Date: 1/11/2012 à 3/11/2012

We arrived at the park around 15:30, and at the entrance already impressed us with 1 arc and 1 tunnel formed by pedras! As enormes montanhas avermelhadas dos dois lados da estrada, where green trees and yellow divide the landscape, also draw a lot of attention. It was so impressive that soon stopped to make a video!

Vista still park entry

Pause at the entrance to photos and videos

Continue to visitor center, where we took some cues from the ever knowledgeable park guides. Then, Our visit began with a video quite enlightening history of the park, containing a range of information. Among which, was the fact that the Zion contain one of the highest mountains in the world. We also found that, as well as Bryce Canyon, o Zion também integra o Colorado Plateau. Aprendemos que a paisagem vem sendo modificada há mais de 5 million years, with water as the main agent of change. Under the effect of water erosion, de vulcões e de temperaturas acima de 43^theC, the canyons of Zion were gaining its current form. Over these thousands of years, rivers were drying up and the mountains rising up to 300m in the park. Currently, or Zion has com or Virgin River (virgin river), contributing to human survival in the park. Moreover, currently there are varied fauna and flora, including 75 types of mammalian and 32 tipos de répteis.

Mountains of Zion

The Green kills, the red rocks and the blue sky of Zion

Over time, various groups occupied the park, as freemont - One of the first people- and os publeons- group of which is up to now traces. The southern paioute came later, and you can still find people that civilization, although the majority have migrated due to drought and resource scarcity. But, explorção the park was made by the white man in 1858, by a Mormon named Nephi Johnson, and enlisted the help of an Indian Southern Paiute. With the religious persecution that occurred in the period, several Mormons began migrating to the state of Utah, that was established but increasingly as a bastion of Mormons. One was Isaac Behunin, which named the Zion Park (Zion, muitas vezes usado na bíblia para se referir à própria terra santa). Moreover, many other mountains received biblical names. Com o reconhecimento do estado, Park won two titles 10 years - National Monument em 1909 and National Park em 1919. Com o início do turismo e a contrução de uma estrada principal de acesso, in 1925, built a lodge. For this, was necessary implode mountains and build tunnels that passed within the stones, which were only completed in 1930. In the course of time, o Zion virou um importante pólo turístico para aventureiros em busca de adrelina e contato com a natureza.

After this information-rich video, went to the track known as Emerald Pools. After a short walk, no less than 30 minutes, found a set of three pools, that serve as an oasis in the midst of that dry. The scenery was stunning. With a waterfall that flows through stone walls, the lakes are formed, while the trees color the view with its different shades of orange, red, amarelo and green. Ficamos sitting by uns 20 minutes, enjoying the landscape of vibrant colors, do canto dos pássaros e do cheiro de terra das rochas até que a “dona preta” desse sinais de sua chegada.

Gives rise Emerald Pools

Vegetation varied colors

NAND and Bruno admire is d'água

Well at the end of the trail

Water, earth and CEU

André analyzing the trail map

View along the trail

Despite not having rock paintings and the rock formations were eroded and more pointed, vimos certa semelhança do Zion com a Serra da Capivara.

Open cracks in rocks

We closed the trail around 18:40 e Fomos em Internet searches, since in there was camping. How many times in the United States, found in the restaurant where we had dinner. De once per campsite, we had a pleasant night's sleep with the noise of the water rushing by Virgin River.

On the morning of 02/11, agree well prepared, we set up a tasty breakfast and recorded 2 videos (assembling the tent and breakfast). We followed the trail towards more recommended, call Observation Point, advanced level, lasting about 6 hours. As we prepared for the climb, still around the car, know Primochz, a Slovenian who was alone, but within two minutes of conversation gained 5 escorts. We were the 6 together, talking about trails, national parks around, and access roads, já que iríamos visitar lugares que ele havia passado e vice-versa.

After 2 hours rise apace num, reached the top – Observation Point, hence the name of the trail - around 14:30h, where we stayed for 1 time, relaxing and enjoying the scenery, besides kill hunger with snacks we had brought. Upstairs, know a couple of Colombians, além do Yurgen, um alemão bastante viajado que nos fez companhia na descida também.

The Slovenian Primochz along with the expedition

Vista de cima do observation point

View of the river and the park road, they go hand in hand

Yurgen, Primochz and the expedition with the flag of Brazil

Em meio à descida e às belas paisagens, talked a lot about pros and cons of the U.S., and also about the country's presidential election, já que era véspera da mesma.

Way back

View under the gigantic walls

A beam of light amid the rocks

Break off and slide

On the way, still to find 4 women in the state of Utah, que ouvindo nossa conversa, manifestaram rapidamente que apoiavam Obama, to our surprise. One, to explain the reasons for the preference, told us he had worked in the government of Massachusetts, where Romney was gorvernador and left a rather bad impression. After pausing to discuss the political direction of the U.S., continue to descida, until you get back to Tanajura. At the despedirmos, received an invitation from Yurgen to spend the evening in your camping area, with your RV (recreational vehicle, kind of trailer, very common in the U.S. and Canada). We accepted the invitation, and went along with Primochz, até seu hotel, that was adjacent to a market, where to buy breads and cold colaborarar in "pique-nique". Lulled by the flames of the bonfire, a delicious stew prepared by Yurgen and by 6 liters of red wine and stayed until the 23:00 gathered ali. Like the adventurous spirit, o gosto pelo desconhecido era algo em comum entre todos ao redor daquela fogueira e o assunto ficou em torno das experiências de viagem de cada um.

