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We couldn’t go to New Mexico without visiting Roswell. Roswell is Earth’s most famous UFO crash site. The International UFO Museum is also located there. The town is full of UFO-themed restaurants and shops.
There are plenty of opportunities to take photos in front of out of this world murals and fun props. Some of the scenes were so beautiful that I decided to turn them into backgrounds for our travel scrapbook. See the before and after images below.
BEFOREAFTER
BEFOREAFTER
International UFO Museum and Research Center
The International UFO Museum and Research Center was the highlight of our day in Roswell. This museum has wonderful exhibits dedicated to the 1947 Roswell Incident, and it also has information on other unexplained UFO-related phenomena around the world.
Display made for TV Show Making Monsterson Travel Channel
We spent about two hours at the museum before shopping for gifts. We were delighted to learn that the museum had a pressed penny machine. My daughter had fun choosing her design and cranking the machine to get another beautiful pressed penny to add to her collection.
Pressed Penny MachineInternational UFO Museum and Research Center Pressed Penny
The gift shop is stocked full of UFO-related items. Some of our favorite finds were alien-shaped coffee mugs, astronaut shaped-coffee mugs, alien stuffed animals and alien-themed socks.
Roswell UFO Spacewalk
The Roswell UFO Spacewalk was a quick, but fun stop. It took about five to ten minutes to complete this UFO-themed black light adventure. We were given space guns (i.e., toy guns that lit up and made sounds) to take out aliens as we made our way through the attraction. Although it was dark, the photos turned out surprisingly well. You can revisit the adventure multiple times as long as you keep your wrist band. They also have a good selection of alien-themed souvenirs.
Peppers Grill & Bar
We had dinner at Peppers Grill & Bar. This Southwestern menu had something to accommodate everyone in our party. The best part of our meal was the margaritas. I had the Mango Margarita, which is Peppers Frozen Margarita (Sauza Gold Tequila, triple sec, splash of lime juice and sweet and sour) blended with puree mango.
We ended our National Parks Trip with an exciting hike through the Zion Narrows! We arrived at Zion National Park at 6:30 am and were able to park at the visitor center for FREE! This was the first day we arrived early enough to receive free parking at the Zion National Park Visitor Center so we were excited. We hopped on our private shuttle to head over to the Narrows.
We did not have to show our pass because the park rangers were not at the toll booth. We were thankful we arrived so early because we learned that Zion National Park had closed down the toll booths from about 8am to 1pm. They denied access during that period because they wanted to reduce the number of people at the park on that busy holiday weekend. So make sure you get to the park early enough to avoid being turned away, especially on holiday weekends.
We passed by Angel’s Landing on our way to the Narrows and saw that there was a line forming for the people who wanted to hike Angel’s Landing. The park rangers were limiting the number of people to reduce crowding on the chains section.
There was no such line at the Temple of Sinawava (i.e., the Riverside Walk and The Narrows trailhead).
Tip: Get there early! Guarantee your admission, park for free and avoid the heat.
Use the Riverside Walk Restrooms Before Hiking
There are no bathrooms on the Narrows hike so use the Riverside Walk Restrooms before you hike. The Riverside Walk Restrooms are located next to the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop (Shuttle Stop #9 on Zion Canyon Line).
If you have to relieve yourself, your only options are to urinate in the water or on dry land. Neither of these options are ideal. This is a very popular hike and there are loads of people around so you will not get much privacy. Urinating on dry land also leaves an unpleasant odor.
If you have to go #2, you will need to defecate in a bag, carry it with you and throw it in the trash bin upon your return. You can bring some toilet paper and some environmentally friendly human waste disposal bags like the one below for emergencies.
Tip: Use the bathrooms before you hike, and avoid eating or drinking anything that can cause you to have an upset stomach or give you the urge to urinate frequently.
Check the Weather at the Narrows Before You Hike
Hiking the Narrows, Zion National Park, USA
Check the weather in Zion National Park before you hike. If there is any chance of rain, please do not hike the Narrows. A couple of inches of rain can bring about dangerous flash floods. Flash floods occur when the ground is not able to absorb the water fast enough, creating a dangerous, destructive wall of rushing water and debris.
