperatures were reasonable and we hiked many of the trails. This is a park worth a stop if you are in the area.

Valley of Fire SP, cooking

Valley of Fire SP, cooking again

Valley of Fire SP

Valley of Fire SP, near Las Vegas, NV

Valley of Fire SP, duck formation

Valley of Fire SP

Valley of Fire SP

Valley of Fire SP

Valley of Fire SP, petroglyphs

Valley of Fire SP, petroglyphs

Valley of Fire SP, Judy, Bruce, & Walt

Valley of Fire SP

Valley of Fire SP, Bruce & Walt in the hole

Valley of Fire SP

Valley of Fire SP

Valley of Fire SP

The next stop was Zion National Park, also one of our favorites. As we left Kodachrome, we went past Bryce on Highway 12, through Red Canyon (a spectacular drive and camping to try next trip), across the mountains on Highway 14 to Cedar City, and Interstate 15 to Zion. Highway 14 goes by the road to Cedar Breaks National Monument at almost 10,000 feet, it was still closed due to snow!

In Zion, we hiked Observation Point, up 2,200 feet, and Hidden Canyon. We had wonderful, warm weather as you will see in the photos.

Zion NP, Observation Point Trail

Zion NP, Hidden Canyon Arch

Zion NP, Observation Point Trail

Zion NP, Hidden Canyon

Zion NP, hike down from Observation Point

Zion NP, Bruce and Judy on Observation Point

Zion NP, view from Observation Point

Zion NP, hike to Observation Point

Zion NP, hike to Observation Point

Zion NP, view from Observation Point

The next stop on the trip was Kodachrome Basin State Park, near Bryce Canyon National Park. We traveled Highway 12 through Escalante Staircase, a beautiful road with incredible views. We found Kodachrome a couple of years ago, a beautiful park and since it was close to Byrce, we spend a day there with the Hoodoos. The weather was quite windy, but no rain.

Bryce NP

Bryce NP

Bryce NP, Walt, Judy, Ann, Bruce

Kodachrome SP, sunset

Kodachrome SP, sedimentary pipes

Bryce Canyon NP

Bryce Canyon NP

Kodachrome SP

Kodachrome Basin SP, sedimentary pipe

Kodachrome Basin SP

Needing our Utah National Park fix, we took off for Capital Reef National Park with our friends Ann and Bruce. It was new experience for them and it always feels like home to us. We left SLO, stopped in Las Vegas for the night, then on to Richfield, Utah and then Capital Reef. We had early spring rains but it didn’t slow us down.

Las Vegas, Fremont Street

Capital Reef NP, Judy & Walt

Capital Reef NP, Ann & Bruce

Capital Reef NP, petroglyphs

Capital Reef NP trail

Capital Reef NP, Golden Throne

Along Escalante Staircase

Capital Reef NP, lunch on the Chimney Rock Trail

Capital Reef NP, Golden Throne, Ann, Bruce, Judy

Capital Reef, NP, Chimney Rock Trail

Capital Reef NP, Chimney Rock

Capital Reef NP, the tanks