April 6th
Our route continues through — or past — Red Canyon, also known as the Red Rock Mountains. Along Highway 89 there are scenic viewpoints everywhere, and right after the Visitor Center there is a photo trail well worth a short detour. We also make a brief stop at Moqui Cave — a kind of cavern that once served as a film set. Today it operates as a gift shop with a bar that charges an admission fee. Before heading into Zion Park, however, we first visit the town of Kanab. Here you'll find a free museum and gift shop called the Little Hollywood Movie Museum (frontiermoviertown.com), featuring numerous film sets from various productions — donations welcome!

Highway 9 takes you through the atmospheric Zion National Park, with magnificent views of canyons, cliffs, and valleys — note that this is a national park with an entrance fee. At the Visitor Center you board the shuttle bus for the scenic drive through Zion Canyon. Along the way you get to see some stunning rock formations, including the Great White Throne. A complete loop without stopping takes about 120 minutes. We ride all the way to the end of the shuttle route at the Temple of Sinawava, then hike roughly 1.5 hours — about 3.5 km — along the Virgin River through a narrow canyon and back. Along the way you may spot all kinds of wildlife: deer, squirrels, even a wild turkey — so keep your eyes open! If you're up for more, you can continue the hike along a paved path directly through the river for another 3 km toward sandstone walls that seem to reach right over your head — bring waterproof footwear for that section. There are also many other trails of varying difficulty and length throughout the park. The ascent to Angels Landing and the trail to Observation Point are particularly recommended — just pick up a brochure at the entrance or Visitor Center (available in German too!) or ask the rangers.

For us it's now time to take the shuttle back and make our way to today's final destination: Las Vegas. We reach the entertainment capital of Nevada's desert toward evening and are overwhelmed by the sea of lights — and at the same time a little disoriented by the abrupt shift from nature to an artificially staged city. After checking in to our hotel, The Linq, situated right in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip, we take a short stroll around the area and watch the Fountains Show at the Bellagio, complete with musical accompaniment.