Natural Bridges, Moki Dugway and More!

Friday, June 19th, 2015. Today it was back on the road after 2 nights at Capitol Reef. Because days were now going consistently into the 90's, we were looking forward to a days drive with A/C. To help get us off to an early start we decided we would just have to go back to the Gifford House one last time. Enjoying their brewed coffee, sharing a fresh baked cinnamon roll and picking up a peach pie for later would eliminate breakfast prep and clean up. What could be more logical? We were anxious to get going. Park Rangers and other we had talked to about our route assured us it would be spectacular.

Out of the park we headed East on Route 24 to Hanksville. This leg was about 40 miles. Traffic was very light. It was easy to enjoy watching the hills, valleys and gorges roll by. At Hanksville we turned South onto Route 95. This leg was about 95 miles to our next junction. Travel continued to be easy and the scenery just seemed to keep getting better. After about 45 miles we were amazed by the surrounding chocolate cliffs folding around our curving roadway. We were in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. We stopped at a large scenic overlook. The view was breathtaking. We were several thousand feet above the Colorado River. The river was quite wide at this point. To the Southwest the river had been dammed in the 1960's to form Lake Powell. The frontier town of Hite had once been on the banks of the river below. It was a casualty of the dam building.

We continued on feeling like we often did last year in Alaska. It just keeps getting better!

Just one mile before our next junction we decided to try the turn off to Natural Bridges National Monument. We discovered that this area was the first place in Utah designated as a National Monument. This site has a 9 - mile loop road overlooking a sandstone gorge which is home to three natural bridges and some well preserved ancient cliff dwellings. We spent about 2 1/2 hours exploring this area. It was very hot, but well worth the effort to walk the short trails to amazing overlooks.

After exiting the park we continued one mile down the road and turned South onto Route 261. In 26 miles this would bring us to Route 163 and on through Monument Valley. After about 23 miles of 55 mph driving Route 261 comes to a precipice. As the road turns to gravel, multiple signs warn of hairpin turns, 10% grades, and 5 to 15 mph speed limits.

We turned into the wide turn-out to stop and see what we were in for just before the road took a 90 degree turn to the left. This view was amazing.

We were at the top of a large bluff which dropped straight down 1100 feet! The valley floor was beautiful. Red sandstone monoliths and buttes dotted the visible landscape. This was the North-Eastern end of Monument Valley. The 2.2 mile looping drive down was carved into the face of the bluff. They call this the Moki Dugway. It was an experience not to be missed!

Once down we headed into Mexican Hat for Dinner. (A stone formation just north of town is named Mexican Hat as well.) At 98 degrees we were not up for supper chores. We had a good meal at a Navajo restaurant next to the bridge crossing the San Juan River. After dinner we took the 17 mile BLM loop road through The Valley of the Gods. This road started at it's eastern end on Route 163 about 10 miles north of Mexican Hat and it ends a mile or so from the base of Moki Dugway. We got an up close look at many sandstone monoliths.

Several turn-outs were available along this road for overnight camping. All the BLM asked for was no campfires and pack out all waste. We were alone in a most beautiful world. The night sky was incredible. The scent of fragrant spring night blooms descended upon us as we began to fall asleep. A perfect ending to a 'Top 10' day!

"Going Places With Smiling Faces!" "Just have to see what is beyond the next curve!"

Capitol Reef National Park

June 17th through 19th, 2015. We spent 2 nights here in partial shade. The daytime temps are now into the mid 90's. Capitol Reef NP encompasses a giant buckle in Earth's crust that stretches across south-central Utah. This vast warping of rock, created 65 million years ago by the same great forces later uplifting the Colorado Plateau, is called the Waterpocket.

It is an eroded jumble of colorful cliffs, massive domes, soaring spires, stark monoliths, twisting canyons and graceful arches. But the Waterpocket Fold country is more than this. It is also the free-flowing Fremont River and the big desert sky. It is cactus, jay, lizard, jackrabbit, juniper, columbine and deer. It is a place humans used for thousands of years, from early indigenous peoples to Mormon pioneers. It stretches 100 miles and beyond.

