Pa’rus Trail is an easy 3.5 mile-hike (round trip)
from the Visitor’s Center to Canyon Junction that offers stunning vistas. It’s
the only trail in Zion National Park where dogs are allowed. Yay for the whole pack!
From our campground in Hatch, we drove 72 miles passing
through Escalante and turning right on Hole-in-the-Rock Road.Hole-in-the-Rock Road is an unpaved road of
variable quality offering different intensities of unwanted full body massage.
We drove 26 miles and stopped at the first parking area.We had to walk a mile to get to the trailhead
where the second parking area’s located.Unfortunately, it’s only accessible by high clearance vehicles.
We descended about one mile to the mouth of the slot
canyon.There wasn’t a prescribed trail
but we were told at the Visitor’s Center to follow the cairns.The Dry Fork Narrows is about 2-miles
round-trip.
We would’ve wanted to explore Peek-a-boo Slot Canyon too but
the clouds turned dark and threatening.However, Pete climbed 12 feet up to the entrance to have a sneak peek.
I’ve never seen anything quite like it in my travels here in
the US and abroad.The vast amphitheater
of weird-shaped rock pillars and geologic formations mesmerized the (fairly)
seasoned traveller in me.“Hoodoo do you love?” they asked in their
sweet, enchanting voices.“You, I love all of you,” I replied.
Pete and I hiked the 3-mile Queens Garden/Navajo Combination
Loop, heeding the Bryce Canyon National Park Hiking Guide’s recommendation of
clockwise direction.I’m not sure though
if it made any difference.Either way, I
would’ve have been out of breath climbing up.