The road to the Grand Canyon's North Rim was closed (thanks to the two readers who wrote to point that out) so Ace instead explored the majestic wonders of Zion National Park in southern Utah.

Zion allows dogs on leashes, and one trail is specified as dog-friendly. Hiking along that one, we ran into four other dogs, including a black lab named Finn, whose owner was visiting from Los Angeles to spend Christmas doing volunteer work at Best Friends Animal Society, outside Kanab.

Ace took a chilly dip in the Virgin River before we hopped back in the car. Unlike the Grand Canyon, you can drive right through the middle of Zion, and in some cases through the middle of the rocks.

We saw some magnificent rock formations, in hues of cinammon, salmon and sweet potato orange, some smothered in snow that melted like marshmallow topping.

Ace now has three national parks under his belt (collar?), leading me to wonder if we should try and see them all. In the afternoon we drove on to Cameron, Ariz. Tomorrow it's on to Phoenix where Christmas will be anything but white. Here's wishing you a merry one.