Day 27 (September 27, 2019) - The Penultimate Day

Nits and Nats

Tomorrow is the day we head toward home.  We have some planned stops along the way so it isn't a direct trip, but we are started eastward.  That means today was the last chance to ensure we saw everything we wanted to see.  Within reason.  Obviously, we couldn't get to Glacier to see a fog-less Road to the Sun.  Besides, they are getting blasted with snow.  So today was about seeing the last nits and nats ... and celebrating Susan's birthday.

The morning started great with John cooking up a breakfast from eggs and leftovers.  Then Susan and I headed off for our adventures, John and Marcia went to hike to Corona Arch and Lonnie chilled until his big event in the afternoon.

Susan and I went to the Matheson Wetlands Preserve to look for birds.  We saw one bird and one unknown mammal.  It is apparently the wrong season for birding in Moab.  But it was a nice walk in a park-like setting.

We then left for Dead Horse Point State Park.  Our only prior visit was the sunset and star party.  We wanted to see it in full daylight.  It was worth the trip.  The lighting in the canyon was outstanding.

Dead Horse Point

I also caught a good view of the LaSal Mountains that make up Moab's eastern flank.

LaSal Mountains

Day 26 (September 26, 2019) Trail Riding

RZRing

My expectations for this trip included a lot of driving, a modicum of hiking, maybe falling down a mountain, etc.  One thing I did not expect was to have my innards shaken up like a mixmaster just for the fun of it.  But that was what we voluntarily chose to do today.  We rented a RZR - an ATV with the seeming capability to climb a cliff and not fall off.  It was a theory we tested anyhow.  Here is our RZR with Susan missing because she is the photographer.

We first challenged the slickrock trails of Sand Flats Recreation Area.  The rocks were sometimes smooth and other times straight up (or down).  They were often broken into large pieces that made for severe bumping or leans.  There was no way to capture the tough areas on camera as I was doing everything to save my extremities from being slammed into hard parts of the RZR's structure.  We did stop a couple of times and got a couple of photos.

Day 25 (September 25, 2019) - Arches and Dinosaur Prints

Arches National Park and Dinosaur Footprints

Many days my knees bark at me in protest of my demands.  Today, they looked at me in the mirror and said "Thanks for the rest yesterday.  Today we are at your beck and call."  So we made it a catch-up day.  We needed to revisit some places that we weren't able to quite seal the deal in the first visit.  We missed a hike in Arches, where I also missed some photos.  We missed the dinosaur tracks on the river drive.  So we did all of those.  When I say "we", I mean Susan, Lonnie, and I.  John and Marcia went mountain biking in Dead Horse Point State Park.  John cannot have an idle moment.

Our start was in Arches where I took some photos on the drive through the park.

The 3 Gossips along Park Avenue

Balanced Rock aka Potato Head (as per Susan)

Pothole Arch

Day 24 (September 24, 2019) - Chillin'

Retail Therapy, petroglyphs, and star-gazing

We finally hit a wall today.  Susan and I are dog-tired and Lonnie needs a break from a toe blister.  So the 3 of us took the day off and chilled by taking a drive and visiting Moab.  Meanwhile, Marcia and John hiked the Double O Arch Trail in Arches NP.

We started our scenic drive by taking the Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway about 10 miles upstream from Moab.  It was rather boring with the same serene river scenes over and over.

Day 23 (September 23, 2019) - Canyonlands

Canyonlands National Park

We completed our excursions to the Utah Mighty Five national parks today with a visit to Canyonlands National Park.  Well, some of us hit all five.  Susan and I skipped Capitol Reef because it was too remote and had too little to do to make it worthwhile.  The others went through on the way to Moab.

Canyonlands was like a little Grand Canyon to me.  It was carved by 2 rivers - the Green and the Colorado.  The vistas were actually prettier to me because they were more open than the Grand Canyon.  The hikes took you to more interesting features as well.

Like all of the parks out here, Canyonlands was huge.  We limited our visit to the northern 1/3 called Island in the Sky.  The Needles is the southern 1/3 and is much like Capitol Reef in that it is too far to go for very limited number of things to do.  It is far less popular than Island in the Sky.  The middle 1/3, The Maze, is completely wild and inaccessible except by the bravest and most fit. We don't measure up.

Our first stop, as is almost always the case, was the visitor center where they also had a scenic view.

Day 22 (September 22, 2019) - Arches

Arches National Park

Arches National Park - just the name conjures up images of something different.  It was a day to which I've been looking forward.  But I was more tired than usual this morning and thought I would be limited.  Everyone agreed that we would only do what we could with discomfort.  Luckily, Arches was only 8 miles away so it was quick jaunt to get there.

