Shuttle tour up canyon

We took the shuttle up canyon this morning, stopping at several points along the route and exploring. This place is non-stop gorgeous, and it's impossible to get it all on camera - its simply too big.

We took an easy trail up to Weeping Rock. Water seeps vertically through the sandstone rock that forms the top layer of the canyon walls, but moves horizontally when it hits the shale layer. So, the water seems to come out of the rocks partway down. The constant presence of water allows plants and trees to grow in vertical "hanging gardens" halfway down the canyon wall and all along the canyon floor by the stream (Virgin River). So, there are all sorts of zones here - high desert, lowland forest, reedy marshes, riparian zones. So, there is a LOT of plant and animal diversity here. Very, very neat.