We explored the scenic drive south inside the park as far as we could drive with their oil and stone paving going on. It is a narrow, paved road that goes along the Capitol Reef's brilliantly colored towering cliffs. The Grand Wash is a gravel road that cars can drive, but we chose to head to the south point and were halted at Capitol Gorge Road. It is deep and twisting with water-carved sheer walled canyons. We had to walk it as it was quite washed out from the recent early rains. We managed to get about 2 miles down and back in the heat. Thankful for fudgecicles in our truck camper freezer! That and some ice cold ginger-ale make a great refreshing combo. We had hoped to make it to the "Tanks" which are occasionally water filled pot-holes but could not make that distance in this heat.

16 miles back up the scenic drive to the main campgrounds and picnic areas in the Fremont River area it is much greener lush with cottonwoods, walnut and fruit trees in the orchards and is a bit cooler. Apple, peach, cherry, pear, plum and apricot trees (almost 3,000 trees) grow in the Fruita orchards. Historic and heirloom varieties of some fruits are still here. You may pick and eat fruit free of charge while in the orchards. (when in harvest season) A nominal fee is charged for fruit you take with you.

Each morning we stopped at the Historic Gifford House, part museum filled with cultural exhibits and part country store featuring pioneer-era sales items and fresh homemade pies breads and brewed coffee. And during the days we were here fresh picked cherries packaged into small paper bags. They were delicious! We started with an Apple Pie, then on the next day Strawberry-Rhubarb and finally on the 3rd morning we bought a Peach Pie to go for later in the days travels. Thankfully they were small and just enough for sharing!

The 2 informative Ranger talks we sat in the cooler evening air at dusk to hear were on Geology and Wilderness. We were told the probable reason for the various sizes of boulders on the hillsides and mountain tops approaching this area on Route 12 and 24 was they were most likely formed by volcanic flow that smoothed over the surface at eruption but was broken up and tumbled through glaciation activity. It made the most sense.

To keep cool, we hiked a bit less and drove to the stopping points on Route 24 just east of the visitor's center. The petroglyphs were nearly in shade and easily accessible, as was the 1800's Fruita Schoolhouse, a restored and refurbished one-room school that was also used at the time as their church meeting house, and social center for dances and such. We did manage to hike out near the Capitol Dome up to the Hickman Natural Bridge on the mesa above the highway. Capitol Dome can be seen looking to the east. It is a Navajo sandstone feature that was named for its resemblance to the US Capitol and inspired the park's name.

"Going Places With Smiling Faces!" and as Bob now says, "I've just got to see what's around the next bend!"

Utah's Scenic Byway 12, Grand Staircase-Escalante NM

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!"

Bryce Canyon

June 14th-16th 2015. We entered Bryce Canyon, NP on route 63 just off of Scenic By-way Route 12 and after a quick check of the Visitor's Center we headed straight to the campgrounds and secured a site for the next 2 nights. Then we drove to the General Store and walked around to get better situated. As we approached the rim trail we saw a group of horses and a few mules being ridden by guests heading through the stone formations and hoodoos.

The sun arcing across the sky casts a kaleidoscope of slowly altered hues and shifting shadows over the land. The high elevation and thin air causes effects that weather the cliffs and bulbous columns called hoodoos. "Who do you think that one looks like" as Bob and I looked at this intriguing landscape. Weathering and erosion shape these statuesque rock features, but unlike many places, flowing water only plays a minor role in this story. As snow and ice melt, water seeps into fractures. As it re-freezes, it expands and cracks the rock around it. This common process of frost-wedging happens with uncommon frequency at Bryce Canyons. We headed back to our site and made supper and a campfire. It was a beautiful night and the dark sky was full of bright stars. It is very special to be in National Parks in remote regions of our country and get to see clear dark skies full of twinkling lights from above. The next morning we had a leisurely breakfast and hiked out to the road shuttle station just outside of the campgrounds to pick up our arranged tour bus ride for the morning. The Rainbow bus tour driver was an excellent park interpreter and we headed first to the southern most point on the scenic drive, Yovimpa Point at 9,000 to 10,000 feet elevation.

