We left the rolling hills of I-15 at Cedar City and headed up Rt. 14 into a beautiful canyon, but sorry, no convenient places to stop for photos. We did stop at the top and look back toward Zion. I don't usually like dead trees in my pictures, but this one has a hawk in it.
We turned north at Rt 148 where we turned the other day coming from the other direction and retraced our route through Cedar Breaks National Monument. This time we stopped at the visitor center and took in the overlook.
I ran into a couple who were so pleased to have just purchased their lifetime pass for national parks. We bought ours several years ago when the cost was $10 for seniors over age 62. The price has now gone up to $20 for an annual pass or $80 for lifetime. "It's a worthy cause," the man told me. I agree. And we have used ours in 7 places this trip alone. At $35 for most of those parks, even $80 is a bargain.
We continued north on Rt. 143 where we had turned east before. Steep winding roads with high snow poles marking the road for winter. The area was devastated by the pine beetle. Brian Head is a ski area, and there we saw whole hillsides of dead trees being logged.
At Parowan we continued north on I-15. It felt really weird to be going so fast (speed limit 80) on a wide divided highway.
Even the rest stops on I-70 have stupendous views.
Another stop. That's the interstate down there passing through a gap where workers could touch both sides when they started construction in 1970.
My dad wondered why there were never any houses in my pictures. I think he was wondering if anyone actually LIVES in Utah. Yes, they do, but not in the national parks. Dad, here's the view from our hotel window this morning. Note the houses of La Verkin, Utah.
Tonight we're back in the Best Western in Grand Junction, CO. Got a buclet of KFC and ate it in the shady courtyard outside our room with a can of corn and another of German potato salad. Very pleasant. Tomorrow we leave behind the mountains.
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