Jekyll Island is located off the coast of the state of Georgia. It is one of the Sea Islands and one of the Golden Isles of Georgia barrier islands. The island is owned by the State of Georgia and run by a self-sustaining, self-governing body.
The famous Jekyll Island Club Resort is the original hotel for the island dating from the 1890’s.
In the late 1800s, Jekyll Island became an exclusive hunting club for families with names like Rockefeller, Morgan, Vanderbilt, Pulitzer, and Baker. The once private retreat is now part of The Jekyll Island Club National Historic Landmark District, one of the largest preservation projects in the southeast.
Our hero at the Island for the Christmas light show.
Every Christmas the Island is decorated with hundreds of thousands of lights and you can do a self drive through the Island Historical District and see the homes that were once owned by the families of America’s Glided Age lite up for the holidays. Covered in over 35,000 lights, the Great Tree has more lights per square foot than the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in New York City. Along Shell road, visitors can glimpse the Twelve Days of Christmas light displays from the Great Dunes Beach Park to the Historic District.
The island is covered with old Live Oak trees that have thousands of lights on them. The span of some of the trees is 100 feet or more.
The entire island is covered in Christmas lights during the holidays. The holidays are wonderful here- carriage rides, trolley tours, a free museum & history movie. Not really “shopping’ on Jekyll, but on St Simons there are lots of quaint shops (about 20 min). No wonder the Vanderbilts & Rockefellers lived here all winter! Check www.jekyll.com frequently. There is a great, updated events calendar well in advance. Enjoy! Extremely quiet, laid-back, more residential with history on one side, and then beach places on the other. But the entire island is a national park, so there are no go cart rides or normal beach “strip” type of things. Upscale & wonderful place.
Enjoy the beautiful ancient trees covered in lights and Spanish moss, then head to the hotel for hot chocolate and pastries is the way to end a December evening on Jekyll .
Again I apologize for the lateness of this follow-up article on Zion National Park. As you know from my last blog, my short film Divorce During Pandemic is getting a lot of activity on the film festival circuit and I have been busy with that. Also because of the length of time between the first blog on Zion and this one I’ve decided to combine day 2 and 3 of the trip into one blog.
The 2nd morning I woke up at my hotel in La Verkin and drove the 17 miles to Springdale to the official entrance to the park. The 1st day I took the more difficult Watchman Trail but today I was taking the Pa’rus Trail which serves as the main trail into the interior of the park. If you recall from the previous blog the only way to get around the park is to walk, rent a bicycle or take one of the shuttles. And you can only get the shuttle pass the night before online for a dollar. You cannot purchase them at the park. If you miss the online sale then you can get a free ticket at 3 PM in the afternoon from one of the rangers at the shuttle pick-up and drop-off point. Other than that you’re on your own and all the really interesting sites and trails like the Emerald Pools Trail that leads to both the upper and lower pools and the Riverside Trail are farther into the park about 4 to 5 miles. You can only reach them by hiking in on foot or renting a bike. It behooves you unless you’re in there for an all-day hike is to take the shuttle which have several drop off and pick up points inside the park. For the shuttle schedule you can find that online at https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/zion-canyon-shuttle-tickets.htm or pick up a shuttle guide from at the park headquarters at Zion.
Now the Pa’rus Trail is a much easier trail than the Watchman. It’s paved and it follows the course of the Virgin River as it runs through the park. It’s 1.75 miles in length (doubled to 3.5 round trip) and it’s not strenuous at all. However since it is paved, it’s the only pathway that bicycles can reach deep into the park so you are sharing the trail with bicycles so be cautious of that. There are some lovely views as you walk this trail. You also see a couple of waterfalls that are man-made. They are part of a water system that both the national park and the town of Springdale have worked out for them both to share the river and to keep it clean and flowing. Springdale uses the river of drinking water and other uses.
So I walked the full length of the Pa’rus Trail and got to the end of it where it joins the road that the shuttle buses use to take you further into the park when I realized I had made a mistake by not renting a bicycle originally. So I turned around and took a very leisurely 1.75 mile walk back the way I came. I had lunch at one of the restaurants that are very near the gateway to the park and then went and rented a bicycle. Now they can be rented on 2, 4 or 8 hour schedules. I asked the lady who ran the bicycle concession about the safety of the bicycle since they did not provide a lock or a chain and she told me that that theft inside the park are very rare. There are places to park the bikes at each trail head but you didn’t have to worry about them being stolen. If your bicycle actually was taken, then just take somebody else’s or let one of the shuttle bus drivers know that your bicycle has been taken and that they would take you back to the beginning of the park where you can tell the bicycle concession what happened.
So firm in that knowledge, I rode my bike back up the Pa’rus trail to where it meets the shuttle bus road that takes you further into the park. At this point the road is all uphill. Now I’m not as young as I used to be, and the elevation of this point is anywhere from 4000 to 6500 ft plus above sea level. You have to be aware to altitude sickness or just plain shortness of breath if you live in a lower area like myself. I live in Los Angeles which is at sea level, so I made it about another mile and half before I gave up. I cannot tell you what the Emerald Pools or the Riverside Trail look like but I understand they’re absolutely gorgeous. I turned around and rode my bicycle all the way downhill to the Pa’rus Trail and then on toward the park opening with stops along the way to pause by the waterfalls. The water looked inviting but there was a poisonous algae bloom in the water at that moment the was harmful to humans and deadly for dogs to drink. So it is VERY IMPORTANT to check all park postings before entering the park for possible dangerous situations. I dropped off my bike and drove home. All in all I walk or biked that day about 8.6 miles. It was a good day.
