ZION NATIONAL PARK, Utah -- Jane and Dave Ford had expected this to be a quick stop.

''We're snowbirds,'' said Jane, resting on a bench after a summer afternoon trail ride. ``We've been in Scottsdale, and we're on our way home. We normally zip back as fast as we can.''

But the Fords, who live in West Vancouver, British Columbia, found themselves transfixed by the beauty of Zion National Park.

''It's gorgeous. It's spectacular,'' Dave said. ``I used to be a tour bus driver herding people through the Canadian Rockies. We used to show off things (we described) as spectacular, and they were nothing like this. These sandstone cliffs are spectacular.''

''It certainly makes you feel small,'' Jane said. ``How insignificant you are.''

Many of Zion's show-stopping attractions are accessible from the park's main road, served by an efficient shuttle system. What's more, Zion is within a few hours' drive of other national park gems such as Utah's Bryce Canyon or Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, or even the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

It's not a stretch to say the Mormon pioneers were awed when they settled this part of Utah back in the 1860s. They're the ones who decided that Zion, a name with roots in the Bible, was an appropriate name for the entire area.

It's almost impossible not to cast your eyes heavenward. Zion is home to some of the world's tallest monoliths, red sandstone cliffs rising 2,000 feet or more above the Virgin River.

And once you're looking up, well, thoughts of heaven may just follow.

The names of many of the landmark formations are reminders of the park's genesis: Angels Landing, the Great White Throne, the Altar of Sacrifice and the Court of the Patriarchs, a monolith trio named for the biblical figures Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

With that in mind, I laced up my hiking shoes one summer morning, slipped on my backpack and started looking for trails to explore.

Zion is one of the nation's most-visited parks -- 2.6 million people arrived in 2006 -- but on the trails it feels much less crowded. Hit the snack shop at Zion Lodge in midafternoon and the line stretches out the door. But on the winding trail that climbs past Weeping Rock you may find yourself looking for company.

Summer days can be hot -- 90s and even 100s -- so an early start is smart. On my first morning I was in search of the Emerald Pools, three crystal-clear ponds accessed by a climb that's just steep enough to make you appreciate chances to rest.

As the trail snakes up the mountain, it becomes difficult to decide whether to look down or up. Below meanders the North Fork of the Virgin River, responsible for excavating Zion Canyon many millions of years ago. Above, the vermilion cliffs rise at angles that seem impossibly steep.

After a mile or so the first of the pools appears, and the rewards are immediate -- refreshing water to soak your feet, great slabs of red rock to rest upon and thick forest cover for shade. Water seeps from the rocky walls. A narrow waterfall sprays from high above.

The pools are a pretty easy climb, but don't let them be your gauge. Other trails offer significantly greater challenges.

Ed and Terry Tennison of Austin, Texas, found that out firsthand on a hike to Angels Landing, which earned its name apparently because it's so steep no one but an angel could land on its peak.

'We saw a guy pointing to the peak and he said, `We're going there,' '' Ed said. ``I just started laughing. But we did go there.''

Park literature refers to the Angels Landing hike as strenuous.

''There's almost a ledge connecting one peak to another,'' Terry said of their experience. ``There are sharp drop-offs on both sides. It's not two people wide. And it's steep.''

Fortunately, chains along the steepest parts of the trail offer a little security.

''And it's something I really wanted to hang onto,'' Ed said. 'At some point I started laughing at the word `hike.' It was more of a climb.''

''Which we now have a term for,'' Terry said. ``Clike.''

Back on safer ground, the Tennisons remembered one other thing from their ascent: ``awesome views.''

I met the Tennisons one morning on another hike, a two-mile walk with ranger Holly Baker called ``On the Edge of Survival.''

Sounds dicey, but it wasn't our survival we were worried about. More about plants and animals and how they endure in this difficult land.

''It's a pretty harsh landscape,'' Baker said.

Zion stretches through parts of the Mojave and Great Basin deserts as well as the Colorado Plateau. The area receives less than 14 inches of rain a year. ''Plus the constant sun really adds to the harshness,'' Baker said.

How, then, can you account for the rich diversity of plant and animal life? More than 900 plant species can be found at Zion, the park Web site says. It's the richest array in Utah, along with 78 species of mammals, 291 types of birds and 44 species of reptiles and amphibians.

''Animals don't pay attention to the boundaries scientists have drawn on a map,'' Baker said. Still, they have had to come up with some pretty ingenious ways to survive. For instance, birds and lizards congregate beneath boulders or in other shady areas.

