For a lot of years we had the tradition of going to see my wifes mother who was a snow bird in the St George area of Utah. Since the ski resorts work hard at being open for skiing on Thanksgiving week. A lot of the mountain riding in Northern Utah was done for the year. So Thanksgiving in Southern Utah was an excuse to get in a couple more rides before the snow got too deep. My wife would help her mother prepare the Turkey dinner and I would take the horses and who ever would come, ( usually brother in law or my kids) and we would go explore the desert areas near by. The best rides I ever had in Zions National Park were on Thanksgiving day as we rode the 7 miles into Kolob arch, hiked the 1/2 mile up to the arch and then returned in time for a Thanksgiving Dinner with whoever was in town to visit. The rides would continue on Black Friday while my wife and her mother rushed about the Black Friday specials, The horses and I would continue to enjoy the warmer weather and dry footing of the desert. It seemed that the only folks we would find along the trails on Thanksgiving were usually tourist from some foreign land. German and other europeans come to Utah to hike in the Red Rock Country and don't have family to spend the holiday with, So the continued their hikes. I've always told my wife, that I have more pictures sitting on Coffee tables in Germany than I have in my own home,Because the tourist always seem so excited to take pictures of cowboys on horses. My Mother in Law passed 10 years ago and tradition change. We no long have reason to go to Southern Utah for Thanksgiving, nor the warm home to stay in. I will have Thanksgiving dinner with my family at my home and probably go for ride in the mountains on Friday and cut a fresh Christmas tree. It's kinda become the new tradition. Ride in, find a tree, cut it and drag it out behind the horse. Zions Park 
Looking into Snow Canyon state Park 
BIL hanging out for a better view of Snow Canyon. Notice his grip on the tree. 
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Thanksgiving Rides
