Desert Thunder Stock Car Races

 So as life would have it, I couldn't just graduate and NOT have a graduation trip of some sort. So I grabbed some buddies and we went camping in Zion National Park! It was SPECTACULAR! I got to do 2 new hikes I hadn't tried yet and the weather was stunning! I was so in love! We drove down Saturday night and got in too late to do anything but take the tour of the park and a quick hike up to weeping rock...
classic.
Then we headed to the campsite and set up our stuff! It was a great evening!

 Sunday morning we got up and did the Canyon Overlook trail. It's about a mile hike but not strenuous at all and really you feel quite adventurous when you do it. Definitely recommend for families :] and then not only do you get to drive through the Mr. Carmel tunnel (every Utahn must do this.. not excuses) and get to see the other side of Zions, the trail leads by slot canyons and tons of cool slick rock to take you to a viewing point of the main canyon. 

So behind me we have.... The alter of sacrifice. haha 

I just loved this view! That's looking at the sheer rock in which you would never guess, but there's a tunnel in there and there's one of the windows that look out from the tunnel! 

Then starting a little later then I would've liked, we did Angel's Landing! We booked right on up it and really it's not bad at all. The last .25 mile is the hardest for sure.

Here I am playing with death by standing sooo close to the edge... 

 One of my favorite views :]

 I love panaramas! This looks down my fav. view of the canyon and the narrow trail we followed out to the main viewing point.

For those of you wondering what the last .25 miles and the "scary" part of the hike looks like.. this is about it... You have chains to hold onto if you need them (could easily do without to be honest) but it's a pretty cool view looking down. 

 Next, we did Observation Point! Unfortunately we started it at like 1 in the afternoon, the HOTTEST time to do it because almost the whole thing was in the sun. Needless to say we were hiking in our sports bras and definitely getting sun burned!

All in all it's an 8 mile hike, 4 up and 4 down. Doesn't sound too bad right? Wrong, it was terrible, but most because it was soooo hot and we did it just after Angel's Landing so we were pretty tired already. Ah well we survived.. we just didn't take like any pictures till we made it to the top. hah

 The top was incredible though! Here is the elevation mark!


And there's my favorite view again this time with Angel's Landing in the middle! Can't believe we were looking down on it, as if that hike wasn't hard enough.

 Again.. why pass up a great panorama?

Pointing DOWN at Angel's Landing. Regardless of how awesome that was, Observation Point had sweeping 360 degree views all around. It was worth it! 

 And then there's me and another crazy from our group hanging our feet over the edge... Yep i'm adventuresome! haha

 I love the way the canyon is just drop off and deep at one point, and then spaces out into greener plateaus. It was way cool being at the top of Zion canyon for a change!

 Well we finally finished that hike around 6:30 and we quickly grabbed the most delicious burgers at Switchback Jack's sports bar (seriously... eat there and you will understand. It is a Zion must for me now) and hit the road to drive forever! It was an exhausting trip but soooo fun!

And of course there was the ritual burning of me setting ablaze my last bit of hw....


EVERRRRRR!


:)