Stew, wine, fogugueira and stories

Heating with fire and red wine

The next day, Wake up early, because we would have a few hours of road to Las Vegas, Our next destination. Leaving behind all that natural beauty, and take with us to make sure that, with all modifications that great natural wonder suffers over time, o Zion National Park é uma verdadeira obra de arte ainda em progresso.

To check out more photos from this Adventure, visit our flickr.

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Date: 30/10/2012 à 31/10/2012

After the warm welcome we had in metropolitan Salt Lake city, was time to leave for "wildlife" again. We went on 30 October Salt Lake City around 20:00 horas rumo ao Bryce Canyon, a national park, Utah ainda not. Was quase 1 hora manhã quando o termômetro marcava +3^the C when arriving at the hotel we had booked in Panguitch, city ​​that offers some infrastructure and is 40 km from the park entrance. Divided em 2 casal beds and 1 one floor, slept like a rock until we agreed the 8:30 morning by the hotel's owner, since we arrived last night of operation before the hotel is closed for winter, logo do not give Halloween. Despite the cold that made overnight, o termômetro bateu -2^the C, The sky dawned clear, cloudless sun and tried to make us put our coats back on Tanajura. By sinal, park was the busiest in the United States who had visited so far, depending on the weather still pleasant, já que ficava mais ao sul.

The National Park Bryce Canyon is part of the Colorado plateau and is traditionally known for its unique geological structures, Call hodoos. These geological formations are the result of erosion caused by wind, water and ice, beyond the elevation of the plateau (the average altitude of the park is 2,400 m), which meant that most of the existing lakes disappear. Among the most ancient peoples who inhabited the region, those who left more traces were Paiutes, Native Americans who explored the region in search of food, not only hunting, but also through cultivation of vegetables. Were Paiutes who created the legend that hodoos were legendary people who had been turned into rocks. But it was from 1.850 researchers who began arriving, Mormons overwhelmingly, in search of prime land for agriculture and farm animal. One of the Mormons was sent the Scotsman Ebenezer Bryce, that through his carpentry skills would be important for the development of the region. And that was indeed what occurred. Together with his family, settled on the right bank of the amphitheater, creating a border park. Helped establish communities, developed a road to be able to carry firewood and wood and a canal to irrigate his crops and watering their animals. Eventually, other settlers began to call that area of ​​Bryce Canyon, e daí se originou o nome do parque.

Hodoos vistos do Inspiration View

Bottom view of a hodoo

Reaching a national park in the United States is something that always impressed by the organization, cleaning and structure to receive visitors. After 10 minutes talking with rangers (guards / park guides), had all the infos we needed to take advantage of the one day that we would have in the park. Among the points we visited, the highlight was the trail 3 miles (4,8 km) duration, I had a harder it moderate and blended the Queens garden Trail and Navajo Loop Trail. The passage more "heavy", was a steep and winding hill, with curves forming a sort of zig-zag as we walked. Depending on the amount of amazing landscapes, stops for photography were constant, it made us take something around 3 hours to accomplish the route. It was necessary to take care of the dry land and the pebbles on the ground, that function as a banana peel, ready to take you to the ground. Called our attention the fact that in the middle “desert”, still exist condition that sprout trees, further coloring the landscape, that most of the time was composed of bluish sky, pelo verde das árvores e o vermelho dos canyons.

Lone Tree on the rocks

Expedition 4×1 no Inspiration View

According for more information about scattered throughout the park, There is an explanation for the coloration of formations. Originally, the ecru of the canyons is white, but with the iron particles deposited on the ground and oxidized with time were different colors and shades appearing as oranges, Yellow, Brown, red being the most striking feature. Moreover, the frequent and severe changes of temperature and incident light also affects the color over time. Moreover, The park also features several caves, that are the result of a concentration of water and snow q penetrate the innermost layer and areiosa and, to suffer pressure to be eliminated from the rocks, acabam levando areia junto.

Rocks in unstable equilibrium

Canyons

Hodoos trees and dividing the landscape

Already more to midafternoon, return to Tanajura, did a quick snack and headed for the scenic drive, A Estrada of 18 miles that cuts through the park and leads to the main viewpoints. As the road is two-way and the park is our left, we went to the last lookout and did all the stops on the way back. We passed several of them: Paria View, Rainbow and Yovimpa, Bryce Point, beyond Inspiration View, most of them impresionante. We stood there for almost 30 minutes admiring the scenery, feeling the wind blowing in our faces, uma sensação de como se o tempo tivesse parado naquele momento.

André hugging the wind

Ceu Azul and as rochas alaranjadas

End of the trail

After those relaxing moments, parted the scenic view and follow the road to our next destination. Uma passagem rápida e inspiradora pelos “canyons” avermelhados do Bryce.

To access more photos, click here !

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