Zion Canyon was our final stop before heading home. The road from where we stayed overnight took us on a scenic drive into the Zion National Park from the South East. There is a 1.1mile (1.7km) tunnel for which an escort is required if your vehicle is bigger than the average car, as the tunnel is both narrow and low - higher vehicles have to drive down the centre of the road. Just before the tunnel is a walk to an overlook. The weather was perfect, and we made the most of it by going for the walk, though as we'd discovered whilst visiting the canyons, the most spectacular walks often require not looking down whilst walking along narrow paths at the edge of sheer cliffs (with handrails).

The view was excellent, and we could see down to the road which wound through the valley below. We could also see the vents in the tunnel, from which one photo was taken later.

Once in the canyon we had lunch and a brief look through the visitors centre before heading off homewards. The Mulders took the shuttle bus to see the rest of the park - an wise feature of the National Parks during the peak season which removes most of the traffic from the road and allows for a more peaceful experience for all. It is all well planned so that the shuttle comes past regularly and goes nearly anywhere you would want to go.

On the 7 hour drive home we passed through the fourth state of our trip, Nevada, and through Las Vegas, along the freeway. 5pm wasn't the best time to drive though, but the slower traffic meant we got to see some of the sights briefly. We'll go back soon to see them a little closer!

And so ended a long driving holiday but a great time seeing an amazing array of places. The country certainly is beautiful, and we'll be going back to see it in more detail soon!