(Click words that are bolded for more information.)
The Virgin River, a tributary of the Colorado River that empties into Lake Mead, runs through Zion Canyon and provides an oasis for unique plants and animals to thrive along its green banks as the river winds its way along 15 miles of the canyon floor. Mormon settlers in the 1850s settled in the canyon and farmed the land until the canyon became a National Monument in 1909. Because of its awe inspiring beauty, the canyon was named Zion, a reference to the ancient city of Jerusalem and the future Heavenly city.
~ Debbie
First stop - Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden here.
Second stop - Montezuma's Castle here.
Third stop - Sedona here.
Fourth stop - The Grand Canyon here.
Fifth stop - The Desert Watch Tower here.
Sixth stop - Glen Canyon and Lake Powell here.
Seventh stop - Zion National Park here.
Eighth stop - Between canyons here.