Coral & Tusk Travels West!
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CORAL & TUSK GOES TO THE GRAND CANYON!
In celebration of the National Park Service’s centennial year, our Wholesale Manager, Alicia and our フクロウ and クマ Pocket Dolls headed to the high deserts of Arizona and Utah to discover the wonders of our country’s National Parks. Bear and Owl had their slingshot and binoculars in tow, while Alicia packed her hiking boots! They trekked, camped, and were awed by the incredible nature of the Colorado Plateaus!
View from Point Imperial on the North Rim
After months of dreaming and planning, we finally flew out West to explore! Our first stop, THE GRAND CANYON! Carved by the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon is 277 miles long and up to 18 miles wide in some areas. Words and pictures cannot capture the magnitude of the canyon!
We set up camp on the North Rim, where we met new bird friends and old bison pals. We only had an afternoon, so we hiked around Bright Angel Point and Point Imperial, an amazing place to watch the sunset!
After a day at the Grand Canyon, we drove north, snaking through the rocky landscape of Vermilion Cliffs National Monument on our way to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. We spent the day at Lake Powell, the second largest reservoir in the nation! Owl flew to the top of Horseshoe Bend where he took in breathtaking views of the Colorado River and Arizona’s unreal beauty. It was over 100 degrees that day and Lake Powell at Antelope Point was the perfect place to cool off.
Owl hiking to Emerald Pool in Zion
On to Zion National Park in Southern Utah! Zion is located at the intersection of the Colorado Plateaus, the Great Basin, and the Mojave Desert, creating a diverse environment for plants and wildlife. The rock formations in each place we visited were similar yet strikingly different. The cliffs of Arizona were vermilion, while Zion’s were red, gold, and slate.
Bear trekking the Narrows of Zion
The Narrows of Zion is one of the best hiking trails our parks system has to offer! We were so lucky to reserve a permit three months prior to our trip so we could hike the entire 16 miles of the Narrows! 60% of the hike is in the river, so we geared up with special boots and walking sticks at Zion Adventure Company in nearby Springdale, UT.
The Upper Narrows was one of the most pristine places we had ever been. We spotted so many different types of lizards, birds, and butterflies as we hiked down the river to our campsite. Our permit granted us an overnight stay in the Narrows. We woke up bright and early the next day to continue our adventure.
The Lower Narrows
As we headed down to the Lower Narrows we had to swim in some areas because the water was so deep! Once we found our way to the Orderville Canyon juncture, we were in complete awe of the steep slate walls of the slot canyon surrounding us. Our experience in the Narrows was one the highlights of our trip!
The Unbelievable Beauty of Bryce
Once we dried off from our time in the Narrows we high-tailed it to Bryce Canyon! One of our all time favorite National Parks! The Hoodoos and hues of Bryce are both awesome and inspiring.
Sunset at Bryce Canyon
Owl feeling right at home
We spent the entire morning hiking around the canyon, taking the Queen's Garden Trail and the Navajo and Peek-a-Boo loops. Bryce is home to the Bristlecone Pine, one of the oldest living organisms on our planet! Owl found himself right at home in the pine’s twisted branches!
Coral & Tusk designer, Stephanie Housley, was inspired by desert winds, dry riverbeds, and geological formations for our new Winds fabric collection. It was so amazing to see these elements firsthand and witness the connection between our designs and nature.
Cedar Breaks from Point Supreme
Our final stop on our C&T Southwest tour, Cedar Breaks National Monument! At over 10,000 feet we reached the top of the Colorado Plateau. Cedar Breaks has similar rock formations to Bryce Canyon but due to higher elevation, there are more forest areas and...snow, even in June!
Owl & Bear ready to go home to the Coral & Tusk studio
Our explorers reached the end of their National Parks adventure, at least for now! In August the whole Pocket Doll crew and Coral & Tusk team will explore the wilds of WYOMING! We can’t wait to visit the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone National Park, and our new showroom in Jackson!
Hope you all FIND YOUR PARK!