Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Mt Charleston - Kyle Canyon - 5/30/09


Kyle Canyon - (14), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

I stayed at the Resort on Mt Charleston (booked it on Expedia so I got a great rate - better than a Motel 6!), which was a good thing, cuz when I got there, it was pouring rain. I mean, POURING buckets. And then there was the hail....and up higher in the canyon, it was snowing lightly. Crazy weather. At least there was a rainbow at the end of it all. Lucky for me, Sunday was sunshiney :)

Kyle Canyon - Mt Charleston


Kyle Canyon - (9), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Kyle Canyon - Prickly Pear Cactus

Kyle Canyon - Purple Sage


Kyle Canyon - Purple Sage, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Kyle Canyon - Palmer's Penstemon

Kyle Canyon - Palmer's Penstemon

Kyle Canyon - Indian Paintbrush


Kyle Canyon - Indian Paintbrush, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Kyle Canyon - Desert Four O'Clock

Kyle Canyon - Wishbone Bush


Kyle Canyon - Wishbone Bush (5), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Kyle Canyon - Prickly Poppy


Kyle Canyon - Prickly Poppy (4), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Kyle Canyon - Blazing Star


Kyle Canyon - Blazing Star (6), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Kyle Canyon - Apache Plume


Kyle Canyon - Apache Plume, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Cedar Breaks National Monument - 5/31/09


Cedar Breaks Ntl Monument (2), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Cedar Breaks is like a mini Bryce Canyon. It has an ampitheater of hoodoos and cool rock formations, very similar to Bryce Canyon, just on a smaller scale. The elevation at Point Supreme, where this shot was taken, is 10,350 ft, so it was quite chilly, As you can tell, there were thunderstorm clouds all around, and I saw quite a bit of lightning and heard plenty of thunder. After driving around for a bit, it started to rain, so I headed down the mountain.

Bryce Canyon Ntl Park - Sunset Viewpoint - 5/31/09

I only had a little while to spend at Bryce Canyon, as I went there on a whim. I had only intended to go to Cedar Breaks and then to Zion, but since the weather turned nasty at Cedar Breaks, and I only spent maybe an hour there, I thought, what the heck. I might as well hit Bryce too :)

Bryce Canyon Ntl Park - Sunset Viewpoint (16)

smallBryce Canyon Ntl Park - Utah Prairie Dog (2)

I saw quite a few of these little guys in the meadows in Bryce Canyon. Cute, huh?

Bryce Canyon Ntl Park - Pronghorn Antelope (2)

I saw this little guy peacefully grazing in a meadow in Bryce Canyon. A little farther away, there was a mama and her baby trotting off into the trees. So cute.

Red Canyon - Columbine


Red Canyon - Columbine (4), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Red Canyon - Blue Flax


Red Canyon - Blue Flax (2), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Red Canyon - Utah


Red Canyon (9), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Right before you get to Bryce Canyon National Park, you drive thru this lovely little area, called Red Canyon. It gives you a little sneak peak to Bryce Canyon, so to speak.

Red Canyon


Red Canyon (4), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Zion National Park - 5/31/09


Zion Ntl Park - (2), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

I ended up at Zion around 3:00 or so and stayed for a few hours. I was supposed to camp out there and come back home on Monday, but the thunderstorms were brewing in the background, and after I heard a big thunderclap and saw some lightning, I decided to head for home - lol. I can always go back again. It is not THAT far of a drive - about 6 hours from Bakersfield. You can bet I will be back again.

Zion Ntl Park - Prickly Pear Cactus

Zion Ntl Park - Checkerboard Mesa

Zion National Park


Zion Ntl Park - (3), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Zion Ntl Park - Zion Arch


Zion Ntl Park - Zion Arch, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Zion National Park


Zion Ntl Park - (15), originally uploaded by kimberzy.