From there we could view 150 miles out to the south and see cliffs that descend from there in stairsteps (Of Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument) are named for their rock colors-- pink, gray, white, vermilion, and chocolate. A stand of ancient bristlecone pines grows on the exposed edge of the plateau; the oldest in the park has been alive for more than 1,700 years. Navajo Mountain was visible in the distance as we were told that several movies were filmed on the lands in front of our views. One was Clint Eastwood's "The Outlaw Josie Wales", one of Bob's favorites.

One of the notable stops was at the viewpoint of Natural Bridge. A natural arch 85 feet long and 125 feet high. It's bright rusty red contrasts with the deep green of the trees below and the deep blue of the sky above. We departed the group tour at the parks main lodge. It is a beautiful rustic lodge about a hundred feet from the rim. I should note that this park runs along a natural ridge of Paunsaugunt Plateau and the scenic road follows it pretty closely. There are forests and meadows on the west side, and dramatic rock formations falling away from cliff edges on the east side. Precipitation drains way in either direction as well. Cicadas have emerged and were "clicking" and harmonizing in the heat.

We hiked down a portion of trail to "Queen's Garden" before returning to the top of the rim. There we spotted a large group of rescue personnel getting ready to head down into the rock formations to assist a person in need. They had a remarkable gurney that rides over a single center wheel. Two strong men, one at each end hurried down to make the rescue. The head can easily overcome you when hiking and it is recommended to take and drink a gallon of water with each person in your group. Hiking here is not for the faint of heart! Just looking down at Navajo Trail loop wiggling back and forth gives you a great appreciation for the forces at work here. We headed back to our camp and reflected on all that we saw.

The next morning we stopped at the first section of the park, Fairyland Point and took in morning views before heading on our way. The colorful array, spires and monoliths rise close at hand. Some stand isolated like chess pieces; others group together like Cinderella's Castle. It's all up to your imagination. "Going Places With Smiling Faces!"

On to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon

Saturday, June 13th, 2014. We left Zion after doing morning chores taking on nice spring water and headed out before the girls sharing our site woke up. We continued east on Route 9 thru Zion's 1.1 mile tunnel. All vehicles over 7 feet 10 inches wide must pay a $15 fee and wait for either escorted travel thru or the oncoming direction of traffic to be stopped. We didn't have to wait at all, as we approached the waiting line began it's advance with the opposite flow stopped. Bob loved driving down the center of the tunnel. On the other side it was a different landscape. The geological features were more glaciated. There was even a "checkerboard" mountain with cracking lines in both horizontal and vertical patterns. This has been achieved over many years with freeze and thaws and water trickling in.

Big Horn Sheep also inhabit this side though we did not see any. They were re-introduced both here and at Capital Reef NP after the native herd died off due to disease contracted from pasturing livestock. We picked up Route 89 then 89 Alternate through Kanab,UT and Fredonia, Az and in Jacob Lake picked up Route 69 South to North Rim of Grand Canyon NP. It was very peaceful and scenic traveling along this route. Hardly any traffic. There was a large herd of Bison free ranging along the large meadow area in the National Forest area just before the park entrance. And some areas along the forested ridges that showed evidence of fires about 2 years ago. The new growth is so green and there are wild flowers blooming here and there. There were several mule deer grazing too.

The entrance to North Rim is about 203 miles from South Rim, of the Grand Canyon. But is less than 150 miles from Zion or Bryce Canyon so we chose to enter it from this direction. We parked in the large parking lot (shared with the guests of the Lodge) and headed directly to the Bright Angel Point trail. It is short and quite narrow in places barely 5 feet wide with edges descending into the canyon. It keeps you on your toes and well focused. But the views are worth the effort. We could even see snow on top of the San Francisco Mountains across and beyond the South Rim. We hiked back along the ridge at two other vantage points and took in the views. Then we walked up the many stairs to the North Rim Lodge. All are welcome to stroll both stone decks and into the great room with huge glass walls overlooking the views. There is a restaurant here and mule rides were available. I was under the impression that we needed 1 to 2 years advance reservations for that but apparently only for the South Rim and descents into the canyon. Here the trek is more along the rim and down to a closer point. (I forgot where, but not the bottom.)

The parking lot had a couple of Kaibab Squirrels unique to this small region. They are black with taller ears than most squirrels and have a whitish tail, made me think skunk at first when I saw only the tail swish around a tree trunk! They sure are cute little creatures. The chipmunks were ever looking for handouts too, but it is illegal to feed any wildlife especially in the parks.

