Musings from an Anchored Traveler: Cedar City, Kanaraville, Kolob Canyon

Yesterday Jarod and I drove from Moab to Cedar City, stopping at Fremont State Park along the way. We walked along an easy trail there that took us to many rocks with petroglyphs on them. We finished our drive from there and in the 4.5 hrs total from Moab to Cedar City, were amazed at the change of topography. The whole way you could see mountains but when you weren't driving on them, you were often driving over a completely flat plain with mountains around it. Then next thing you know, you're driving in the mountains again. And the rocks kept changing color. Red, gray, yellow, and then sandy with green shrubbery. Here in Cedar City, there are rolling hills/small mountains(?) all around us dotted with many green small trees/bushes. Its more green than Moab, but still arid.

Anyway, we arrived in Cedar City to CouchSurf with a family here. They have a really big and beautiful home and were also hosting a family of 4 from China. It was nice that we came too because Jarod speaks much better English than the Chinese family, so he could help translate. The mother of the Chinese family made a big Chinese dinner for all 9 of us (the Chinese family of 4 - they have 2 sons - the husband and wife hosts and their 7-year-old daughter, Jarod and me). The hosts are very nice and gave us some great ideas for hiking today.

I woke up this morning at 7:50 from my phone ringing - it was Jarod telling me that he got himself locked in the sewing room where he was sleeping. I was sleeping in a bed in the oldest daughter's room because she was out of town. So, I went to try and rescue Jarod, but I couldn't open the door either - it was stuck - so I went up stairs and luckily the wife was awake and she came and opened it. It took a lot of shoving because apparently the house has shifted some since being built - Jarod and I just didn't want to break anything! So, we got up and ate and got ready to go to Kanaraville where the husband said there was a great hike through a creek and up some waterfalls in the bottom of a slot canyon.

We got there and immediately noticed how the trail crossed in and out of the creek. It was really cold water, but I got used to it pretty quickly - though it did make my shoes heavier. Jarod doesn't take to cold well, and his feet were freezing.

At one point, we were walking the trail right alongside the creek and I heard a rattle slightly behind me to the left. I ran up the trail a bit more, then stopped to look for Jarod. He'd heard it to and being behind me, jumped into the creek. From there, he watched as the five-ish foot rattle snake slithered about and went into some rocks. We were both freaked, but I think he was more so. lol After that, he found a stick and started swishing it back and forth as we walked. I told him that prob. would just piss one off and make it attack more. I'm glad they have rattles. If I hadn't been warned, I might not have gotten out of the way. As it was, I never actually saw the snake myself.

I tried to stay in the creek as much as possible after that. Eventually we came to the first slot canyon (which means a really narrow canyon that has high walls on both sides). The first waterfall we had to go up had a nice little ladder made from a log with boards nailed to it. It was fairly simple. Then we came to an area where a big Mormon youth group were all hanging out. There were probably fifty kids but they left shortly after we arrived. We warned the leader about the snake.

Continuing up the canyon, we reached another slot canyon, and the lighting on the red rock and the clear water was a photographers dream. The second waterfall we had to get over was more tricky. There was only one slat to step on, and after that you had to hold onto ropes chained to the rock face and step on random logs/rocks to get up. I don't think I got a photo of it because I had to put my camera in double zip-lock bags inside my backpack because we got pretty wet on that one.

We probably hiked about two miles or so before turning around and heading back. It was really so much fun and thanks to the arid weather, my shoes are almost dry already.

When we left Kanarraville, we drove to Kolob Canyon which is part of Zion but not accessible from the part of Zion we were in at the beginning of the trip. We drove a five mile scenic drive in this northern part of Zion, then did a one mile round trip hike to the top of a mountain with a beautiful view. It felt right - ending the trip where we began it, and was the perfect peaceful ending to the trip.

Now we are back at our hosts home and are chilling out here until they all get back so we can have leftovers for dinner. The wife is working and the husband and little girl are helping a neighbor pack up boxes because they are moving soon.

Tomorrow we will leave here at 8:45 and I will fly from Vegas to ATL, then ATL to CLT arriving around midnight. Fun times in airports I'm sure. :)