Greetings America!

Hope you had a productive and accomplished work week and that your ready to enjoy the weekend I know I am! For those of you lucky enough to be visiting Zion National Park this weekend, we have some good news.

The North Fork wildfire that was started by lightning about 24 miles southeast of Cedar City. has been contained. The 5 acre fire is burning in the steep rugged terrain of the canyon. However, firefighters have been able to access the area on foot. Helicopter aerial attacks have also proven effective as Crews from Color County Fire Management, the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Dixie National Forest and the State of Utah are on the scene.

Due to the speedy containment response by firefighters, there have been no evacuations, injuries or closures. So those of you visiting the Park have nothing to fear as reports indicate that the fire is considered over 40% contained and crews say they hope to have it completely contained by Saturday night. "After Tuesday's high wind, we had favorable conditions today and the crews really got a lot of work done," Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Incident Commander David Hamilton said. "This is the step-by-step part of the job now - finding any leftover hot spots and getting rid of them," he said. "It's tenacious, demanding work, and the crews are doing a fantastic job. . . If we continue to get favorable weather and make good progress, we could begin to demobilize some of our crews by [tomorrow]."

The firefighters are to be commended for their quick and systematic containment of the fire so that we can enjoy Zion this weekend without having to fear for our safety our hats go off to these brave men doing their job to keep us from harm. Happy Trails!

Photo By: Picture Taking Fool ()

Last week we talked about the historic Zion Lodge. This week the lodge completed a renovation of some of the historic cabins that were part of the Lodge. Originally built in 1927, the cabins are listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The owners of the lodge, Xanterra Parks and Resorts, worked to restore the original look and feel of the cabins while keeping up with modern materials such as plumbing and electricity. 

"The cabins and baths inspired by Union Pacific archival photos have been redone to try and capture that feeling of a bygone era that made our national parks one of our country's proudest achievements," said Trina Smith, general manager of Zion Lodge. There are 40 of these cabins available and therefore space is limited. To make a reservation for one of these historic landmarks of Zion you can either visit the lodges website or call 888-297-2757
Happy Trails!

Photo by: Dr. Doc ()

Hope your summer is going well and full of adventure. For those of you planning to visit Zion this summer there are many options for staying overnight. You can get a camping permit and rough it out in the wilderness; you can stay in one of the towns around Zion such as Springdale or Rockdale; or you can stay in the historic Zion Lodge.

Located in the heart of Zion National Park, Zion Lodge has been a staple for park visitors since its creation in the 1920s. Designed by renowned National Park Lodge architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood, (who also designed lodges at Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Teton and the Grand Canyon) the lodge was the crowning jewel for tourists at Zion. Visitors liked that the lodge was modest in design and did not detract from the natural beauty that surrounded it. Destroyed by a fire in 1966 it was quickly rebuilt in less than a hundred days but it was not until 1990 that the original look was restored. 

The lodge features historic cabins with two double beds, full bath, gas log fireplaces and a private porch. Motel rooms are also available and either are ideal for kicking back and relaxing after a long day's hike. The lodge is open year round and features the Red Rock Grill, a renovated dining room which boasts a spectacular view of the surroundings while those in the mood for a more relaxed seating and dining can visit the Castle Dome Cafe. For more information and to book your stay just click on the link ⁽⁾

(Photo Credit: Hanneorla  )

Bloggers always pray that people miss them when their blogs don't pop up. I've been blog-stispated because my poor Mac caught a bad computer cold! Hope you missed it because now I'm overflowing with thoughts on Zion! Since I was separated from all things laptop, I had time to do a lot of things; catch up on my reading, get some more exercise in and most importantly for the blog, watch "Adventures in America's Parks: Zion & Bryce."

I profoundly enjoyed this movie. Despite the late nineties cheesy music and presentation, the content was the most informative and exciting of any Zion movie I have reviewed to this date. With interesting and helpful selections that ranged from hiking Angel's Landing to wading through the narrows to exploring the flora and fauna uniuqe to the area. With interviews with park staff and experts, this movie is without a doubt the one movie soley focused on Zion that you and your family need to see in preparation for your own Zion adventure. You can find it on Netflix by clicking on the link here () Have any other movie suggestions about Zion? Comment below. Happy Trails! 

For those looking for excitement, adventure and a fun time with both family and friends now is the best time to visit Zion National Park! Today begins the 4th Annual Amazing Earthfest in Kenab. Just a stone’s throw away from Zion, Kenab is located along Route 89, just a few miles west of the park. The event, which runs all week long features a wide array of activities from lectures to movies to Native American culture programs and horseback rides.

The event is designed to celebrate both national and state parks and help visitors form a greater appreciation for the natural wonders around them. The events are designed to be both educational and fun as scholars, scientists and staff of several major educational institutions are asked to take part in the activities along with artists, musicians and storytellers. Throughout the week there will be an art show, a nature hike, and a series of lectures every day along with various other activities designed to inspire and excite visitors of all ages and from all walks of life.

For a complete list of the daily events, directions or any other information please visit http://www.amazingearthfest.com/index.html . Feel free to share your experiences from this week in the comment section below
Happy Trails!