Seasonal rains have produced ephemeral falls along the canyon walls of Zion National Park, Utah. With these rains along with corona virus concerns, visitation at Zion has been squashed. Although the park hasn’t closed, visitor to employee contact has been reduced to almost zero as a result of management changes. Hopefully, the rest of the country will do the same in these times of uncertainty.
At Zion National Park the other day. Persistent rains have ravaged the park this winter causing road closures, mudslides and some beautiful waterfalls.
Our trip to Peru included a steamy, exhilarating push into the Amazonian Jungle. A two hour boat ride took us down the Tambopata River where there were no roads and few people.
We flew into Puerto Maldonado to begin the jungle excursion. This was the second jet plane needed to make it there since the first one experienced engine trouble and we turned back to Cuzco. I knew something was amiss when the pilot came on the intercom and asked us to ” remain calm!” It was a hard landing in Cuzco but we all remained calm….
Moto Taxis in Puerto Maldonado. No emergency landings needed.
This boat looked safe……
Local kids
Apocalypse Now?
Our jungle lodge
Sheets were used to keep the giant insects from devouring us through the night.
The house Monkey, Pepe. Pepe was like your pet dog or cat and would jump into your lap while relaxing in a hammock
El Gato Falls
Love was in the air…
Our guide took us on a nighttime boat ride, spotting for Cayman.
This tarantula was definitely moving.
Thick vegetation, thankfully we had a guide.
The waterfalls at Zion National Park this week, which are mostly ephemeral, possessed an ethereal or apparitional look. This was due to the high winds that swept the water every which way. These images and more are available as prints or downloadable files at Dawn2Dawn Photography Word Press members receive a 25% discount by applying discount code WP2016.
The rain and wind storm swept through Zion yesterday and produced some great photo ops. More to follow.
A swollen Virgin River
That is to photograph the elusive seasonal waterfalls at Zion National Park. Visitors ask me where are the waterfalls. I tell them, to their disappointment, that they only appear when it rains. Which it did earlier this week. This was the only waterfall I spotted which combined with the fall colors in the park, presented some nice photo opportunities.
The recent heavy rains caused much destruction last week in Southern Utah but they can also produce some magic at Zion National Park. Emerald Pools are a series of small ponds along the canyon walls of Zion. But when it rains hard, waterfalls appear that many park visitors never experience.
It mostly rained here the last 3 days and this desert environment can sure use it. When it rains in Zion Canyon, a cool thing happens. Like rainbows appearing out of nowhere, we are treated to instant waterfalls. A lot of visitors here ask me during the dry season, ” Where are the waterfalls that I’ve seen photos of?” Sorry Ma’am, but you have to be here when it rains. Like today! All the usual suspects were producing falls. The snow was in the higher elevations and those images will follow soon.
Zion National Park is a hiking park. The Narrows and Angel’s Landing are the two most popular but The Subway Hike is probably third. You do need a permit to do this hike but it is worth the effort. Here’s a link to the permit process Subway Permit Process There are two ways to hike The Subway, one from the top down which requires rappelling and from the bottom up. The following images are from the bottom up hike. This hike is about a 6 mile round trip and will take from 6 to 9 hours. The trail follows the left fork of North Creek. On a hot day, its great to strap on some water boots and slosh through the creek instead of hiking besides it.
Yellowstone National Park is a wonderland of waterways. Living in the parched desert of Southern Utah, I was jealous of the vast network of waterfalls and rivers that are ubiquitous in the park. During my recent trip to Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons, I was amazed how green and lush the landscape was. And don’t forget the hot waters from springs that generate a myriad of colors from the bacteria that flourish there. Click on image for larger view. To purchase prints of these images and the latest go to What’s New!
