SUNDAY, 2 NOVEMBER 2025

(Springdale, UT)

[Editor’s note: On this and all days, please ignore any auto correct mis-types…it seems determined to vary my intended text at random!]

After lasting until 10pm last night I was optimistic about getting a good night’s sleep. Sadly, such optimism was misplaced. Still, I enjoyed reading my book between 3-5am, by which time I was sufficiently tired again to go back to sleep. With the clocks going back, I still managed to get 8 hours sleep in, so not too bad, I suppose.

I got up, made coffee and went for a wander to explore the view while drinking it. It was about 8 degrees, sunny and fresh, which made for a perfect morning feeling. There are some good photo locations around the property.

We had breakfast at the hotel, which was very good. In previous years we have generally gone to the Cafe Soleil, a place we always looked forward to going for both the food and the general ambience. However, we discovered before coming here that it had unfortunately (for us) closed, and is now a French patisserie shop, so finding breakfast elsewhere was essential. 

After eating we got ourselves ready as quickly as we reasonably could. Our original plan was to walk the Pa’rus Trail, but this would be in full sun, with very little shade and the temperature was already climbing. I changed the plan, and suggested the Northgate Peaks Trail. This is a 40 minute drive away, up the Kolob Terrace Road, ‘up’ being the key factor. At an altitude of nearly 7,000 feet, the air temperature was cooler, and the trail before from intermittent shade of pine trees. It was 66 degrees (19C) which was much more comfortable although the strength of the sun made it feel much warmer.

We set off, passing a couple with some dogs which as far as I know aren’t allowed on Zion wilderness trails. Andrew pointed out he also had a gun in a holster. I didn’t see fit to mention anything about the dogs.

The route crosses meadow and weaves between pine trees, most of which had already lost their jumbo sized pine cones, which decorated the ground. The trail is sandy in places (as with many Zion trails – it is all sandstone, after all) and Andrew’s new black boots were soon a paler shade than when he began hiking.

Amongst the pine trees, we could hear Woodpeckers going about their business. Spotting them wasn’t too difficult, but getting a photo was a much greater challenge.

We reached the end of the trail, which very definitely ends with a vertical drop off from a collection of lava rocks. The view was good but, after a short while, we set off back and then stopped to rest on a fallen log and eat our lunch snack.

On the way back we were stopped by a group of guys who asked “Does the view get better after here?”, to which Andrew just answered “yes”… I expanded on this, to provide full information on where to go, trail directions, and distances. My parting shot was to tell them to have fun. And not to get lost…

Back at the trailhead, we met a lovely couple of older guys who sounded like they were straight off the Dukes of Hazzard. They, too, asked about trail options, so I ran through my tour guide routine again, while Andrew avoided the temptation to call them the Good Ol’ Boys. 

We decided to drive on up to the summit of the road, to visit Lava Point overlook. From here, you can see over miles of canyons.

The drive back down was just as beautiful, as the afternoon sun lit up the adjacent cliffs. Back in Springdale, we called in at Sol’s supermarket, where the car just fitted in the car park.

After that, it was time to relax, shower and go for dinner, which tonight we had at the Scout Bar & Grill, part of our hotel complex. I then decided to try some star photography, which this time I’m doing in my phone using a special app. I have to say, it was quite fun. Unlike my camera, where you take a photo, and have absolutely no idea what it looks like until it’s finished, the star trails photo ‘develops’ in front of your eyes, so you can decide when to stop. The one I took tonight was just 10 minutes of activity.

And that’s it for today. Fingers crossed for a full night’s sleep.