With temperatures still being a bit too warm in the Virgin area, we all decided to spend a couple nights at the East Zion Riverside RV Park at Mount Carmel Junction, where Hwy 89 intersects with Hwy 9, leading to the east entrance of Zion National Park. This is certainly not a destination park, but we were lured by the wifi, which is typical of most RV parks, sometimes it’s great and other times we can’t even open an email. Still better than what we’ve had for the past several weeks near Capitol Reef.
We have full hookups here for $20/night and we’re backed up to the East Fork of the Virgin River. This is part of the Best Western across the street, so guests can use their laundry and pool. Not a bad place to spend the night as long as you can ignore the highway noise.
We are about 10 miles from Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, so Jim and I took an early evening drive to check it out.
The dunes weren’t as big as we were expecting and it looks to be mainly a place for riding ATVs. The sand is extremely fine and hard to walk through.
Yesterday we all went for a hike on the East Mesa Trail in Zion National Park to Observation Point.. We hiked this trail through the snow with Chuck and Carla back in April 2009, but it was actually a trail that Mark and Bobbie had never been on before. And we thought they had hiked them all!
The good thing about it is that you get most of the climbing out of the way in the car, instead of hiking up from the canyon floor. It was 3.3 miles one way to the point, where we encountered quite a few people. This is another back door trail that not many people seem to know about.
Lots of people on top of Angels Landing, too.
Today we brave the tunnel through Zion as we move on to Virgin where we hope to find a good place to boondock. The weather looks perfect for the next week or so.
We loved the boondock near Virgin that Mark showed us last year. Great area, great views, easy access. Thank you again to all of you for paving the way. I have been so disappointed at Coral Dunes, have rarely seen it without the ATV noise, except last March we did get a tiny taste of the quiet there and what it might be like without the 4 wheelers.
ReplyDeleteThat's the goal…to hike them all before we die :)).
ReplyDeleteI got some good pics of your rig as we rolled into Zion's east gate… love those red roads around here.
Box Canyon Mark
The vista view is awesome. Safe travels.
ReplyDeleteMore incredible scenery!
ReplyDeleteGreat price for the park with "amenities". Really sorry to hear about the ATVs all over the coral dunes. Great trail pics thought.
ReplyDeleteThe East Mesa Trail sure was a lot easier than our first hike to Observation Point! Hope you find a boondocking spot in Virgin!
ReplyDeleteAngel's Landing is my second favorite hikes of all time. Good luck with the tunnel
ReplyDeleteWe did Angels Landing several years ago. Not sure I would attempt it again!
DeleteSo what is your all time favorite hike????
Hands down hike up Garden Wall to Many Glacier Lodge in Glacier National Park.
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