Zion

The best way to enter Zion National Park is via the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway. The road leads you through hairpin bends and switchbacks as you descend into the valley, then plunges you into darkness via two long tunnels, blasted through the rock in the 1920s. Five "windows" let in a little light and fresh air, but don't diminish the eerie sensation of being in the centre of a mountain.

An air hole in the mountain - claustrophobics need not apply

(Is it terribly immature and wrong of me that I wanted to stop the vehicle, stick my head out of the "window", and yodel?

Yep, thought so.)

Is it a rock? Is it a quilt?

Once you get down to the valley floor, the real park begins. We unfortunately couldn't hike deep into the canyon (as the deep portions, known as the narrows, were closed due to flash flood risk) but we did manage to do some walking along the Emerald Pools trail (with its waterfalls, splashing ducks, and water orchids).

So pretty....