To escape a flash flood, you need to get to high ground. This is difficult to do in the Narrows because the canyon walls are very steep.
If you do notice the water rising quickly and turning muddy, try and get to high ground anyways because this may be a sign of a flash flood coming your way. Sometimes people get caught off guard because it may not be raining where they are.1
Tip: I recommend planning on hiking the Narrows earlier in your trip. That way if there is a forecast for rain, you have time to try and hike another day. You will also want to avoid visiting the Narrows during Zion’s monsoon season which is from mid-July to September because that increases the likelihood of flash floods. 2 The park also closes the Narrows when the Virgin River’s flow rate is over 150 cubic feet per second or during spring snowmelt so check the NPS notices on current Zion National Park condition.
Mystery Falls, Zion National Park, Utah, USA
Dress in Layers and Bring the Right Hiking Gear
We visited the Narrows at the end of May. Expect it to be cold in the morning because the sun is low and the tall canyon walls block direct sunlight. Thankfully, we were wearing layers, had our neoprene socks and waterproof hiking boots.
If you have children, you should bring a warm jacket, an extra set of clothing (in case they get wet) and even a pair of waterproof glovesto keep their hands dry and warm. We also saw some children wearing fishing bibs which would give them additional protection.
The most difficult part of the Narrows was navigating the areas of the river that had strong currents. You really need at least one hiking stick! We each had our own portable walking stick. We used the hiking stick as a third leg. We planted our pole into the river bed to secure our position before moving our legs to the next position. This will give your upper body a good workout.
If you decide to hike the Narrows in the fall through mid/late-spring, you will need to wear wetsuits or drysuits. The water will be colder and higher because of the snowmelt. If you do not want to purchase your own suit, you can rent them at Zion Outfitter along with other useful gear.
How long does it take to hike the Narrows?
The wonderful thing about the Narrows hike is that you can hike as long as you want, and then turn right back around. Most people hike up to Wall Street and then turn around. The length of time you spend will depend on your health, level of personal fitness, the water levels and the weather.
We hiked on a chilly morning, but the water levels were low in most areas. My preteen daughter, my mother, husband and I hiked about 7 hours, which included time to stop and take pictures, eat snacks, and explore the side canyon.
Tip: If you hike early in the morning, the Narrows will be less crowded and you will have a better chance getting photos without a slew of people in them. For this reason, I would recommend taking photos while you walk upstream instead of waiting to take them on the way back.
Orderville Canyon
Orderville Canyon, Zion National Park, USA
We hiked into Orderville Canyon because we wanted to see Veiled Falls. We scrambled over the first set of boulders without issue, but we stopped at the second set of boulders. Another set of hikers were returning from that direction, and said there was an even larger set of rocks blocking the path ahead that they were unable to climb over.
2nd set of boulders blocking the trail at Orderville Canyon
We decided to turn around at that point. The boulders were wet and slippery, and we were concerned about climbing back down safely. We did not want to land incorrectly and sprain an ankle or worse slip and hit our head.
Safety First
Keep in mind, if you do get injured in the Narrows, it may take hours before help arrives. Recently, a woman who was canyoneering at the Narrows (i.e., Mystery Canyon) fell 50 to 80 feet.3 The narrow canyon walls prevented a rescue helicopter from reaching her. Sadly, she passed away from her injuries before park medics were able to reach her.
Tip: Pack a travel first aid kit for minor scrapes and injuries. Consider also packing an ankle brace and a knee brace. These items are light and will not take up a lot of space in your hiking bag.
We could not have asked for a better day. No one was injured, and the Narrows surpassed our expectations. This place is more beautiful than any of the photos I have seen!
After a long day in Bryce Canyon National Park, we wanted a nice and relaxing introduction to Zion National Park.
