谢谢大家的热情帮助, 我们的圣诞节Utah, Arizona之行顺利完成. 5个国家公园景色各异, 让人感慨大自然造物之鬼斧神工. 虽然前一阵已有朋友贴了很多精彩的贴子, 我仍想再一次同大家分享公园美不胜收的风景. 厌烦红土的朋友敬请跳过此贴.
这次行程的大部分地区覆盖着皑皑白雪,有时厚达1尺. 很多年没见过雪了, 体会着“山舞银蛇,原驰蜡象”的景象, 嘴里哼着老歌”Let it snow, let it snow……”, 兴奋地过了一个白色圣诞节. 天冷游人稀少, 有时诺大一个公园, 只有几辆车, 我们游逛无拘无束, 所以我称之为“冰天雪地任我行”. 红色的岩石, 苍翠的森林, 茫茫的雪原, 汇成亮丽的风景. 来吧, 让我们WIDE-EYES-OPEN.
先把行程列出:
12/21 Drive to Las Vegas
12/22 L.V to Zion park,2.5 hours,160miles to south entrance
riverside walk (1 mile paved road, 1.5 hours)
4:00pm: drive to Page. 120mile. 2.5hours.
12/23 Page
Morning: 8:15am: Canyon X and Antelope Canyon tour (5.5 Hours)
Afternoon: 2:30 to 4:30pm: Antelope Canyon sunset Boat tour.
Then: Walk around Page city. (Natural trail around Page)
12/24 Morning: 6:30am: Horseshoe bend.
Glen Canyon Dam, lake Powell.
11:30am: Drive to Monument valley: 120 miles, 2 hours.
Drive through park: 14 miles, 2 hour.
Drive to Moab: 170miles, 3 hours
Night: Best Western Canyonlands Inn (Nice)
12/25 Christmas
Morning: ScenicByway-128, Castle Velley.
Then: Arches national park.3:00pm Hiking 1 hour to Delicate Arch, wait for sunset there. (Brilliant)
12/26
Morning: ScenicByway-279. (推荐)
Then: Canyonlands NP: North: island in the sky.
4:00pm: go out of NP, go to Dead horse Point overlook, wait for sunset. (Disppointed)
5:00pm: Drive to Blanding.
12/27 Drive to Bryce canyon. Total: 330 miles, 7hours.
Morning (9:00am): Blanding to Natural bridges
11:00am: UT95 (scenic drive), 100miles to Hw 24, 30mile to Capitol Reef NP
4:00pm: Hw12. to Bryce canyon: 121 miles. (3h)
Night: Best Western Ruby's Inn. (nice)
12/28
hiking Bryce canyon.
Morning: Hiking Sunrise Point to Queen’s Garden
Afternoon: Hiking Morry Cave trail.
12/29 Friday:
Go home. Pass an outlet or pass Death valley?.
Las Vegas 夜景: 最引人入胜的是Bellagio的音乐喷泉, 水柱随着歌剧的腔调时而蓬勃高昂,时而婉转低扬,那摇曳生姿的型态颇象少妇的万种风情,在闪烁的霓虹灯辉映下流转.
Bellagio Fountain.
晚间观看Jubilee歌舞表演, 它的舞台布景很有特色. 噱头虽为topless, 但看点是华丽的服饰和精彩的百老汇舞蹈, LD评论,Jubilee并不色情, 因为没有挑逗. 相比之下,回程那一晚看的”O”, 只不过把杂技,跳水等裹以Fancy的水上舞台布景, 虽然挺好看,但不值那么高的票价.
Flamingo的Buffet差强人意, 只有冰冷的大虾, 蟹腿, 坚韧的牛排, 熟烂的BBQ猪排和Suisi, 点心. 不如Todai.
住的倒是很棒, 竭诚推荐Tuscany Suite and Casino Hotel.
http://www.tuscanylasvegas.com
十几栋别墅小楼掩映于棕榈树丛中,Parking就在楼旁,大赌场和客房不连.进房间不需穿过烟雾弥漫,人声嘈杂的Casino,也不会迷失在大赌场的兜兜转转中. 它的房间宽敞, 更象Studio, 小厨房还带有电炉,很适合带孩子的家庭.我们煮了豌豆尖肉片汤面做早餐.
第二站, Zion.
从阳光明媚的L.V.开到Zion,一路上是广袤的沙漠, 不时看见几棵Joshua树挺立在低矮的荆棘从中, 枝节象手臂一样顽强地伸向天空, 似乎在向上帝祈祷, 人们就以圣经中先知Joshua的名字为它命名.沙漠的尽头,一列笔直的山脉横在眼前, 正琢磨没路绕行呢, 开进了山中,这一段穿山越岭的路,弯曲回旋,我战战兢兢地, 只能开50多迈,眼睛偶尔还看点风景, 山色已转向红色.
进Zion谷地时,阴云密布, 雄奇的崖壁顶端云雾缭绕. Riverside trail 上积了一层3,4 inch的雪, 溪面有的地方结了薄薄的冰,水声潺潺.
走着走着, 天上飘起了细细的雪花,飞琼散玉般.天,地,山,水,变成了一幅水墨画.
路边石壁上挂了一溜冰柱子,很可爱.
因为下雪,Angel trial关闭了. 其它 trial很滑,我们每个trial只走了一段.开出Zion,一段九曲回肠的路引着我们钻进狭长的隧道,出了隧道,倚山而上, Canyon View trail,风景奇佳.
赶去Page的路上,夕阳下的牧场,牛群悠然自得