The National Park Service visitor center had my passport stamps and Bob's Park "coins". Inside we met the store clerk who is also from our area of Florida. Then we strolled along past the cabins (for rent) and entered the Saloon. In the mornings it is a Coffee Saloon with a Barista brewing up specialty coffees and serving up breakfast burritos and fresh muffins or scones. In the the afternoons it is a bar/pub serving pizza slices. We arrived in time for pizza and a brew. We both enjoyed Sweet Devil's Stout. It made for a great happy hour and an early supper.

We then drove 4 miles north out of the park and turned west on Forest Service Road 22. Heading about 1/2 mile we again turned left onto a forest road and found a spot to boondock for the night. It was a quiet night and we woke early to clear blue skies. We headed back into the park for morning coffees and pastry at the Saloon which we ate luxuriously on the Lodge's deck overlooking marvelous views. After 2 hours we headed north on 69 and retraced our route through Fredonia and stocked up, gas, propane and beer!

"Going Places With Smiling Faces!"

Sanctuary in Zion

Rising in Utah's high plateau country, the Virgin River carves its way to the desert below through a gorge so deep and so narrow that sunlight rarely penetrates to the bottom. As the canyon widens, the river runs a gauntlet of great palisade walls rimmed with slickrock peaks and hanging valleys. The scale is immense - sheer cliffs dropping 3,000 feet, massive buttresses, deep alcoves. 19th century Mormon pioneers saw these sculptured rocks as the "natural temples of God." They called the canyon Little Zion after the celestial city.

A million years of flowing water has cut through the red and white beds of Navajo sandstone that form the sheer walls of Zion. Unlike the Grand Canyon where you stand on the rim and look out, Zion Canyon is usually viewed from the bottom looking up. Streamside on the canyon floor grow thick stands of Fremont Cottonwood, boxelder, willow and a short distance away cactus thorny mesquite trees. Vegetation changes rapidly as the terrain rises almost a mile in elevation. The high plateaus support Douglas-fir and blue spruce.

After setting our base camp we set out each day to ride the shuttle. It is mandatory beyond the canyon junction to head through the mile long tunnel through the mountain. The Zion Human History Museum showcases that humans have lived in this area for thousands of years. They had hunted mammoths, camels and other mammals. After climate changes, disease and overhunting these animals died out 8,000 years ago. Ancestral Puebloans, then Southern Paiute people lived here. Western expansion eventually brought new settlers - in the 1860's early Mormon pioneers came and built small communities and farmed the river terraces. Through hard work and faith they endured a landscape where flash floods destroyed towns and drought burned crops. The same threats exist today. But Zion daily draws new explorers to experience the beauty and the sanctuary of this place that countless generations have considered home.

The Paiute called this place "Makuntuweep" which means land standing up. In 1909, this area was designated Mununtuweep National Monument. It became a National Park in 1916. We hiked through the Riverside Trail at Temple of Zinawava and then barefoot a ways through The Narrows. This place is so captivating, looking up the sides of the sandstone. Richly colored and mostly smoothed by the force of the river. There was the "Probability" of a Flash Flood, so we paid close attention to the weather around us. There were many others also hiking through and they were better prepared with sturdy waterproof booties and Neoprene socks. We would return here in two days to do a deeper trek though The Narrows.

Then we departed at various shuttle stops and did several smaller hikes. Weeping Rock is a moist rock face with a large overhang. Silver water droplets catch and reflect the sun's rays as they descend. Rain and snow melt soaks slowly through the more permeable layers of sandstone and are filtered as they pass. When they reach the impenetrable layers in the rock they are forced to change course laterally and end up "weeping" out of the side of the sandstone. This process can take 1,200 years. Maidenhair ferns, yellow and orange columbines and more grow in tiny rock crevices. The dry dusty earth is just a few feet away.

We hiked from The Grotto down Kayenta Trail to the Emerald Pools. This trail followed the opposite side of the river from the main road and offered stunning views. It was a fairly easy climb over 2.5 miles. After that we hopped back on the shuttle at the Zion Lodge stop. When we exited the shuttle at the Visitors Center we decided to also do the Watchman Trail which is a bit more moderate 2.7 miles but offered over views of our campsite from the other ridge, the Virgin river below and Watchman mountains craggy top overlooking the town of Springdale. (Avg time to do this leg is 2.7 hours and we did it in one hour and 40 minutes at the end of a long day!)

