Utah Day 5: Canyonlands--Needles

Temps were still in the 60s when we headed south out of Moab on Rt. 191. We stopped for pictures at Wilson Arch, but stone arches here are sort of like impala in South Africa--oh, yeah, there's another one (yawn). We skipped  Needles Overlook because the 22-mile road in was not marked as scenic. In retrospect, we probably should have taken it since all our views of the Needles were from a distance. Next time...

Further south is another road into the park (35-mile-long Rt. 211). Our feelings driving this route can be summarized as "This is what Utah is supposed to look like.

Something called "Newspaper Rock" was marked on the map, so naturally we had to stop--petroglyphs covering 2000 years of human habitation--including someone scratching his name in 1954. Maybe that is when they put the fence up.

In the park we took the side road to Cave Spring. Mom read her book in the car while Steve and I did the 45-minute hike. The characteristic thing about this area is harder rock layers that look like too much frosting poured over a sandstone cake. Actually, I thought a lot of the formations looked like a village for some Dr. Seus characters.

The walk was in an area with wide overhangs that cowboys used for camps in the days of the open range. There is a water source--seepage that collects in a pool maybe 3'x6' and half a foot deep. I would hardly call it a spring, but you could fill your canteen there.

The trail involved two ladders. We were grateful to meet a group of young men at the top of this one who gave us each a hand over the crevase to the right.

More fascinating rock formations and overhangs. Lots of them had soot-blackened ceilings.

We took a fabulous gravel road out to Elephant Hill, starting point for a network of trails. Sightseeing for us. Campsites at the entrance to the road where sheltered under overhangs like the cowboys used at Cave Spring.

Another awesome picnic spot. Shaded with less wind than some days even though the temps were into the 90s by now.

Prickly pear is just coming into season.

After lunch I did another 45-minute walk around Pothole Point while the others listened to the ball game in the air-conditioned car. The potholes are not what I am used to from St. Croix Falls. I suspect that these are wind-scoured instead of water-scoured. They are much shallower depressions in the rock that collect sand and water and provide environments for cactus and other stuff too small to see. The rock formations were fascinating.

 Then we arrived at Big Spring Canyon Overlook, trailhead for the Slickrock footpath. It looked very inviting, but too long for today. Too long for the middle of ANY day.

We have now seen all of Canyonlands accessible by Camry. Unfortunately for us the entire Maze section requires four-wheel drive. Not even an overlook we can get to. BTW, if you haven't been here, Utah should definitely be on your bucket list. If you HAVE been here, I'm sure returning is already on your bucket list.

On the way out we took a side road through the Manti-La Sal National Forest. Totally different ecosystem with pines and aspens and some of the "wildlife" we had been warned about. This is still open range.

Tonight we are in "The Cottage" of the Grist Mill B&B in Monticello. This feels like a normal town after the totaly tourism dominated Moab. The cottage is a house with a shared kitchen. So far there is only a truck driver here. Steve and Mom have gone out for supper. I decided to shower off the salt and sand and eat in so I can get to bed earlier tonight. Writing a blog up to 8 or 9 leaves my mind going to much too sleep. My own fault for chasing the light in Arches.

Tomorrow we head south to Blanding and then west on rt. 95 from our Scenic Byways book. More adventures.

Utah Day 4: Canyonlands--Island in the Sky

Another hot but awesome day. After breakfast we headed for the north entrance of Canyonlands National Park in an area called Island in the Sky. Even the road TO the park was spectacular.

Monitor and Merrimac butes, named for Civil War ships.

Island in the Sky is essentially the top of a mesa with cliffs all around. Awesome views. Just inside the gate Steve turned left on Shafer Trail Rd. Officially it is four-wheel-drive, but his African game park experience served us in good stead and we did fine as far as we went, clinging to the edge of the cliff. When we saw another vehicle coming (only twice) we simply waited at a wide spot in the road to pass.

When the road started down into the canyon, we turned around at one of the switchbacks.

Back on top, we 'evangelized' at the Shafer Overlook to people who were looking at the road below, sharing the good news that it was totally awesome and doable.

We turned around at the first switchback you can see ont he left. Did I mention the road was awesome?

Mesa Arch was a short but awesome hike. Gravel path so Mom couldn't do it. (Too much up and down for her anyway.)

Lunch at the picnic site short of Green River Overlook at the end of the road. Picnic spotswere in short supply. A couple from Mississippi and their grown daughter asked to join us at the other end of the table before we finished.

There was a paved path at Green River Overlook and Mom took it. When we got back to this spot and were waiting for Steve to bring the car, someone asked if she could borrow the walker.

Have I mentioned the spectacular views?