Week 38: Moab to Zion National Park

Week 38 felt like a speed run through three of Southern Utah's National Parks.  With temps in the high 90's and little relief to be found, I had little choice and was simply thrilled to have the little time in such unique beauty.

After leaving Moab Saturday, 9/13 I headed west on highway 70 to highway 24 that would take us to Capital Reef National Park.  I had never actually heard of Capital Reef but a fellow camper in Jackson Hole highly recommended it. 

Shortly after leaving Moab, the terrain quickly changed from red rocks to nothing but neutral tones of white and brown.  The abrupt change was unexpected and amusing, and I realized why Moab was the epicenter for outdoor recreation.  There was nothing mile after mile and I had a moment of uncertainty when I saw a sign on highway 70 that read “No services for 110 miles”.

Somewhere in the middle of the Utah desert

Very different color scheme than the red rock terrain around Moab

Capital Reef National Park, UT

Shortly after Hanksville, UT (not far from the Mars Desert Research Station), splashes of green began speckling the landscape.   Upon entering Capital Reef National Park, I was greeted with beautifully colored spires, rock walls, green vegetation and the Fremont River.  It was a welcomed sight!

A beautiful new color scheme

Since the campground was full, the Visitor Center suggested a National Forest boondocking spot just outside the park’s west entrance.  What a great suggestion!  Trooper and I had an entire area to ourselves with a nice hiking trail, breathtaking sunset, and a free night’s stay.

Not a bad place to call home for the night

And all to ourselves

Can't resist a selfie with this kind of background

Checking things out

Sunset shot of PattyWaggin

The next morning, Sunday 9/14, I wasn’t ready to leave the area and fortunately was able to get a campsite for a few days.  Trooper and I walked around the place known as Fruita.  It is an oasis in the middle of a desert surrounded by historic orchards (maintained by the NPS with 3,000 trees) and the Fremont River.  Even though guests can pick their own fruit, I chose to stop at the Gifford House and buy a homemade mixed berry pie and ice cream for lunch.  It was delicious!

Homemade pie and ice cream for lunch? Absolutely!

The orchards and enormous rock monoliths reminding me of Yosemite

Monday morning, 9/15 I left Trooper in the RV and headed out on what would be a 5-hour hike through Cohab Canyon to Hinkman Bridge, a 133-foot natural bridge.  It was a perfect hiking day with a cool morning, warm sun and clear blue skies.  Hiking through the canyon was a unique experience; the sandy trail made it feel like a stroll on the beach except I was engulfed by warmly colored canyon walls.

Very cool canyon walls

Love the colors

Even Capital Reef has its own "arches"

Hinkman Bridge

A little friend along the way

View of Fruita from the top of Cohab Canyon

Perspective shot of the monolith in comparison to the road

Lonely rain cloud

Bryce National Park, UT

Tuesday, 9/16 was one of the busiest and longest days on my journey.  We left Capital Reef around 8:30 a.m. and headed to Bryce Canyon National Park on highway 12 through beautiful mountains and a white-knuckled ridge drive through Escalante. 

Nothing but a long way down on both sides

Not a great spot for cows to be hanging out

Signs of Fall

Bryce was an interesting mix of evergreens on one side of the park road and red and white spires on the other side.   Despite its name, Bryce Canyon is not a canyon but a collection of natural amphitheaters and hoodoos.  Since the rim of Bryce sits between 8,000 and 9,000 feet, the temps were a cool relief for Trooper and me.

Overlooking Dixie National Forest from Rainbow Point

Rainbow Point, the end of the 18-mile park road

View from Agua Canyon

Agua Canyon looking south

Natural Bridge Overlook

Huge difference across the park road looking west

Zion National Park, UT
After reaching the end of the 18-mile scenic drive through Bryce, I was ready to continue our Southern Utah National Park trek and make our way toward Zion.  The drive on highway 89 was quick and simple.  My plan was to spend a few days in Zion, but when we pulled into the park, it was a scorching 96 degrees and there was no relief to be found.  You will see by the photos that there were few spots to stop, so I literally drove straight through the park snapping photos until I exited on the west side (I do not condone driving and taking photos but I couldn’t go through Zion and not get a few pics).   

