Les Flâneurs: Las Vegas to Zion Canyon

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Las Vegas to Zion Canyon

[Monday 11 September]

We were packed and ready to go by the time our next-door neighbor Sandy pulled her car out of the garage. Although we had to slog through Monday morning school traffic we made it to the airport in plenty of time to check our bags and breeze through security.

After grabbing a coffee we settled in to await the boarding call for our non-stop flight to Las Vegas. We did stop at the Hudson's to pick up a couple of books for the trip and we amazed at the selection -- and it was laid out just like a small but tasteful bookshop. Add that to it also being a center for the Michigan Wine Collaborative where you can tap and taste, we thought the space quite impressive.

Boarding went smoothly and before long we were airborne, rain notwithstanding. The four-hour trip was uneventful and, contrary to the pilot warning us to expect some light chop over the Rockies, quite smooth.

Leaving the jetway into the terminal we were immediately greeted by banks of garish slot machines, the first of many we would encounter through the airport.

And the chaos. The airport was akin to a twisted indoor mall, replete with stores, food stops and seemingly endless banks of huge video monitors advertising the latest shows and what-not available in Las Vegas.

And the heat. When we landed the local weather claimed 99 degrees F. Oh, but as so many are fond of saying, "It's a dry heat." Yeah, right.

We soon had our bags in hand, but before we made our way to the car rental shuttle, we took a break to sit and enjoy the sandwiches I had prepared earlier that morning. Once lunch was over we walked out of the terminal to the shuttle bus for the car rental location near the airport. A very well-organized system, the shuttle was for all the rental companies, which were themselves housed in a large garage complex near the Strip.

We had a bit of a wait to check in for our car -- frankly I should have used the online system -- but we were soon in line to be taken to our car, a Honda Odyssey. After getting turned around just once leaving the garage we found I-15 north to Salt Lake City and were off through the bleak Nevada desert into Arizona and up through the twists and turns of the dramatic Virgin River Gorge on into Utah.

Hoping to use the bathroom, pick up some information and maybe fill our water bottle, we stopped at the Utah Welcome Center at St. George. Although well-signed, it was not easy to reach the Center. It was housed inside the a wildlife museum all nestled in the Dixie Center, apparently some sort of convention venue. We were the only travelers there and, while they didn't have a designated water bottle filling station, they did provide us with a couple of handy maps -- and the bathrooms were free, of course.

We returned to I-15 and after just a few miles exited onto Rte 9 east into the Hurricane Valley. Our expectations that we would find ourselves in the midst of open land and wilderness were immediately dashed. Hurricane Valley was a seemingly endless strip of development. But we eventually found ourselves in the vicinity of Zion Canyon and the lovely town of Springdale next to the park entrance.

Using our Senior Pass we passed through the park entrance and made our way to the pull-off to the lodge. To access the drive into the park and the lodge we used the digital code provided us when I made the reservations -- otherwise the only way to get around the park is by shuttle bus, a handy and efficient system.

It was a quick drive to the lodge. At check-in, it was suggested we make reservations for dinner at the lodge that evening, which we did. We then made our way to our room and unpacked. After strolling the grounds of the lodge and walking up the short, nearby Grotto Trail we returned to the lodge for dinner outside on the patio overlooking the grounds. Stunning views all around and even a few deer strolling on the lawn, oblivious to us humans!

Tomorrow we hope to take the shuttle to the Visitors Center to sign up for a Ride with a Ranger, then perhaps go into Springdale and pick up a few groceries.