- Steve
Kodachrome State Park
Updated: May 15, 2020
Monday, September 2nd, 2019
After getting mostly ready to leave, we ALL went to the Zion Visitor Center to get our Jr. Ranger badge. This was my first one and Jen’s second. It was pretty fun to do it especially as a family.
Once we got our badges, we walked back to the trailer so we could get packed up and out before check out time which was in 30 minutes. We made it with 10 minutes to spare. On the way out of Zion, we decided to take the truck and trailer through Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway that includes one really long tunnel that they close off to two-way traffic during rush times (8am-8pm). This is good because the trailer is 11’3” tall and the tunnel is 11’4” on the side when two-way traffic is occurring.
We made it 2 hours before we noticed the roof of the trailer is bubbling up again 😖 Good thing is the seam is still intact. Stay tuned for the next fix...
After Jen got her coffee at the Wanderlust Cowgirl Coffee Company (3.5/5 stars)in Panguitch, UT, we headed over to the Cowboy Smokehouse (3.5/5 stars) for lunch. Overall, we would say the coffee and the BBQ were good. The BBQ joint definitely was not expecting the crowd they got so service was slow and they forgot part of our order. Jen and Lila got some ice cream there but they didn’t have any vanilla so I went across the street to Henrie’s Drive-in (5/5 stars) and that place was packed!! I got a soft serve Vanilla cone, of course, and it was great. I think I would try them for lunch in the future.
On our drive to Kodachrome Basin State Park where we were staying for the next couple days, we drove through this Red Canyon which was amazing looking. (Sorry, no pics since raining and driving) We stopped at the BLM Grand Escalante Visitor Center where Lila ran in and got 3 Jr. Ranger books. 😉 When we arrived at the Park visitor center, Lila came in and asked if they had a Jr. Ranger program and they did so 3 more books came in the truck.
Kodachrome Basin State Park is an amazing campground especially for the price of $30/night.
All sites in the Basin campground have water, electricity, and sewer. They have a very nice laundry facility and the bathrooms are being redone this year. The restrooms have these beautiful tile showers with the rainfall shower heads as well and they don’t have a timer on them like most of campgrounds do.
First time in 2 weeks that we got to take a long shower 😬
The local boy scouts have a shed there with firewood that you can pay $6 for a good size bundle.
There isn’t any cell service so you have no reason but to enjoy a fire, the quietness and later the night sky since it is another Dark Sky Zone.
Although, you can hike or bike to the top of Panorama Point to get cell signal but it was a beast of a ride (for me). I had to get off the bike a few times and going down I may have crashed at least once 😞
September 3rd, 2019
We got up early and headed out to Bryce Canyon for most of the day. We tried stopping in at the BLM Grand Escalante visitor center to get our badges, but they are closed until Thursday. Luckily, we can stop at another one in a couple days and they will give us the badge. We stopped in at the Bryce Canyon Pines Restaurant for breakfast (3/5 stars) then headed into the Bryce Canyon visitor center for our Jr. Ranger programs.
It took us about 1 hour to work through most of it in the museum then we went out for a couple hikes. On our way up to the first hike, we witnessed a wicked rain storm that accompanied a thunderstorm. Thankfully, by the time we got to the end of the road, the rain had stopped.
We got in another Bristlecone Pine Trail there then headed down the Navajo Loop Trail. Both of them offered great views of Bryce Canyon. Jen and I both thought Cedar Breaks Monument was more impressive, but it was fun here because you got to walk down into the Hoodoos. Hoodoo’s are the tall rock pillar structures in the pictures.
Once we got done with the hikes, we finished the rest of the Jr. Ranger books and got our badges.
On our way home, we stopped for gas and groceries in the town of Tropic. Groceries weren’t too bad (except for the rotten bell pepper Jen cut into) but definitely more expensive than at home. Still way less than eating out. Also, I stopped in at the True Value for some parts ;) and got some recommendations for a drive from 2 older guys that were there and live in the area.
So far our (Jen and I) favorite National Park on this trip is Zion and Lila liked Bryce Canyon especially if she could have seen more of it.
Tomorrow, we leave for Escalante Petrified Forest State Park.