Western Leisure

01/13/2023

One of the most beautiful places on earth. Zion National Park. Let us help you see it.

Ever seen this “groovy” rock?

Checkerboard Mesa is a prominent formation located near the East entrance of Zion National Park. Because of the way sand was deposited by wind 185 million years ago, we can see horizontal lines stretching across the sandstone today. This phenomenon is known as cross bedding, and Zion is home to some of the best examples of it in the world! The vertical grooves or “joints” form as the rock expands and contracts from daily heating and cooling. Cross bedding and joints work together to give this iconic formation a groovy, checkerboard look.

Taking the Zion Mt. Carmel Highway to see this park feature is a must while visiting Zion National Park. Always make sure to check the official website for updated road conditions as you plan your trip. In winter, this area of the park can be very icy.

12/23/2022

One of the most beautiful places on earth.

Oh, there's no place like Zion for the holidays
'Cause no matter how far away you roam
If you want to be happy in a million ways

For the holidays, you can't beat riding the Zion Canyon Shuttle!

You can ride the shuttle from December 23rd to January 1st. The first shuttle leaves the Zion Canyon Visitor Center headed up-canyon (north) to the Temple of Sinawava at 8 a.m. MT. The last shuttle up-canyon leaves the visitor center at 3 p.m. MT. The last shuttle from the Temple of Sinawava down-canyon (south) leaves at 5:45 p.m.

On your ride, you might meet a man who lives in Tennessee who is heading to Pennsylvania for some homemade pumpkin pie. Riding the shuttle is a great opportunity to strike up conversations with others and share tips, stories, and experiences about the park!

Check go.nps.gov/ZionShuttle to learn more about the shuttle, and we'll see you in the park!

12/14/2022

Everyone should see Glacier National Park before all the ice is gone.

Traditionally, the Kootenai people referred to the Glacier National Park area as Ya·qawiswit̓xuki, meaning "the place where there is a lot of ice."

12/07/2022

What beauty but be careful out there.

12/07/2022

Beautiful! Come on a tour to see this beauty,

10/23/2022

Beautiful

09/25/2022

Beautiful!!

09/20/2022

09/07/2022

Looking for a great winter tour? Yellowstone in winter is the best time to go. Now is the time to sign up. Don't miss it. https://westernleisure.com/yellowstone-in-winter-23

08/24/2022

Happy birthday

Happy birthday to our partner park and neighbor to the north! On this day in 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established Cedar Breaks National Monument. These 89 years are only a small part of the history of this land. The Southern Paiute have lived here for time immemorial, and the geologic processes to create this stunning red amphitheater of hoodoos began long before memory.

If you are planning to visit Zion, consider expanding your trip to include Cedar Breaks. Experience cooler temperatures at 10,000 feet of elevation, enjoy a subalpine forest and red rock formations, and stay late to marvel at the dark night sky.

Construction may impact your visit, so be sure to learn more about Cedar Breaks by visiting their website at www.nps.gov/cebr

08/18/2022

Want to visit Canyonlands? Call us.

08/15/2022

08/12/2022

Stunning

The Tetons are one of the youngest mountain ranges in North America. Erosion has had much less time to work in the Tetons compared to other mountain ranges, such as The Rockies and Appalachians, so their jagged peaks remain standing high. Metamorphic rock called gneiss makes up much of the Teton Range.

Glaciers sculpted the Teton landscape over multiple glacial advances widening V-shaped river canyons into U-shaped glacial canyons, gouging out depressions filled by lakes today, sharpening high peaks, and filling the valley floor with outwash debris. Hikers access the park's high country by traveling up glacial canyons such as Cascade, Paintbrush, Death Canyon, and Granite. Look for features like glacially polished bedrock as you hike through these areas.

Don't take these views for 'granite' because they are just too 'gneiss'!

Photo courtesy of: C. Weatherbee

08/11/2022

Just a little information about Canyonlands National Park.

08/11/2022

Mt Rainier is beautiful and everyone should see it.

08/11/2022

Pronghorn known for a characteristic bounce all fours as they move quickly away from a perceived danger or predator, but they aren’t the only ones! There is another animal that seems to shout “OH DEER” when they see a predator. Mule DEER do the same bouncing motion as pronghorn, called stotting. Why just run when you could tell predators to back off by bouncing away in style?

Have you ever seen a mule deer stot away?

It is important to give deer, like all wildlife, their space! Make sure to stay 100 yards away from bears and wolves and 25 yards for all other wildlife. Using a telephoto lens, binoculars, or simply zooming in in your phone can help you to view the animal closer up while remaining a safe distance away.