The next day I decided to visit the back country of Zion National Park, an area called Kolob Reservoir. If you want to experience the solitude and grandeur of Zion National Park without all the tourists that gather around the gateway in Springdale this is the place for you. Here you will find lovely high-country meadows, brilliant vistas and back country hiking and camping where it seems that you are the only person around. The park headquarters is where you get permission and licenses to use much of the remote back country of Zion but if you follow Kolob Terrace Rd which just off Utah 9 located in the town of Virgin. It is about about 10 miles from Springdale you will be able to drive all the way up to the reservoir through rolling pastureland, brilliant vistas, plateaus, ravines and canyons, and forests. This side of Zion is much greener then the red rock desert setting around the park headquarters. This area is more used for pasture land for the many ranches that dot this part of Utah. The road is in fairly good shape especially when you are crossing through the park. However sometimes it goes out of the park and crosses private land, and the quality of the of the road is not quite as good . But overall it is a safe drive that elevates from about 4000 feet to about 8000 feet which is where you will find the Kolob Reservoir which was created when they dammed Kolob Creek.
Along Kolob Terrace Road are many trails trailheads that lead off into the back country, and in this part of the park you will find trails like the East Rim, Hop Valley, Wildcat Canyon and The Narrows all trails worth hiking if you are into serious hiking. Some of these trails are 10 miles long, so please consult the Wilderness guide that the park provides for you so you know exactly what you’re getting into.
Because I was returning to Los Angeles that evening, I took a very short hike on a beautiful trail that wandered through a pine forest and scrub brush scenery. The views were amazing. Although it was October it was still 89 degrees in the day and the sun was blazing hot. So after about two hours, I headed back to my car and on toward LA.
The beauty of Zion is undisputed and the ability to be out in nature after being cooped up in my house for months because of the pandemic was exhilarating. I would do Zion National Park again in a heartbeat. And whatever you want to experience – paved trails like the Pa’rus Trail or crowds that you would find at the opening of the park or backcountry trails where you’re the only one there – Zion National Park can provide it. The people are friendly, the scenery is incredible and being out in nature is amazing and healthy for us especially during these strange times.
I’ve lived in California for over 30 years and I have been to Las Vegas at least 25 times, yet I had no idea that Zion National Park was only 2 1/2 hours away from Vegas in south-western Utah. So it was with great excitement that I decided to travel to Zion National Park when my wanderlust had become overwhelming.
View inside the park
First, I stopped off in Las Vegas for an evening before driving all the way to Zion which turned into two days when I woke up the next morning with a bad case of food poisoning that of course made me think I was suffering from COVID-19. After spending the entire day in my room recovering, I woke up on the third day hungry and refreshed. Two and half hours later, as I drove across the desert out of Nevada and across the northwestern corner of Arizona, I entered Utah. I had not been in the state of Utah for 25 years, and I had forgotten how incredibly beautiful it is.
View from Springdale
Turning off on Utah State Highway 9, I wandered through the towns of St. George and Hurricane and La Verkin and Virgin until I reached the gateway to Zion National Park which is Springdale, UT. I had started looking for a hotel to stay starting at La Verkin, and the prices increased exponentially the closer I got to the entrance to the park. I finally settled on a slightly rundown but comfortable hotel in La Verkin about 17 miles from Zion called the Hotel Zion Inn. The hotel had seen some hard times but had recently been taken over by an Indian family who was rebuilding it slowly. The hotel was a huge complex with four separate buildings but at the moment they only had about 50 rooms available. The beds were comfortable, the air conditioning was great, they had wonderful cable television and the hotel was clean if not a little dated. And the price was perfect if you weren’t looking for luxury at $34 a night. The price including tax was $117.00 off Hotels.com.
Theories about the origin of La Verkin’s name suggest that it may be a corruption of the Spanish la virgen, after the nearby Virgin River, or possibly an error in the transcription of the term “beaver skin.”
Oldest store in Virgin, UT
The next morning after a simple breakfast at the hotel I drove the 17 miles to Zion. Along the way I passed through the very small-town Virgin, Utah. The first settlement at Virgin was in 1858. It’s also the name of the river that carved out the canyon that creates Zion National Park.
Very interesting rock on the Watchman Trail.
Arriving in Springdale you immediately become aware the town is set up completely to service the tourists that visit Zion National Park on a daily basis. The elevation is 3800 plus feet and the average hotel price in the town is around $230. There are several restaurants, bars and art galleries and other things to do both family related or otherwise in the town so there is a bit of a nightlife there.