I was tempted to just cross the river as we could see our campsite from the edge of the trail but we followed the main path. Though each day I did end up in the river to cool off. It has a nice shallow and soft sandy bottom here. There were even a few fishes swimming in circles around my legs. Yesterday we headed back up and into The Narrows, better prepared with sneakers designated, and our walking poles. The water usually wasn't more than knee deep so we were able to keep dry. You had to "read" the river. There were some chest deep pools that a group of "scouts" were frolicking in. Again we were captivated by the beauty of this area. Bob could not get enough of it! We stopped on the way back to take in the Court of Patriarchs with views of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob peaks, Mount Moroni and The Sentinel. By 4 pm we were back at camp in time for Happy Hour and to put our feet up! It was nice to see a tent share our site for the night. Two friends, Kelcy and Brekyn had come this way from Ogden, and by 9 or 10 this morning there were no sites left. They were celebrating Brekyn's 18th birthday. We were happy to share.

"Going Places With Smiling Faces"

Entering Utah and Zion NP

Tuesday, June 9th, 2014. Today we broke camp in Great Basin NP and headed down to the town of Baker, NV. We rejoined Route 487 and headed south. In about 6 miles we crossed the Utah State line and the route became Route 21. We passed along beautiful countryside that had a bit more greenery and moisture. We saw 2 or 3 marshes and a shallow lake with steer along the edges.

We even saw a modern roundup using dirt bikes and a pickup truck to move cattle across the road back into a fenced area. Much of the roadway is open range. Just as we passed the roundup we noticed the remains of a black cow and calf on the side of the road. They may have been struck during the night. Very difficult to see strays. Further along the highway we also scared up a lone large ram. It looked like it had a small fresh wound on it's back. It was a long way off from any other animals or ranch land that we could determine. There was no-one to report it to and by the time anyone came out it could be miles further away. Must be a hard way to make a living, ranching.

We passed an historic marker at the base of a mountain mine. Old Frisco Mining town once stood here on Route 21. It produced over $60,000,000 in extracted metals, copper, lead, silver and gold. Then we passed Minersville and Enoch and picked up I-15 in Cedar City, UT. We saw several triple trailers hauled by tractor (truck) drivers. Moving lots of freight. We only had to go a short ways to exit 57 and Walmart to stock up, find our bank and gas up. Bob really doesn't like highway speeds of 80 mph especially with the truck camper. We did about 70. At our exit we were quite surprised to see a landlocked 90 foot tall Providence Lighthouse! It honors Utah's non-existant maritime tradition.

Then we headed back south on I-15 to Exit 40. It is primarily just for the entrance to Zions Kolab Canyon NP. We checked out the visitor's center then headed up the 5 miles of road to the hike at the end of the road. As we went around the first bend I was amazed at the sight of the reddish cliffs carved out of this canyon area.

It really is beautiful. When we reached the end the point the air cooled and the breeze picked up. The tropical storms from the pacific are bringing much rains during the night and we could see the first light drops coming towards us. With Thunderstorms a possibility we headed down to lower elevations.

We drove back down the winding road admiring the views and rejoined I-15 South to Exit 27 to head towards the main South entrance to Zion. There was a bit of road re-construction going on in La Verkin and we missed our turn onto Route 9. We realized it when we crossed over the Verkin River. It carves a deep gorge through the valley. We doubled back 2 miles and found our turn north. In Virgin we took a left on Kolob Terrace Road and headed up about 2 miles to free camping areas we had checked out from the ranger. I try to look for BLM lands available. This is a lovely spot. The road was well paved for our section but is closed further north due to rain washouts. We are next to a small stream, that we will have to keep an ear to if it does rain tonight. We scouted it out well to watch for low hanging trees and a stray stump so we can make a quick exit if need be. There is a Flash Flood Watch for the region.

Tomorrow we will head into the park to try to get a few nights camping. It is first come first served. So we'll hit the hay for now!

"Going Places With Smiling Faces!"