Photo courtesy of L. Wadsworth

08/10/2022

Very cool

08/09/2022

Do I spy a donkey in Zion Canyon? No, this is one of Zion’s mule deer. These guys get their name from their large mule/donkey like ears.

Have you noticed that a lot of desert animals have large ears? This is a desert adaption for a few different animals. Many animals use their large ears to help them survive here. Their ears allow them to hear tiny noises from far away and cool off in this summer heat.

Mule deer have some of the coolest ears of all, literally. While in Zion you can often spot these animals under shade. This is because while resting and cooling down in the shade they collect blood in their large ears. A thin layer of skin allows for the blood to cool while pooling in their ears. Once these animals get up and walk around, they flush this chilled blood through their system.

Other big-eared animals you might notice in the park are jack rabbits, kangaroo rats, and even bighorn sheep!

Remember not to approach wildlife that you encounter in Zion. This park is their home, and they deserve space to be wild animals.

08/04/2022

What Lies Beneath

There is so much to discover at Yellowstone...often just under your feet! The volcanic caldera (crater) is 45 miles (72 km) in diameter in the middle of Yellowstone National Park. Due to erosion and lava flows that filled the crater, it can be difficult to see. This is what the view looks like from Washburn Hot Springs Overlook. Can you spot where the edge of that volcanic rim is? We'll show the answer in the comments below (no peaking)!

Image: A large valley below is filled with trees and small hills. The sky above is big and blue with white, puffy clouds.

07/29/2022

It’s not just about the land animals.

07/19/2022

There are no words.

07/13/2022

How was Zion Canyon formed? The Virgin River has sculpted its path through these cliffs over a few million years, leaving towering sandstone up to thousands of feet tall on either side. This process is far from over. Times of high snowmelt and flood contribute to carrying out one million tons of sediment each year.

Rockfalls are a natural result of this canyon carving process but can serve to fight back against the river’s journey—even damming the flow to form a lake on the canyon floor almost 5,000 years ago. And yet, water has always carved its way back through.

If you find yourself facing a seemingly impenetrable wall, remember the small and mighty Virgin River in Zion Canyon. With time, a determined force can bring sweeping, beautiful change.

To learn more about the geology of Zion, check out www.nps.gov/zion/learn/nature/geology.htm

07/07/2022

Both grizzly bears and black bears are omnivores, meaning they eat both meat and plants. They can also have similar coloration. In fact, about 50% of black bears are actually brown, blond, or cinnamon in color! Can you tell which kind of bear this is?

Regardless of what type of bear you see, be sure to treat all bears as wild animals. Stay at least 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from bison, elk, and all other animals.

07/06/2022

Thunder and lightning in the desert!? It's more likely than you think!

As we move into July, monsoon season is upon Zion Canyon. Powerful pop-up thunderstorms called monsoons are forming in and around Zion Canyon, bringing with them heavy rain, thunder, and lightning. While these powerful storms are an important part of the desert and maintaining our seeps, springs, and river here in Zion, they can also be a safety risk for our visitors.

Always keep an eye on the sky - Be looking and listening for thunder and lightning. When you hear or see lightning, the safest places to shelter are a vehicle or building. Additionally, monsoon season can mean flash flooding in slot canyons throughout the park, including the Narrows. Always keep an eye on the flash flood forecast, which can be checked on Zion's website as well as at our Visitor Center.

We hope you have a wonderful and safe adventure in Zion!
Learn more at www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/weather-and-climate.htm

07/06/2022

A special congratulations to Mayuko Davidson, Operations Manager at Western Leisure Tours. We have the best employees.

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Visit Salt Lake, a private, nonprofit corporation promoting Salt Lake as a convention and travel destination, recently bestowed its inaugural SALT Awards to honor Salt Lake County’s hospitality workers “who exemplify service, accomplishment, leadership and tenacity.” Each award recipient was recognized with an engraved SALT crystal award and a check for $1,000. The “Scenemaker” Award (for exceptional service for industries including attractions, venues, caterers and transportation providers) went to Mayuko Davidson, operations manager for Western Leisure. "

06/23/2022

Yellowstone’s south loop is open.

06/15/2021

If an African safari is on your bucket list, Western Leisure would be happy to create an amazing safari for you. Here is just a little of what you might see.

05/13/2021

Ready to Travel? We have a number of domestic tours ready and waiting for you. A beautiful one is our Colorado Train Adventure in September. Seeing Colorado in the fall is just breathtaking. If you are interested, check out our website at: https://westernleisure.com/colorado-train-adventure or call us at 800-532-2113.