Zion National Park

By: Carol Storey

Zion National Park is my favorite place to hike. My crazy brother, Scott and I have had many adventures, and misadventures, hiking in Utah. We especially like to get off the beaten path and into the backcountry where there are few other people. When I am there I feel inexplicable peace and joy, even when the hiking is arduous, challenging and sometimes painful. On our 10 mile hike last week to the Subway, the water was running fast and high. We were often hiking in water, criss-crossing the river, and climbing over rocks. I fell at least three times, and have bruises and scabs to prove it. We limped out 11 hours later exhausted, dehydrated, sore yet exhilarated. I could barely walk the next day, but there is something about being in a place somewhere in the world that very few people get to experience that makes all the pain worth it.