The neighbors at the campground hiked the Narrows today and said you just have to do it! Got to the local outfitter just before they closed, renting water boots and neoprene socks, and a heavy-duty walking stick to help keep you upright in the current and rocks. I hear it’s helpful to be able to feel your feet while hiking.
The Narrows is the narrowest section of Zion Canyon. This gorge, with walls a thousand feet tall and the Virgin River sometimes just twenty to thirty feet wide. There is no trail. You hike the river – looking for the most shallow places or least current.
Got in line for the road to the Narrows to open. Vanna was the 5th car in line. The rangers only let in as many cars as there are parking places. Then as one car comes out, another is let in.
Heading out of Zion
It was sad to leave Zion, especially after such an epic hike. It was time to continue to head west. A final drive through the tunnel was a must do.
THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF ZION National Park is undeniable but for those with an interest in civil engineering, this 1.1-mile road tunnel is an impressive structure to admire while driving into or out of the park.
The Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel is equipped with six galleries, or openings that provide light, fresh air, and glimpses of the fantastic scenery just outside the tunnel. When viewed from the exterior, the galleries give testament to the imaginative design of the structure. During construction, the galleries were used as a means of disposing tunneling soil into the valley below.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/zion-mount-carmel-tunnel
Lake Mead
The idea was to drive to Hoover Dam and check out the new bridge by the dam. A source on the internet said it was open, but alas, it was not. You can’t even see it in the distance. You can drive over the bridge, but you can’t see the structure underneath.
https://www.hdrinc.com/portfolio/mike-ocallaghan-pat-tillman-memorial-bridge-hoover-dam-bypass
Had to settle for this free campsite on the shore of Lake Mead!
Van-Tastic Adventures 