We had a nice breakfast at the airbnb and drove over to the park. We arrived around 10am, and the Zion parking lot at the visitor center was already full so we parked at the public parking lot on Lion Blvd. $10 (cash only) will get you all day parking in this dirt parking lot. The parking lot is close to Springdale-Zion shuttle stop #3, but we just walked about 13 minutes to Zion Outfitter to hop on our private shuttle.
Tip: This is the cheapest paid parking lot we found. However, if you make a purchase of at least $20 at Hoodoos General Store (across the street), you can park in the Hoodoos General Store parking lot for free all day.
Google Maps: Zion Economy Public Parking Lot
Zion National Park Shuttles
Zion National Park does not allow private cars past a certain point when shuttles are in operation.
When we went, Zion National Park was operating on a shuttle ticket reservation system. It was madness. Tickets were sold two weeks in advance, and would sell out in a matter of minutes. Tickets were also made available the day before, but that left a lot of uncertainty. We decided to play it safe and book shuttle tickets with Red Rock Shuttle.
We loved Red Rock Shuttle company! They are a private shuttle company that normally shuttles people for Zion backcountry hiking, but when we went they were also shuttling people into the canyon. We paid $40 per person for a round trip shuttle ride. It is pricey compared to the $2 that the Zion National Park shuttles charged, but I did appreciate that we never waited more than a few minutes to hop on a shuttle. That might not seem like a big deal, but after you have hiked several hours the last thing you want to do is wait in a long line in the hot sun for a ride back to the visitor center. The Red Rock Shuttle drivers were all friendly, told us interesting facts about Zion, and the shuttles had good A/C.
Unfortunately, private shuttle companies can no longer shuttle people into the canyon because Zion National Park Shuttle system is resuming full capacity. See National Park System for latest updates. However, when we return to Zion, I will definitely use Red Rock Shuttle for some backcountry hiking.
Emerald Pools
Our family loves waterfalls so we were excited to explore Zion’s Emerald Pools. The Emerald Pools trailhead is across the street from Zion Lodge. We walked across a bridge and took an easy walk to Lower Emerald Pools.
We saw some wildlife (e.g., tadpoles, snakes, squirrels). This was the one and only snake we came across on our trip.
Snake at Zion Emerald Pools
Lower Emerald Pools
The Lower Emerald Pools were beautiful. It was by far the most beautiful of the three areas.
Zion Lower Emerald Fall
Middle Emerald Pools
We continued on to the Middle Emerald Pools, which was a more strenuous hike up hill.
Zion Middle Emerald Pools
At this point, the sun was beating down on us and there was little shade. The water levels were so low at the middle pools that we were hesitant to continue on our hike, but fellow hikers assured us that the hike was worth the additional trek to the upper pools.
We were so thankful we brought plenty of water, snacks and our cooling towel. This cooling towel has saved us more than a few times on this trip. All you have to do is wet your towel, and place it on your body. We placed it on the back of our necks to help cool our bodies down.
Tip: Wear sunscreen, a hat, and bring plenty of drinking water and acooling towel.
Upper Emerald Pools
Zion Upper Emerald Pools
The upper pools was my least favorite of the three pools, but to be fair I believe this could be gorgeous when there are higher water levels.
We had a late start to our day so we chose to skip the Parowan Gap Petroglyphs and head straight to Bryce Canyon National Park. As you drive to Bryce Canyon National Park, you will enjoy views of Dixie National Forest. We took the National Scenic Byway 12 (UT-12). This road has been designated a National Scenic Byway and an All-American Road by the Federal Highway Administration because it has one-of-a-kind features that qualify it as a destination unto itself.
Mossy Cave & Tropic Ditch Falls
Mossy Cave
Our first stop was the Mossy Cave. There is limited parking at the trailhead so get there early in the morning. This place gets busy between 10am to 6pm. Although we arrived before 10am we still waited a while for a spot to open up. Parking is not allowed along SR 12 so if you cannot find parking, you can try again another time.
Tip #1: Get there early (before 10am) to get parking.
Tip #2: Mossy Cave is a fee area. Bring your National Park Pass or proof of admission before you arrive at the trailhead.
