Travel notes, photos, videos, and comments from all over the world. I may earn income from purchases of advertised products or clicking links. Please follow via email. Thanks Geoff Sutton of Sutton Travels blog and YouTube
We visited
Arches National Park 8 April 2021. Friends warned us about the crowds and
difficulty parking so we got up at 6:00 AM, got a breakfast grab bag and
immediately saw the busy hotel hallways.
We easily entered the
park from the South just off highway 191. We couldn’t resist a few stops for early morning photos.
We turned
onto the Delicate Arch Road. Parking for the famous Delicate Arch was full so
we parked a mile further along the road at a lot where you can view the arch in
the distance.
Delicate Arch Viewpoint & Parking Area
The distant Delicate Arch from the Viewpoint
We walked back to the trail head, which of course added two miles
to the hike. There are toilets and parking by the trailhead.
The 3-mile
trail to the Delicate Arch is rated “strenuous.” It is one of the most famous
arches in the world and a symbol of Utah. The park itself has over 2,000 arches.
By the time we returned to our vehicle, we had walked over 5 miles.
The rocky areas and narrow path near the top requires caution. I recommend good hiking shoes and the capacity for balance and dealing with looking over the sides of cliffs. I slipped once but wasn't hurt.
We stopped at
a viewpoint for lunch--not our lovely dog but who could resist this face?
Next we
drove to a two part trail. One path led to Sand Dune Arch.
The other
path led to Broken Arch.
Our last
hike was to Landscape Arch, which you can see is long like a rock bridge.
Sign for Landscape Arch
Landscape Arch
I took some videos throughout the park, which are on my YouTube Channel: SuttonTravels
Zion National Park is Utah's first national park and is located in the southwestern corner of the state. We traveled from Bryce Canyon National Park so entered using the eastern entrance on Route 9. Close to the entrance is Checkerboard Mesa.
Close to the Eastern Entrance is a scenic view. And, by the way, there are toilets near the entrance.
This video shows the colourful rock strata close to the Checkerboard Mesa on Route 9. It is available in 4K (Pixel 4).
Here's a panorama along the scenic route.
After dealing with slow traffic through the long tunnel (Zion-Mt Carmel Tunnel), we stopped for a break and this video.
We turned south toward the visitor's center because points north were only available by shuttle bus or bicycle. The parking lot was full so we rode around a few times before getting lucky. We had our lunch in the car and selected the Pa'rus trail, which runs along the Virgin River.
I took three short videos along this easy trail. The first video is near the trailhead.
The second video is a short scene along the way.
And the third video is a refreshing small waterfall.
The trail is easy for hikers and bikers. We kept to the sides because a lot of people were on bikes. There are a number of dogs but all were on leashes. The views are amazing so I recommend the trail, but seasoned hikers won't find a challenge. Here's one panorama.
After returning to the visitor's center, we checked out the possibility of getting shuttle bus tickets. These tickets are limited and should be purchased in advance--see the link on the park's website. Walk-up tickets began at 2 PM. Luckily, we got our shuttle wrist band and were sent to the front seat. However, the shuttle service uses a bendy-bus so our views of the northern section of the park were from the side windows of the "second class" section.
We spent the night in Springdale, Utah, which is close to the southern entrance. Shuttles are available so you could leave a vehicle at your nearby hotel and ride into the park. We enjoyed a nice stay at the Best Western Plus, with fabulous views from our balcony.
After relaxing, we enjoyed fish n' chips at Blondie's Diner in Springdale, Utah. There are several restaurants in the area. Our hotel host suggested getting an early dinner because the crowds leave the park around 6 PM.
The next day, we were up early to beat the crowds. We drove up Interstate 15 and used Exit 40 to enter the Kolob Canyons section of Zion National Park.
We drove to the end of the scenic Kolob Canyons Road and hiked the Timber Creek Trail to the overlook point. Hardly anyone was in the area!
Here's a look from the top.
I took this video from the overview point at the top of the trail.
If you are planning a visit, do check the website for the latest news, trail information, hours, tickets, and more. We were lucky to get the shuttle tickets and we saw a lot in our two part-days. There's so much more to see here. And many of the longer trails look interesting; however, we prefer less crowded settings.
Kruger Park, South Africa, May 2009 / Geoff Sutton
I visited Kruger Park in South Africa in May 2009. The adventure began early in the morning as I drove a van full of university students to the park. Fortunately, my South African friend, Johan Mostert, took the wheel as we approached the park. This post includes photos and videos of our visit.
Soon after we entered the park, we watched a female lion reject a male's interest. They roared close to the road. We're pretty excited. What majestic animals!
Here's my short video from YouTube.
A large elephant approached our kombi so we zipped out of the way!
Luckily, I got a good shot. I also posted a video on my YouTube channel.
At one point we stopped as zebras meandered across the road in front of us.
Off to the side, a secretary bird took flight.
Watching the giraffes is an awesome experience. It's like being in a nature film.
Following are some additional photos from this amazing park.
Gacelle
Hippopotamus
We spent a night in the park, which I highly recommend.
This Baobab tree symbolizes so much of the cycle of life because they can live for thousands of years.
We have been visiting the St Louis Zoo for about 50 years. It's a fabulous zoo located in beautiful Forest Park St. Louis, Missouri. I decided to make this page about the Big Cats because they are the favorites of my grandchildren.
Lions are social animals living in groups called prides. They live in the grasslands and savannas of Africa. The male is larger than the female and has a large mane about its head.*
Lion by Geoff Sutton, 2021/Cannon EOS 70D
I took this photo of a cheetah 22 October 2021-- the cropped version is at the top of this post. The cheetah is the fastest land animal with speeds of 80 to 128 kmh (50 to 80 mph). They range in length between 3.6 to 4.9 feet and the adults weight between 20 to 65 kg (44 to 143 pounds). ***
The coluring of the tigers is amazing. And this one is a fitting specimen to represent the Missouri Tigers though I would hope the athletes are more energetic.
Tigers can be found in India, Nepal, Russia and China. They weigh between 220 and 660 pounds and measure 6 to 10 feet in length. They may live as long as 20 years in the wild.
Tiger 10 March 2021/Geoff Sutton
Jaguars are the largest cats in South America. Leopards look similar to Jaguars but one key difference can be found in the "spots." The rosettes on the Jaguar have inner spots but those on Leopards do not. There is a size difference, which may not be obvious in a zoo. Jaguars weigh 36 to 158 kg compared to Leopards, which range from 17 to 90. Here's a useful link panthera.org.
I took all of the photos on this page at the St Louis Zoo using either my Nikon Coolpix camera or my Canon SLR EOS 70D.
As of the date of this post, admission to the St Louis Zoo is free but there is a charge for parking. Free parking can sometimes be found along the side of the roads around Forest Park.
.JPG)