Views on the Watchman Trail
Parking is quite easy in Springdale because there is a free shuttle that runs from the edge of town all the way up to the opening of Zion National Park. However there are a few peculiarities about the parking situation. Everything is based on a credit card and there are three choices. Parking is a dollar an hour in all areas and you can choose one hour, two hours or twelve hours and nothing in between. Those are the only choices. There is parking inside Zion but there is no driving in Zion. Everything is either by shuttle or hiking or by bicycle.
Vista from the end of the Watchman Trail
There is a shuttle inside the park which is a one dollar ticket, but you must (https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/zion-canyon-shuttle-tickets.htm) buy the ticket online the day before and have verification either with a paper print out or on your phone or iPad when you show up at the park. For those people who did not know how to get a ticket they start handing out free shuttle tickets on the day of on a first come first serve basis at 3:00 PM in the afternoon. The shuttle will take you deep into the park to Riverside Trail, the Emerald pools both lower an upper and to other trails. It is not recommended to hike to those places because some of them are literally 10 miles in one direction. So unless you’re going to stick around the entrance of the park the only way to see those other sites is either by renting a bicycle or taking the shuttle.
The Watchman
Around the entrance of Zion National Park are two trails one is the Watchman trail and the Pa’rus trail. Both are 3.5 miles round trip, but the Watchmen is a grade two trail that goes up the face of the Watchmen a singular tower of stone that kind of feels like the sentinel or guard for the park hence the name the Watchman.
On the Watchman Trail
Starting in between the Visitor Center and the South Campground, the Watchman Trail heads up to a viewpoint on top of the first layer of cliffs roughly 300 feet above the canyon floor. While the trail doesn’t actually take you to the top of the Watchman, you can still get a good view of the famous and photogenic peak to the south as well as a good bird’s eye view of the canyon and Springdale below. The trail is mostly family-friendly but keep a close eye on children as there are a few cliff edges to pay attention to. This trail is completely exposed to the sun, so during the hot summer months, this hike is best done on a cloudy day or in the morning when this side of the main canyon is still in the shade. The trail is not paved and there are lots of rocks and strenuous areas to get through. The view is worth the hike.
More of the Watchman Trail
Part 2 of this three days In Zion National Park will focus on the Pa’rus Trail and trying to get to the Emerald Pools and the Riverside trail.
Part 3 will focus on the Kolob Reservoir on the backside of Zion National Park where there are really great trails away from the crowds and the commercialism at the entrance to the park.
On a brief stay in Las Vegas recently, I came across this display at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino. The Bellagio is known for doing amazing decorations but this whimsical re-invention of fall with a touch of Peter Pan and a pinch of The Hobbit is lovely and a lot of fun. Best of all it is free – so if you are in Vegas before Halloween check it out. They do a whole new display of All Hallow’s Eve.
No matter how you choose to view the 700-million-year-old Ayers Rock—from above by hot air balloon, across the desert on a motorcycle, hiking at the base during the technicolor sunset—witnessing its majesty should be on every traveler’s list.
Monterey cypress, is a species of cypress native to the Central Coast of California. The native range of the species during modern times is confined to two small relict populations near Carmel, California, at Cypress Point in Pebble Beach and at Point Lobos. Credit – James Carey
Nothing compares to standing in front of the world’s largest waterfall, which stretches in length for a full mile. Visit between February and May (after the region’s rainy season) for the clearest views of the 500 million liters of water that pour over the falls every 60 seconds. Credit – Getty
COMING NEXT –
VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, one of the Seven wonders of the world. The coming series will be about Victoria Falls before COVID-19 and the effect that the pandemic has had on this tourist community since the virus.
Victoria Falls is one of the most vibrant tourist communities on the planet. Its sole reason for existence is to serve the tourists that come from all over the world to see the majesty of the falls. There are luxury hotels and luxury safari camps, you can walk with elephants and walk with lions, bungee jump into the Gorge at the bottom of the falls, zip line across a lagoon full of crocodiles and eat wonderful food. These are just of the things that you can do on any given day in Victoria Falls pre-coronavirus. Yet since the pandemic and the lockdown in Zimbabwe and especially in Johannesburg, South Africa which Victoria Falls depends on as a regional hub for air traffic, Victoria Falls is now a ghost town. With my good friend Melanie Mostert (africanizedmc@gmail.com), a luxury travel consultant based in Victoria Falls, we will explore Victoria Falls before the virus and after the virus.
The town is waiting for your return and we hope to intrigue you not only to visit but also to consider the effect a lock down on a third world country that depends totally on tourism. There will be good stories, great photographs, and a lot of human interest. I hope you enjoy.
The Faroe Islands lie in the North Atlantic between Iceland and the coast of Denmark. With its grass-roofed houses, rocky coastlines, and abundance of puffins, the self-governed group of 18 volcanic islands is basically one giant photo op. Mulafossur Waterfall might be the archipelago’s most famous site—the cascade is like something from a fantasy novel, falling over the rocky cliffs of Vagar Island to the ocean below, with the green hills of Gásadalur village as a backdrop. Credit: Haltong Yu
Denali National Park, Alaska It is off the beaten track, Denali’s awesome beauty is worth the trip. Over 6 million acres of wilderness, lakes and mountains make up this beautiful national park.
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