Zion appeared to be the most majestic park out of the Southern Utah portfolio with massive rock walls and canyons engulfing you.  Driving through the park was entertaining with tight turns and two tunnels.

Interesting rock formations greeted us into the park

Tight roads

Really tight roads!

At the second tunnel, I was stopped and measured.  I was too wide and had to buy a $15 permit for them to stop traffic so myself and a few tour buses could drive down the center of the tunnel.  

First tunnel - not a problem

Waiting in line at the second tunnel

Driving down the center line (1.1 miles)

Fresh air and beautiful scenery outside second tunnel

After exiting Zion on the west side, I pulled over to get a couple of shots without my buggy windshield in the way.  I was disappointed that I didn’t have more time in Zion but neither Trooper nor I could bear the heat.  And to be honest, I was desperately craving shady trees and cool water… anything but hot, dry red rock.

Very cool park... Southern Utah has A LOT to offer!

I will put this magical place on my list for future travels... in winter

I continued to interstate 15 where I drove as far north as I could before it got too dark.  We made it to a Flying J Truck Stop about one hour south of Salt Lake City in Nephi, UT.  My tour of the Southern Utah National Parks was a lot faster than I expected, but with weather as a primary criterion, I follow Mother Nature’s lead.  Southern Utah is unlike any place I have visited; it’s as if you have traveled to another planet.  I highly recommend a visit to this magical and unique place… just not in Summer!

Thanks for reading!

Week 37: Telluride to Moab

Week 37 was the start of exploring the incredible national parks of Southern Utah.

Mancos State Park, CO
I left Telluride on Saturday, 9/6 and continued on highway 145 south into San Juan National Forest.  I had several packages being delivered to the Durango Post Office and needed to kill a few days.  I spent Saturday night next to a river just outside Stoner but after a restless night with trucks going up and down the road, I decided to move to Mancos State Park on highway 184.  

Mancos State Park reservior

First sign of Fall

Great campsite at Mancos State Park

Trooper and I had the entire campground to ourselves, with the exception of horseback riders from a nearby dude ranch.  It was a wonderfully quiet and peaceful place to spend a few days.  We stayed until Wednesday, 9/10 hiking, writing and enjoying a great Colorado State Park.

Enjoying a little outdoor time

What dirt?

Durango, CO
Wednesday afternoon, we drove into Durango and spent the evening at Alpen Rose RV Park to shower, do laundry, and take care of the typically RV to-dos. The RV park was a nice surprise being tucked into a red canyon with a 2-acre dog run, which is the best I’ve ever seen.  We got a shaded spot helping us to escape the 90 degree temps in Durango.

Not a great pic with the Android but great little RV resort outside Durango

Thursday morning, 9/11 we walked around Durango for a few hours where I stocked up on treats for Trooper and purchased my third pair of hiking boots (and returned my second pair, the Ahnu Nubuck, which blew apart after 7 months).  Durango is a nice town with an authentic southwest feel.  After picking up my packages, it was time to say goodbye to Colorado and head west.

Canyonlands National Park, UT
I picked up highway 491 toward Monticello, UT with Canyonlands National Park as our destination.  Again, it was very hot making me question how long our journey through southern Utah would be.  I decided to head to the southern part of the park referred to as The Needles.  The drive on 211 west into the park is tight with one jaw-dropping view after another.  It felt as if the Grand Canyon was blown apart into thousands of pieces and I was driving through the scattered remnants.  

Interesting landmark at the intersection heading into the park

Drive into the park

The National Park campground was full due to their 50-year celebration so the visitors center suggested a privately-owned campground located just outside the park entrance.  I pulled in and met the owner Traci who graciously gave me the entire group site because it offered the most shade.  For $20, we had an awesome campsite tucked into a red rock formation and filled with juniper trees for shade.  We arrived around 4:30 and I kept T under the shade, but it was hot, hot, HOT!  I’m not sure what I expected but September in the high desert is not only the busiest tourist time but also still very hot.

