Day 31 - Mountains So Pretty They Ruined Our Standards Forever
October 19th, 2025
We wake up refreshed and ease into the morning with a simple breakfast of bagels and cream cheese, paired with hot coffee à la Chef T, all while soaking in the surrounding mountains tucked deep in Zion Canyon along the Virgin River. Our neighbors are a young couple, Herman and Liza, traveling with their two very cute, very blonde little kids from the Netherlands. They’re RV-touring the national parks—starting in San Francisco and winding their way through Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon before arriving in Zion. Lovely people with an equally lovely journey.
After a leisurely morning, we hop on the shuttle to tour Zion Canyon. No private cars are allowed in the park, which makes the experience feel even more serene. Located in southwestern Utah, Zion National Park is renowned for its massive sandstone cliffs, narrow canyons, and the Virgin River, offering a diverse range of activities that include hiking, rock climbing, camping, and quiet reflection. Sitting at the crossroads of the Mojave Desert, Colorado Plateau, and Great Basin ecosystems, the park boasts dramatic scenery and remarkable biodiversity.
We feel fortunate to be visiting in late fall—summer temperatures here often soar past 110 degrees. Today, it’s a perfect 70, and while the park is busy, the crowds of tourists and hikers are manageable (not quite Chatham on the Fourth of July, but close for shoulder season).
Zion Canyon stretches 15 miles long and plunges nearly 2,000 feet deep, with towering, colorful sandstone walls that seem to rise endlessly on either side. The giant cliffs do not disappoint—stunning, humbling, and impossibly vast.
After our three-hour tour, the royals return to our campsite to relax and enjoy a late-day snack by the river. As the light softens and the canyon glows, we decide to head into the small town of Springdale for a special dinner—celebrating this hidden gem in one of the most extraordinary corners of the world.
Tomorrow we’ll traverse one of the most famous roads in Utah’s national park region: Scenic Byway 12, also known as “A Journey Through Time.” This All-American Road connects Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Parks, winding through stunning red rock landscapes, forests, and canyons that feel pulled straight from another era.
The king and queen are officially hooked on adventuring in our luxurious land yacht, and with every mile, our voyage seems to get better and better around each bend. 🍀🙏🍺