The Mossy Cave hike is an easy 0.4 mile walk from the trailhead with little elevation change (~300 ft). We gave ourselves an hour in this area, which was plenty of time to see the cave and enjoy the waterfall.
Mossy Cave and Tropic Ditch Falls Trail Map Source: Google Maps
The Mossy Cave is filled with moss in the summer, but is filled with icicles in the winter! When we went, the icicles were long gone. The small cave was fenced off and was not impressive with just the moss. I enjoyed the hike to Mossy Cave more than the cave itself! I would come back in the colder months to see the icicles.
Mossy Cave’s I Hiked the Hoodoos Benchmark
Take a selfie with the Hike the Hoodoos benchmark or take a pencil rubbing. If you visit three of these benchmarks, you will get a free I Hiked the Hoodoos sticker at the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center. You can also buy an official I Hiked the Hoodoosofficial collectors pin at the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center.
Tropic Ditch Falls
The Tropic Ditch Falls was a short hike from Mossy Cave. Pioneers in 1890s dug an irrigation ditch which allows water to flow seasonally through Water Canyon (from Tropic Reservoir east of the park to communities in the Paria Valley).
This was my favorite part of the hike and the best waterfall I saw on this trip.
Hiking Navajo Loop & Queens Garden Trail
Bryce Canyon Hoodoos
Most people hike Sunrise Point to Sunset point, but we decided to start from Sunset point so we could avoid hiking up the switchbacks.
Switchbacks of Navajo Loop Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park
We parked at the Sunset Point parking lot, and hiked down the switchbacks of Navajo Loop trail. We took a photo at Navajo Loop Hike the Hoodoos benchmark. Then went back to the fork and followed the signs to Queens Garden Trail. Then we took a photo at the Queens Garden Hike the Hoodoos benchmark. The trail through the pine forest was easy and enjoyable. We even saw a couple of cute chipmunks.
We continued on Queens Garden Trail which gradually ascended to Sunrise Point. The hike up was a challenge for my mother and I. We were not used to the elevation change (~8,000 feet) and the heat. We made it though! Our
After all that hiking, we wanted to give our feet a break. We took an ATV tour with Bryce Wildlife Adventure, 1945 West Scenic Highway 12, Bryce, UT 84764.Jeff at Bryce Wildlife Adventure is AMAZING!!!
I had underestimated my ability to hike within the two hours we had given ourselves, and Jeff had called me to make sure that we were okay when we did not show up for our reserved time. We were touched by his concern, and when we spoke to him, we were just hoping to get on the ATV for the remainder of our reserved time to give ourselves a break and enjoy the view. However, Jeff was so kind and generous that he decided to stay late (delaying his own plans) to make sure that we had enough time to see this beautiful bristle cone forest and other scenic spots along the way! He also pointed out the areas where we would see a prairie dog colony that my daughter was so excited to see! We were blown away by his kindness and the beautiful scenery. It was one of the best part of our trips, and we are already looking forward to going back again!
Dinner
We had packed plenty of food and were not hungry enough to eat out. However, when we return we want to try out Ruby’s Inn Cowboy’s Buffet & Steak Room and Cowboy’s Smokehouse Cafe. We have heard good things about both places.
Our Dark Rangers Telescope Tour did not start until 9pm so we killed some time by driving through the park and stopping by scenic locations.
Natural Bridge
Dark Rangers Telescope Tours
Living in the city we rarely get an opportunity to enjoy the stars because of the light pollution so we booked a private Dark Ranger Telescope Tour to take advantage of the dark sky in Bryce Canyon. It was a full moon the night of our tour so it was not the best time to see a lot of stars, but we did have an amazing view of Venus and the full moon.
The clouds rolled in so our ranger ended up showing us an informative astrology presentation. We took refuge from the cold and drank some hot beverages while viewing the multimedia show. I enjoyed the show just as much as I did watching the stars. I also loved that we are able to ask him questions.
Tip: Try and plan your tour during a new moon to get the most out of the dark sky. Bring winter jackets and gloves! Avoid going during monsoon season (July-August).