''One of the problems with living in the desert is there is a lot of exposure,'' Baker said. ``There isn't much opportunity to escape the sun. . . . So this is where the animals go to get away from the brutal sun in the afternoon.''

Likewise, the prickly pear cactus has adapted with a waxy skin that protects like Chapstik. Its fine shallow roots take advantage of quick rains.

Baker pointed to a patch of black moss clinging to one rock along the trail. It's called resurrection moss, she said, and it's a good example of how quickly even a little water can aid a plant. We poured a few drops of water on the moss, and within seconds the black had turned to soft green. Ah, nature.

''Out here it's all about wet and dry,'' Baker said.

The Virgin River, one of the last undammed rivers in the West, shows the transformative power of water. Away from its banks grow yuccas and prickly pears, junipers and pinon pines. Plants and trees that need more water, like the Freemont cottonwood, are thick along the riverbank.

''It's a harsh land with a ribbon of life,'' Baker said. ``We get this explosion of life here because water is the source of it all.''

It's a short but steep climb from the shuttle to Weeping Rock, a monstrous rock alcove that drips continuously because of a spring. It's an interesting diversion, but by then I was game for something more.

The Hidden Canyon Trail was calling. The hike is only a couple of miles round trip, but the park newspaper describes it as strenuous, with an 850-foot ascent and deep dropoffs. Allow three hours to climb and return, it says.

It was getting late in the day, but this might be my only chance to see the canyon. Mindful of the heat and my water supply, I headed up.

Weeping Rock had been full of giggling children and parents trying to pose them for vacation pictures. Hidden Canyon, on the other hand, was practically empty.

It didn't take long to figure out why. The trail was heart-stoppingly steep. With each switchback, the slope seemed to become more precipitous. I looked down, when I dared, and was astonished at how quickly I had climbed and how increasingly beautiful the view was becoming. But I had a long way to go.

For an hour or so, my routine remained the same. Climb. Breathe. Sip. Climb. Finally, I got to a point where the trail leveled out a bit. The mountaintop no longer seemed unreachable. A sign appeared: Hidden Canyon. I must be getting close. But where was it?

As the trail slinked around the craggy rocks, it also narrowed, and I could see trouble ahead. I was content to keep walking, but I was a little uncomfortable doing this by myself if it meant walking sideways with my back to the side of a cliff or, even worse, climbing from this height.

Zion or not, I wasn't ready to meet my maker this day.

So I headed down. I took a long draw from my water bottle and looked out across the canyon -- down at the Virgin River, across the valley and toward the Great White Throne.

And, strangely, I was reminded of Field of Dreams. Do you remember the scene where Shoeless Joe Jackson asks Ray Kinsella, ``Is this heaven?''

No. It was Utah.

Close enough.

------

ABOUT THE PARK:

Thousands of years before Zion National Park was established, southwestern Utah was populated by native cultures, including the Anasazi people and Paiute Indians. Mormon pioneers began settling the area in the 1860s.

In 1909 the area was proclaimed Mukuntuweap National Monument. Mukuntuweap is a Paiute word meaning ''straight arrow.'' In 1918 the name was changed to Zion. National park status was awarded in 1919.

Today's park comprises 229 square miles, or 147,000 acres in the Great Basin and Mojave deserts and the Colorado Plateau.

ANIMAL WATCH:

Its dry, hot climate might not seem especially welcoming but Zion is home to hundreds of species of plants and animals.

Along the Virgin River, especially in the evening, look for wild turkeys. They often roost in trees. Mule deer are common throughout the park. Coyotes and bobcats roam, too. Look for lizards in the rocks along the trails, including Utah Banded Geckos and Collared Lizards.

PLANT LIFE:

Freemont cottonwoods are common in the green areas near the Virgin River. Look for shaggy-barked junipers and pinon pines, often together. On the ground you'll find plenty of yuccas and prickly pear cactus, which may sport delicate yellow and bright pink blossoms in early summer. Look for other wildflowers then, too, such as the sacred datura, or Zion lily.

DON'T MISS:

Free shuttle buses traverse the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive from early morning until late in the evening. It's the best -- and often only -- way to see the park. The main trailheads and highlights of Zion Canyon can be accessed by shuttle. You can walk short, easy trails or hit the high, hard ones.

Be sure to stop at the Zion Human History Museum, where you can learn about the early peoples who lived in the area. From there, you can access the gentle Pa'rus Trail, 3 ½ miles round trip. It follows the Virgin River and is handicap-accessible.

