Majestic Zion
A ranger at the Zion National Park Visitors’ Center encouraged us to hike the Pa’rus Trail in the late afternoon and enjoy the changes in the towering canyon walls as the day’s brilliant sun slowly set. The horizon and rock formations changed with each turn in the path, as we basked in the setting sun’s warm, the gold of the autumn leaves and sun’s reflection on the rocks, and the growing shadows of the encroaching dusk. We shared the trail with others, both walkers and cyclists, but were mostly alone with the incredibly spectacular views much of the trail’s 3.5 miles. Named after the Paiute word for "bubbling water," the trail follows alongside, crosses over, and meanders at a distance from the Virgin River. The world around us was in turn awesome, striking, solemn, and breath-taking, but, above all, majestic.