Like all the other parks in the west, Arches is huge.  Getting inside the gate is just the start.  We drove miles to get to the first hike, a 0.5 mile trail to Double Arch.

Double Arch

The second activity was a loop hike of 1.2 miles to the Windows and Turret Arch.

Turret Arch

North Window and South Window

Susan in North Window

Day 21 (September 21, 2019) - To Moab Via Monument Valley

Horseshoe Bend and Monument Valley on the way to Moab

I'm back in the saddle as it is transition day from Kanab to Moab where home base is for the next week.  Susan and I took 2 side trips on the way via the southern route but the others took a northern route in order to visit Capitol Reef National Park.

Our first stop was at Horseshoe Bend in Page, AZ, about a 90 minute drive from Kanab.  Horseshoe Bend is an overlook of a 180 degree turn in the Colorado River.  It requires a half-mile hike through sand to reach the viewing area.  Much of the view was blocked by the ledge in front of the fenced area.  But the fenced area only protects about 5% of the available vantage points.  In the unfenced area, it was a matter of how close to the edge one wanted to get ... or was allowed to get by their spouse.  The following photo was the best I could get based on my allowed distance from the edge.

Then we were off to Monument Valley which is located along the Utah/Arizona border near the Four Corners.  It was about a 2 hour drive from Page.  We had been to Monument Valley in the past - about 25 years ago on a drive from Santa Fe to the Grand Canyon.  On that trip, we drove by the area but didn't enter because the winds were so fierce that it was a solid wall of dust and sand.

Day 20 (September 20, 2019) - Willis Creek Slot Canyon and Kodachrome

Willis Creek Slot Canyon and Kodachrome State Park

I was having withdrawal symptoms this morning.  For the first time in at least 3 weeks, I wouldn't be behind the wheel of a car.  John was driving today and I got to relax in the front passenger seat.  It turned out to be a better deal for me than expected but that is a story for later in this post.

We started the day with a 2-hour drive to a top-rated slot canyon hike outside the parks.  Willis Creek Slot Canyon hike is a 5+ mile trail that follows a shallow creek through slot canyons interspersed with wider canyons.  Walking in the creek is unavoidable in spots so waterproof boots are essential for comfort.  But it was one of the top hikes I've ever taken.

Susan was begging for a drink n the parched area of the creekbed.

Day 19 (September 19, 2019) - Snow Canyon and Zion

Snow Canyon State Park, Kolob, and a Zion Drive-through

The group that went to Zion yesterday was a little tired today ... and Susan and I are in a permanent state of tiredness.  We chose to take some easier hikes in Snow Canyon State Park near St. George, UT.  We knew it would be hot due to its relatively low elevation.  We also knew it would be sunny because none of the trails were shaded for significant portions.  But we were prepared with our sunscreen and plenty of water and headed off.

The road to Snow Canyon was pretty desolate with only a couple of very small towns to break up the high desert.  That changed when we reached Hurricane, UT and St. George.  Both were bustling with activity and both seemed to be growing rapidly.  Many new homes were being built right out to the park.

Snow Canyon was a big state park about 5 miles long.  It had 50 miles of trails.  With an area that big, the trails had varied features in its different sections.  The first trail we took, Jenny's Canyon, was short at about 1/2 mile out and back.  But it was our first experience with a slot canyon and we had fun with it.

Day 18 (September 18, 2019)

North Rim of the Grand Canyon

We split up today.  John, Marcia, and Lonnie returned to Zion for the big challenges - Angel's Landing and The Narrows.  Susan and I went to the Grand Canyon.

Our drive through Northern Arizona was a test.  The terrain was high desert, meaning it was bereft of trees and anything else to break the winds that wanted to push our car all over the road.  Luckily, other traffic was as hard to find as people.  We did see tumbleweed, though.  I ran over 2 of them as they blew in front of me.

Those tumbleweeds made me change my mind about a statement I made in what seems weeks ago.  I stated that Wyoming reminded me of an old western movie.  This area in Northern Arizona nails that description for me.

We reached the park entrance after about a 90 minute drive.  Instead of heading for the main north rim stop at the Grand Canyon lodge, we turned toward Point Imperial, an overlook farther up-canyon.  We learned there that it was the highest viewing point of the entire canyon and the view was magnificent on a clear day.