The Needles Outpost... one of the best campsites in my journey

But Trooper probably wouldn't agree with that

A refreshing dinner in the desert heat

Sun starting to set and temps starting to drop

View from climbing up the rock to watch the sun go down

This is the color of desert heat

Not a bad place to watch the sun go down

And down...

And gone

We headed out early Friday morning, 9/12 and drove through most of the Needles section stopping at many of the photo spots like Wooden Shoe, Pothole Point, and Big Spring Canyon Overlook.  The southern portion of Canyonlands is beautiful and the drive into and out of the park rivals the beauty in the park.  After several hours of touring and getting photos, I decided to head north toward Moab.

Can you see the Wooden Shoe?

Now?

Sleeping on the job!

Moon still shining bright

View of the Needles in the distance

Nature's sculpture

Not sure what kind of pose this is but nice background scenery

Perspective shot

Pothole Point

New hiking boots... hopefully these will last longer than the last ones

Big Spring Canyon

Only place he's allowed

Moab, UT
I arrived at the Moab Visitor Center late afternoon to find out that most places were booked.  The woman suggested River Road just north of town where there are several first-come campsites.  I drove along the Colorado River (which was an unappealing brown color) and stopped in several places, but it was over 90 degrees and there was little shade to be found.  I tried five RV parks before finally finding Spanish Trail with one open night.  I was grateful to get a spot where I could get the A/C going for Trooper.  I was struggling with the heat but he was completely miserable.  Spanish Trail is a great RV spot with views of the canyons outside Moab.

Drive into Moab

The Colorado River

Spanish Trail RV Park with welcomed shade and A/C

View from the RV Park

With the sun starting to set

Arches National Park, UT
In an attempt to beat the heat and crowds, we left the RV park at 7:00 a.m. Saturday morning, 9/13 and went into Arches National Park.  The park is located just north of Moab and although smaller than I anticipated, it lived up to expectations with the world's largest concentration of natural sandstone arches in the world.  It was a gorgeous morning and we spent three hours driving through the park stopping at all the roadside attractions.  Even though the high desert is not my preferred environment, the beauty and energy around southern Utah is undeniable.  It was a bit overwhelming because everywhere I looked, it was one amazing view and red rock canyon or spire next to another.  And of course, the arches themselves were a unique sight.  

Early morning over Arches 

But not long for the sun to warm things up

Just after the entrance

Red rock spires all around

Balanced Rock

Turret Arch from North Window

View from standing inside North Window

Moon shot looking back through North Window

South Window

View of Delicate Arch from a distance

Devils Garden from afar

Parked next to this and got a good chuckle

As noon approached, the roads became busier with vehicles and tour buses, so it was time to exit the park.  I drove back into Moab to walk Trooper and grab lunch at Love Muffin (another delicious BLT followed by a mocha for some much needed caffeine).  Moab is a lot smaller than I expected and appeared to be surviving based on Jeep and ATV rentals.  One thing is certain, it’s not a glitzy town but rather a raw, hardcore outdoor town.  And did I mention HOT?

My journey through southern Utah is going much faster than I planned but with the heat, a 100 lb Mal, and limited A/C options, I have accepted the weather as my driving force.  I am; however, determined to visit all of the Southern Utah National Parks that I have heard about for years.

Final Thoughts
Where Adventure Begins.  This is Moab's moto and I found it perfectly fitting for this week.  Going from the cool Aspen forests of Telluride to the red rock landscapes of Southern Utah, I was once again in awe of nature's beauty that surrounds us.   Someone describes Southern Utah as "it's as  if you left planet Earth and arrived on another planet".  Regardless of your definition of "adventure", there is something for everyone to explore and enjoy... so get out and find your adventure!

Thanks for reading and until next time…