Grand Canyon National Park, North Rim & Best Friends Animal Sancturary, Kanab, Utah

We left Zion National Park and stopped by Best Friends in Kanab, Utah on our way to the Grand Canyon north rim. We toured Best Friends and saw some great kittens to adopt but alas we felt as if we had no capability to do so as our camper and car were full of our camping gear providing little space to accommodate such a task. On the way in to The Grand Canyon north rim we experienced rain which let up a bit for our set up at the north rim camp ground. The monsoon season is in full swing here making it difficult to experience the many views the park has to offer. We did our best between rain showers to explore Bright Angel point near the North Rim Lodge.  We have two days here and hopefully the weather will break and provide up with more exploring opportunities. North Rim Lodge is comfortable and a camp store near us provides us with a place to hang out, shower and do laundry. 

Best Friends Visitor Center

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Kanab, Utah 

Campsite near North Rim

Barbara hiking near Bright Angel Lodge

Bright Angel Point Trail

View of the Grand Canyon from Bright Angel Point

View Point overlooking The Grand Canyon from Bright Angle Lodge

View Point overlooking The Grand Canyon from Bright Angel Lodge

Barbara and Doug at the same view point as the image above

On our second day at the North Rim of The Grand Canyon we rode out to Imperial Point but with little views as the weather was poor only giving us brief breaks to see limited views. Such is the timing of our experience as mother nature determines the conditions at any given moment making it natures choice.

Sun peaking out at Point Imperial

View into the Grand Canyon from the Bright Angel Trail

Lunch at North Rim Lodge

North Rim Lodge

After leaving at the North Rim of The Grand Canyon we traveled past the Vermilion Cliffs, to Marble Canyon where the Navajo Bridge crosses the Colorado River over Marble Canyon. We stopped at a Rock House before Marble Canyon where the Navajo Indians had a stand set up to sell native American jewelry. 

Vermilion Cliffs

Colorado River Gorge

Navajo Bridge over the Colorado River

Worker inspecting the Navajo Bridge far above the Colorado River

Not for the faint of heart

Rock House near Marble Canyon

Navajo Indians native art for sale

Grand Canyon National Park, North Rim

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Zion National Park

Barbara and I are having a wonderful time at Zion National Park. Zion is one of our favorite national parks  with amazing scenery and convenient transportation to all the highlights of the park. We have electric which is a treat after almost three weeks dry camping. The sandstone formations created by the waters of the Virgin River are master pieces of mother nature. We walked the narrows marveling at the sheer canyon walls above us. From Zion we journey to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon for three nights and two days where we will meet up with our dear friend Ron from Page, AZ.

Zion National Park

The Three Patriots

Beautiful and Majestic Zion National Park

The Virgin River

Barbara on the bank of the Virgin River Narrows

Hiking down the Narrows

Weeping Wall

The Great White Throne

Zion Visitor Center

The Great Arch

Weeping Wall

View of the Virgin River from the Emerald Pool Trail

Buck Deer near Angels Landing

Flower by the Narrows Trail

Emerald Pool Hike

Checkerboard Mesa

Zion mile long Tunnel leading to the Zion Valley

Canyon View Trail

Cool rest place on Canyon View Trail

Zion Valley from Canyon View Trail View Point

Zion National Park

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Tioga Pass, Yosemite National Park & Lake Tahoe

Barbara and left Yosemite National Park and drove over the rugged Tioga Pass heading towards Mono Lake. We stopped at Olmstead Point to view Yosemite Valley from the high country of beautiful  Sierra peaks. We stopped at Toulumne  Meadows to view the highest meadow in the Sierra a magical place peacefully existing in a valley surrounded by mountains. 

View from Olmstead Point of Half Dome on the Tioga Pass Hwy.

Doug & Barbara at Olmstead Point

Mono Lake 

We stocked up on supplies in Carson City at Trader Joe's before arriving just before dark at Fallen Leaf campground just west of South Lake Tahoe, NV.  Our first day of the two days we camped out at Fallen Leaf Lake was memorable. We discovered Fallen Leaf Lake a short bike ride from our campsite to be a big surprise as we had no knowledge that such a beautiful high Sierra Lake would be in our backyard so to speak. The peaks surrounding the Lake towered to  nearly 10,000 feet while the clear lake invited all who visited her to swim in it's clear waters. On day two we rode our bikes a short distance to Lake Tahoe where we visited the Lake shore and hiked several of the natural trails near the National Forest visitors center. We drove up to Kaspian campground near Tahoe City to meet Barbara's daughter Daralyn and her friend Glen to drop off supplies for Burning Man.  The smoke from the fire south of us in Yosemite limited our visibility as we drove by beautiful Emerald Bay on the winding high mountain highway. We were very impressed with natural beauty of Lake Tahoe and all the scenery that surrounds it.

Glen, Daralyn, Barbara and Doug on the shores of Lake Tahoe

Our Campsite at Fallen Creek Campground, Lake Tahoe

Fallen Leaf Lake

On the shores of Fallen Leaf Lake

Castle Island in Emerald Bay

Shore of Lake Tahoe

Barbara, Doug and Barb's daughter Daralyn by Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe, Fallen Leaf Campground

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