A very short (100 yards, round trip) trail leads from the highway to a great view of the Three Patriarchs, the peaks named for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

A steep but short (half-mile round-trip) trail leads to Weeping Rock, where an alcove constantly drips with spring water. From Weeping Rock, you can also take the steeper, more strenuous Hidden Canyon Trail, which leads to a small canyon and magnificent views of landmarks such as the Great White Throne.

From Zion Lodge or the Grotto, head to the three Emerald Pools or hike the much more strenuous, narrow Angels Landing Trail, which offers chains you can hold onto if you get nervous.

At the Temple of Sinawava, follow the Riverside Walk, a paved trail along the Virgin River. You can continue into the Zion Narrows by hiking in the river. Be prepared to get wet and be aware of the river conditions before you start.

For a different view of the park, drive up the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway through a tunnel built in the 1920s. You'll be rewarded by views of park features such as Checkerboard Mesa, where deep grooves in the sandstone have carved a checkerboardlike pattern. Be warned that RVs and other large vehicles must be escorted through the tunnel. You may have to wait.

WHEN TO VISIT: Zion National Park has a long visitor season -- most people arrive between April and October. Summer days can quickly turn into scorchers but evenings are pleasant. Winters tend to be mild but snow is a possibility, especially in higher elevations.

GETTING THERE: Zion National Park is in southwestern Utah, about 160 miles northeast of Las Vegas. From Las Vegas, follow Interstate 15 north to Utah 9, then east on Utah 9 to Springdale and the park.

GETTING IN: For motorists, a seven-day permit costs $25 per vehicle. Be warned that vehicle access is severely limited much of the year. Permits for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcycle riders cost $12 a person. Annual passes, good at Zion only, cost $50.

If you're planning to visit several national parks in the next year, an America the Beautiful annual pass costs $80 and permits access to national parks and other federal recreation areas. Call 888-ASK-USGS or see http://store.usgs.gov/pass.

A lifetime senior pass for citizens or permanent residents 62 and older costs $10. Lifetime passes for permanently disabled Americans are free.

GETTING AROUND: Private vehicles are not allowed along the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive from April 1 through Oct. 28, and parking is limited at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center.

Your best bet is to park in Springdale and ride a free shuttle. Buses stop at several points in Springdale and travel as far into the park as the Temple of Sinawava, at the north end of Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. The park's most popular features can be accessed by shuttle. Buses travel late into the evening and stop every few minutes most of the day.

WHERE TO STAY: Several campgrounds are available inside the park, but some close in winter. Watchman Campground, near the visitor center, is open all year. Campsites cost $16 a night, $18 with electric hookups, $20 for river sites. From Oct. 28 through late March, the campground is first-come, first-served. Otherwise reservations are available up to six months in advance.

South Campground has sites on a first-come, first-served basis for $16 a night. Group sites are available April-October by reservation for $3 a person per night. For all sites, call 877-444-6777 or see www.recreation.gov.

Also inside the park, historic Zion Lodge has 40 cabins, 75 motel rooms, six suites and four handicap-accessible rooms. Rates this summer run from about $150. The lodge recommends summer reservations six months or more in advance. Don't hesitate to keep checking. Reservations are sometimes canceled, even at the last minute. 435-772-7700, www.zionlodge.com.

Springdale, which stretches along Utah 9 on the park's south side, has many chain motel rooms. About half a mile from the park entrance, the Quality Inn at Zion Park, 479 Zion Park Blvd., offers 42 rooms from about $160 this summer. 435-772-3237 or www.qualityinn.com. The motel is attached to an RV park.

WHERE TO EAT: Dining options inside the park are limited. Snacks are available at the Zion Lodge, as well as a dining room featuring dinner entrees such as Pasta Zion, a vegetarian dish; Chipotle tilapia, with rice and seasonal vegetables; and breaded Navajo eggplant cutlets, with Spanish rice and seasonal vegetables. 435-772-7700, www.zionlodge.com.

Bumbleberry Restaurant, part of the Bumbleberry Resort at 897 Zion Park Blvd., offers entrees such as Hawaiian BBQ chicken, flat-iron steak, and Utah trout. The restaurant's signature dessert is Bumbleberry pie. 435-772-3224.

The Whiptail Grill, 445 Zion Park Blvd. Entrees include carne asada, marinated strips of beef with corn tortillas; Southwestern chicken wrap; Mexican pizza; steak, chicken, shrimp or tofu burritos. 435-772-0283.

TO LEARN MORE: Contact Zion National Park at www.nps.gov/zion or 435-772-3256.

Join the discussion

Note: If this is your first time using our NEW commenting system, you will have to LOG OUT and then LOG BACK IN.

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. In order to post comments, you must be a registered user of MiamiHerald.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.CommentBody@

@Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@