June 16th and 17th. Leaving Bryce Canyon we headed east on Scenic Route 12 through Utah towards Capitol Reef NP.
Stopping at Cannonville BLM Visitor Center we checked out the pioneer exhibits and information. We drove in and out of the Dixie National Forest and 1 mile west of Escalante center we drove into the Petrified Forest State Park. It is a lovely campground/park beside a beautiful reservoir. Good fishing with a Utah fishing license and hikes up and through the Petrified Forest in this area. It was way to early in the day to stay but we would love to return here someday. We headed into the town of Escalante and stopped at the Interagency Visitor Center. There we got info on BLM camping in the region.
Then we found The Hole-In-The-Rock Expedition information center just east of Escalante.
In March 1879, Mormons from Cedar City area were called by their church to settle the uncharted San Juan River basin area of Southeast region of Utah. Since there was no direct route the leaders decided to create a shortcut. That fall 234 men, women and children packed up their worldly possessions and set out in 83 wagons to Escalante, then onward building a road through largely rough terrain. Though challenging from start to finish, the most difficult and perilous section of the route comprised barely a mile of the long journey. When they finally glimpsed the Colorado River it lay 1800 feet below them.
Undeterred they set about blasting a trail down a steep crevice. With picks, sledgehammers and blasting powder the young men hacked a path through a sheer 45-foot drop near the rim. Further down, the men navigated a 50-foot drop by tacking a road to the cliff face. They drilled holes into the rock and drove oak poles into them. Logs, rocks and dirt topped the poles creating a suspended roadway, an amazing engineering feat!
On Jan 26, 1880 the first wagon descended the 25-45% grade. By Feb 1st all 83 wagons had reached the river safely!
It is astonishing to see the route used for these wagons. Yet, the settlers continued to use the road for atleast a year, driving both up and down through the hair-raising Hole. In 1881, a more accessible route was found across the river 20 miles upstream now known as Hall's Crossing.
We continued on through the absolutely amazing geological scenic Route 12. Mostly part of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The road curves and climbs then descends and curves along the way. Jaw dropping scenes around every bend.
We had received a tip from a camper in Zion to stop in Boulder and eat at the Burr Trail Grill so saved our appetite for the stop. It is located at the corner of Burr Trail Road and Route 12. There is a cattle watering hole also across the road and we could watch and listen as the cowboys drove the herd through.
The food was eclectic and delicious. I had a lamb burger with mint and feta, Bob a burger with Mexican flair. We started with scrumptious fried green tomatoes and got take home pie for later. Chocolate Whiskey and Mixed Berry with ginger. What a treat for supper! Just north of Bolder we stopped at Anasazi State Park Museum for a brief interlude in this trail of the ancients heritage area. I can never get enough of the culture of these ancestral peoples.
We continued along 12 and stopped at a small Forest Service information cabin along the road. It was manned by a volunteer couple from Florida. They were so nice we chatted 20 minutes past their closing time! I had questioned whether there was more than one (tree) at Single Tree campground as I was hoping for a shady and cooler site for the night. They assured me there was and advised getting a site along the ridge overlooking Miners Mountain and the western edges of Capitol Reef NP. But they could not explain why there were so many large dark rocks sitting on top of the hills like large marbles...
We found such a site and settled in for the night. After our pie supper we hiked the short but steep trail down to view Singletree Falls. A hiker ahead of us had spotted a (very small, non-poisonous) snake so I had my eyes out for it. It must have moved on. We had a very restful night and rose early to reach Capitol Reef's Waterpocket Fold. We stopped in Torrey and headed west 1 mile on Route 24 to pick up some groceries then east to Twin Rocks and Chimney Rock for a short hike. Then on to the Visitor Center to orient ourselves with this area.
"Going Places With Smiling Faces!"
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