Day 17 (September 17, 2019) - Zion, Condors, and Sheep

Zion National Park

If Bryce Canyon was fantastic, Zion was astounding and almost, but not quite, as awe-inspiring as Glacier.  We headed out to Zion with eager anticipation of the sights and trails and were not disappointed.  Zion is an easy drive from Kanab and, once there, all the driving is done by shuttle-drivers.  So that part of the day was relaxing.  The crowds were less so.  Both Bryce and Zion have been packed with people.  Parking spots are hard to find and we paid $20 for a spot today.  Many of the visitors were young Europeans in their 20's.

Zion was unlike Bryce in that it is viewed from from the canyon floor.  But visitors have to get to the valley first ... and that means a descent down a twisty and turny road.  Its a road not unlike the Road to the Sun except the lanes are far wider.  The turns provide ever-changing and stunning views throughout the descent.  Even a mile long tunnel has an occasional opening to the outside world.  Since I was driving, I didn't get many photos of the descent, but the dashcam captured its flavor.

Once on the valley floor, though, I took way too many pictures to post here.

Court of the Patriarchs

The Beehives

Virgin River

The Narrows

Day 16 (September 16, 2019) - Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon National Park

Today's choice for a visit was another high elevation destination - Bryce Canyon National Park.  It was a gorgeous park, much like Cedar Breaks except 50 times better.  It had more hoodoos, more trails, more scenic areas, more everything.  Just like Cedar Breaks, Bryce Canyon is a park seen from the top.  Drives are on the plateau above the valley and many trails are as well.

The most popular trail in the park covers both the plateau and the canyon.  It is the Queen's Garden and Navajo Trail Loop.  It takes hikers down the canyon wall into the valley and includes a challenging 600-foot ascension from the valley floor through a series of switchbacks.  It starts as a rim trail between Sunset and Sunrise Points.

Day 15 (September 15, 2019) - Cedar Breaks

Cedar Breaks National Monument and Pink Coral Sand Dunes State Park

With a week in Kanab, we had our choice of parks to visit on the first day.  We decided to avoid the popular parks, like Zion and Bryce Canyon, because it was a Sunday.  The weather forecast was for a hot day so we wanted to go to a park with a high elevation - over 10,000 feet.  We went to Cedar Breaks National Monument, about a 90-minute drive.

It was a nice drive except that we missed the turn for the park and ended up in Cedar City.  That mistake cost us an hour.  It was a perfect day in Cedar Breaks, though, with temperatures in the 60's for our single hike along the 1.9 mile Spectra Point Trail.  The views were into a beautiful canyon filled with formations like balanced rocks, hoodoos, and arches.

Of course, we were always on the lookout for critters.  The best we could do this day was a chipmunk, but what a fine chipmunk he was.

Near the end of the trail was a very old-looking tree.  It was, in fact, a 1,700 year old bristlecone pine tree.  It made a nice backdrop for our group of hikers.

It was obvious from the odor of burning wood that a fire was in the area.  As we moved around the park, we stopped at various overlooks and got different vantages of the fire.  It was relatively small and the expectation was that it would burn itself out, although there were some flare-ups while we were there/

We ate a late lunch on the return trip at Aunt Sue's Chalet in Duck Creek.  It was pretty good as a last-minute choice.  After lunch, we still had a lot of daylight so we headed to Pink Coral Sand Dunes State Park on the way home.  There was nothing to do there except admire the dunes.  It seems to be used extensively by ATVs and occasionally by ski-boarders, but not while we were there.

After a fun day, we headed home to an easy meal of spaghetti.

Susan’s quote of the day:  "I'll be the "ho" for a old-time photo."  This happened after a sequence of events.  First, we saw a sign advertising "ho" made pies with a scantily-clad cartoon woman pictured.  Then the conversation turned to Deadwood, a place we visited earlier this trip, and the famous people buried in the cemetery there.  One was the madame in the town.  This was followed by a sign advertising old-time photos.  John expressed no interest in such things so Susan worked on changing his mind.  It didn't work.

The highlights - Cedar Breaks.
The regrets - None.

Today's total miles - 211
Today's miles from start to destination - 0
Today's miles on side trips - 211
Today's miles driven by Paul - 211
Today's miles driven by Susan - 0
Today's hours in car - 5 1/2
Total Miles Hiked - 1.9

Cumulative total miles - 4,933
Cumulative miles from start to destination - 3,668
Cumulative miles on side trips - 1,265
Cumulative miles driven by Paul - 4,346
Cumulative miles driven by Susan - 587
Cumulative hours in car - 98
Cumulative Miles Hiked - 18.8