West Rim Trail and Temple of Sinawava

We were up and out early again today so we could park at the visitor's center, rather than take the shuttle in from Springdale. We got the last legal parking spot in overflow.  Today's first route was toward Scout's Lookout and then on to the West Rim trail.  The scenery is just beautiful.  The trail seems to have gotten steeper since we were last here....
This is taken from the middle of the climb up to Scout's Lookout.

Flowers are growing out of the cracks of the rocks - we were on Walter's Wiggles by then.  Did you know that the Wiggles are on the National Register of Historic Places?  The trail was put in place by the first superintendent of the park so that people would be able to get up to Angel's Landing.

Here we are on the West Rim Trail.  It's also gorgeous up there.  Parts of the trail are rocky, and parts are not.

The scenery is also magnificent from this trail.  It was windy and chilly up there.  Apparently weather is headed our way, with falling temperatures and perhaps rain.  Rain!  It is not supposed to rain in my presence.

When we were heading back we walked over to an overlook that gives a good view of Angel's Landing.  That is the pointy rock on the left.

I've zoomed and cropped so you can see the right edge of the rock.  That's where people walk to get to the top.  Jim and I have decided that we can be fully self actualized people without ever doing that hike.

We saw these two on the way back down.  I wish I could have gotten a picture of their faces.  Both of them had multiple piercings in the lips and eye brows, and he was wearing black lipstick.  I am totally loving the entire outfit, including the backpack and the tails.  It's good that they found each other, they appear to be really well matched as a couple.

We took the shuttle up to the Temple of Sinawava.  I walked right up to this Golden Mantled squirrel for his picture.

The squirrels have no fear of people.  We saw one walking up to a man having a snack, I think he would have run up his arm for the food if the man didn't swat at him.  On the trail they would walk along side of people, evaluating whether or not there might be food.

This is the Virgin river closer to the temple.  The water is really clear and really blue.

People come here to wade/hike the Narrows.  Most people rent neoprene socks, river shoes and water proof pants.  That water is unbelievably cold.  The whole canyon is cold because it's shaded by the canyon walls.

It was a good day.  We got about 8 miles on our feet with not too much discomfort.  My hip did not actually complain until we got off the shuttle after returning to the visitor's center.

In other park news, Kolob Terrace road is under construction. There are significant closure times during the day through the end of October.  Click on the link HERE for the details.