One Last Day In Zion

First on our agenda for our second day in Zion was a stop at PaPa's bridge. The typical visitor does not make this a destination let alone really notice it is even there except they drive over it. This beautiful bridge is located just past the turn off to Zion Canyon and before you head up the hillside to go through the Zion-Mt. Carmel tunnel. It is better known as the Pine Creek Bridge. It is built from all types/colors of rocks from throughout the park.

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This bridge was high on our agenda because of the family ties the Strong's have to the bridge.  Paul's Great-Grandpa, Ernest Strong helped build this bridge, and as such it is known to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and now great-great-grandchildren as "PaPa's bridge".

After exploring around and under it we gathered on the bridge for a group picture of  PaPa's posterity on his bridge.

We all loaded back in the minivans and headed up the switchbacks and through the long tunnel to where we could experience the Canyon Overlook Trail.  It is not one of my favorite hikes due to the long drop offs.  There were many places I had to put on my brave Mommy face and press onward.  Once we got to the overlook I put Paul in charge of the kiddos because I had to park myself a little ways back from the edge and couldn't bear the think about what was over the other side of each rock that the kids were climbing on.  But the view was well worth my anxiety of heights.