We checked out of our hotel and drove to Willow Beach Harbor where we rented two tandem kayaks for 8 hours for our self-guided tour. At the time an 8 hour tandem kayak rental was $120.
Tip #1: Bring your National Park Pass or your Lake Mead receipt from the day before. The Lake Mead NRA fee station at the top of Willow Beach Road collects entry fees, and your receipt from the day before gives you 7-day access.
Where is Emerald Cave?
Emerald Cave is located on the Colorado River and is about 2 miles upstream from Willow Beach Marina. As you kayak upstream, you will see it on your right side.
The cave is hard to miss because it is a popular spot and groups of guided kayakers visit it. Sometimes there will be long lines to get into the cave, but luckily we arrived just as a group was leaving. We had about ten minutes to enjoy the cave before another group arrived.
The Emerald Cave is not always emerald. This small cave only lights up when the sunlight reflects off the bottom of the river during certain times of the day. Due to the steep canyon walls, we planned on arriving at the Emerald Cave around mid-day to increase our chances of seeing the cave lit up.
The cave was only partially lit up when we arrived, but it was beautiful. We could only imagine what it would look like if the entire cave was that vibrant, sparkling emerald color.
How long does it take to paddle to Emerald Cave?
It depends on your physical fitness and experience, but we feel that 4 to 5 hours would give a beginner plenty of time to kayak there and back and still have time to enjoy the scenery and stop at one of the beaches along the way. Allow yourself additional time to swim in the water or hike one of the trails from the beaches.
All of us have been kayaking before and are of average fitness. We were able to kayak to Emerald Cave and back within four hours. It was a good workout upstream, but we hardly paddled on the way back. We allowed the current to carry us back to the marina, which gave us plenty of time to eat our lunch and enjoy the beautiful Black Canyons, the desert big horn sheep and the birds.
Tip #2: When kayaking upstream, kayak on the sides of the river where the current is not as strong. It will take less time and effort to paddle upstream this way.
Tip #3: Bring a Waterproof Dry Bag (like the one above) to keep your camera, phone and other electronics safe. We saw a kayaker flip over unexpectedly in her kayak so it does happen.
Las Vegas Raiders Stadium Tour
The Allegiant Stadium Tour
We could not visit Las Vegas without seeing the new Las Vegas Raiders Stadium (Allegiant Stadium)! The stadium is a gorgeous facility! The tour was much more than I expected.
What will I see on the Raiders stadium tour?
The stadium tour includes a tour of Al Davis Memorial Torch, Broadcast Booth, Private Suites and Clubs, Raiderette Locker Room, Ubeo Press Conference Room, Raiders Locker Rooms, Hall of Fame Wall, the Field and more. There was plenty to see and we loved the surprise in the locker room!
How much does the Raiders stadium tour cost?
Guided tour tickets cost $59 and the Guided Tour and Drink with view costs $80. We took the latter. You can purchase additional drinks and food at your own cost. If you do, try the nachos! They were delicious and generously filled a football shaped bowl. It was the perfect size for the four of us to snack on.
The tour includes a digital souvenir photo and short video clip. Use your pass to get a 10% discount off the Raiders store.
Tip #1: Get your tickets way in advance because they sell out quickly!
How long does the Raiders stadium tour last?
The tour itself lasted a little over an hour (about 75 minutes). Then we had our drinks and ate some nachos and pretzels. After we ate, we went shopping at the Raiders store. Overall, we spent about two hours here.
Tip #2 : Shop after the tour. Your hands will be free of shopping bags to take plenty of photos during the tour. Then you can use your stadium tour pass to get a 10% discount on store purchases.
Drive to Airbnb
We drove a couple of hours to our Airbnb in Washington, Utah which will be our home base for the rest of the trip. If you prefer to stay closer to Zion, you can stay in Springdale. Springdale is a popular choice but the price of accommodations are also higher. We were able to get a beautifully furnished, well stocked house (with a washer and dryer) for less that what we would have paid for a nice room in Springdale.
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