Category Archives: Utah

Sego Canyon, Utah – Hidden Histories of Vanished People!

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September 2023 – We were chatting with friends the other day about travel research and travel prep, and we agreed that the most exciting travel experiences usually show up unexpectedly, without any advance planning!

And so it was in for us in Utah as we were flying down I-70 with our RV in tow at the end of our summer travels in Colorado. Little did we know that we were about to embark on a thrilling adventure of discovery about remote Sego Canyon, Utah, a place whose history dates as far back as several millennia and as recently as just a few decades ago.

Sego Canyon Rock Art and Mining Camp History 3

As we cruised out of Colorado and into Utah, some beautiful cliffs on the north side of the freeway caught our attention.

Cliffs seen from I-70 near Thompson Springs Utah

These cliffs lured us off the highway!

Peering at them intently (at highway speed), we saw there was a freeway exit and a dirt road leading into their midst, so we decided to stop and look around. This turned out to be the exit for the town of Thompson Springs and the start of a wonderful adventure on our Polaris RZR side-by-side.

Polaris RZR 900 side-by-side ready for a ride

Our magic carpet ride to adventure.

It was a beautiful morning, and we zipped through the dilapidated town of Thompson Springs fairly quickly. There were a few homes and many abandoned buildings. What on earth happened here that made everyone leave? It was like a modern day ghost town.

We continued on towards the cliffs and got onto a dirt road. It weaved right and left between rolling scrub covered hills.

A dirt road in the countryside in Utah

The road into the canyon twisted and turned between scrub-covered hillsides.

Suddenly, we found ourselves surrounded by fantastic rock formations. Huge overhanging cliffs were covered with desert varnish. It looked as though black paint was dripping down the beige cliff walls.

Desert varnish on the cliffs at Sego Canyon Utah

One of Mother Nature’s modern art drip paintings.

“This looks like a place that might have petroglyphs!” Mark said eagerly.

We scoured the walls, and then he spotted a rock art panel. Bingo! Such eagle eyes he has!

The images were the familiar trapezoidal people typical of southwestern rock art plus some bison and horses, all overlaid with more modern graffiti.

Ute Rock art in Sego Canyon Utah

Mark’s sharp eyes spotted this very cool rock art panel on the cliff wall.

We were so thrilled to have made this “discovery” simply by heading down an inviting dirt road. A Jeep pulled up, and a woman got out and began telling us how excited she was to visit this spot and see the petroglyphs.

We realized that this is actually a known destination, remote as it is! We learned later that this spot, the Sego Canyon Rock Art area, is managed by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management). It turned out that this particular rock art panel was etched by the Ute people, probably between 1500 and 1880 AD.

The logic for archaeologists giving the etchings those dates is that there appear to be horses in this rock art panel yet horses didn’t arrive in North America until Christoper Columbus brought them here on his second voyage in 1493. At the other end of the date range, the Utes were moved onto reservations in the 1880s so they wouldn’t have been in this location after that.

We kept studying the cliff walls to see if there were more petroglyphs, and around the corner, we found another rock art panel. These petroglyphs were quite different than the others, much more clearly defined and more deeply etched into the rock face.

Fremont Rock Art Sego Canyon Utah

We found another rock art panel of petroglyphs nearby!

Again, the people were trapezoidal, but the etching was far more distinct and the people were wearing elaborate headdresses and jewelry and were depicted without arms or legs. It has been suggested that these figures resemble mummies.

Interestingly, to the right of the right-hand figure is another ghostly image with a similar shape but it isn’t outlined. Whether that was original or added later is hard to tell.

Fremont Rock Art Sego Canyon Thompson Springs Utah

We learned later that this is presumed to have been created during the Fremont period.

Fremont rock art is considered to date from the first century through the 1300s.

There were some cloven hoofed bovines with long curved antlers near the people. Although these types of animal images are often labeled “big horn sheep,” to me they don’t look much like big horn sheep. Big horn sheep have shorter and very sharply curved horns and no tails per se. These animals (which are very common in Fremont rock art) seem more like ibexes to me — but ibexes aren’t native to this continent!

There are other critters in this panel that could be a beaver and a grouse.

Fremont Rock Art Sego Canyon Utah

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Utah Delorme Atlas

We prowled around some more and came across a THIRD rock art panel that, again, was completely different than the other two!

We later learned that this third panel is from the Archaic Period which is estimated to be between 8000 BC and 1000 AD.

These are pictographs which are images rendered onto the rock with paint or dye. They are different than petroglyphs (the technique used to create the other two rock art panels) which were pecked out of the rock with a tool.

Considering how difficult it is for us in our current era to get house paint to last for twenty years, it is incredible that this dye has endured out in the elements and unprotected for thousands of years.

Archaic rock art panel Sego Canyon Utah

Ghostly figures of the Archaic Period (8000 BC to 1000 AD).

If the Ute and Fremont images with their odd looking humanoid shapes had been a little bizarre, this Archaic Period rock art panel was way out there! Also, for its age, it was the best preserved of the three. In fact, it seemed that the least durable rock art was the most recent work created by the Ute people just a few hundred years ago.

The Archaic Period images are more rounded and less angular, and the people have a very ghostly appearance with huge hollow eyes.

Archaic Rock Art Sego Canyon Utah

Otherworldly.

Archaic Rock Art Sego Canyon Utah

It turns out this particular rock art panel was etched by the Ute people, probably between 1500 and 1880 AD.

Archaic Rock Art Sego Canyon Utah

Odd things on its head.

It is intriguing that this one area inspired ancient peoples to make their mark on it across several millennia in very different styles. It’s impossible to know why they put their mark in this spot or what it depicted — especially the very odd humanoid figures — but it is fascinating to ponder.

The BLM is the most secretive of the government’s land management agencies. There are no big signs announcing the location of this special place, and it gets just a brief mention on their website. Like most of their incredible treasures, this spot remains as it always has been, totally unprotected.

Vandalism is a serious problem with every ancient site, however, and all the land management agencies have to deal with the trash that visitors leave behind as well as clean out the vault toilets and move that waste from those toilets to sewer treatment plants periodically.

The BLM often approaches all this with a sense of whimsy, and sometimes they post amusing signs reminding people to be considerate. In the vault toilet at this site we found a metal sign hanging on the wall above the toilet. It was complete with a pictograph person waving to grab our attention:

BLM vault toilet warning sign

This sign was hanging on the wall inside the vault toilet.

Several dirt roads criss-cross this whole area and go in different directions. A few other people were out enjoying the beautiful day on their side-by-sides too.

Side by side on the BLM roads in Utah

The rugged dirt roads in this area are popular with ATVs and UTVs.

Our little trail scout, Buddy, wanted to show us the way to our next discovery.

Trotting down the road in Sego Canyon Utah

Buddy leads the way.

Before long, we noticed a structure off the side of the road. It was built very low and somewhat into a hillside. Perhaps it was an old root cellar. But who lived here — and when?

Ruins of a root cellar in Sego Canyon Utah

What is this??!!

1000 Places to See Before You Die

We turned around and spotted a large and very well constructed building in the distance. What the heck?!

Remains of a building in the Sego Canyon coal mining camp

Oh my! Gotta check that out!

When we got closer we were impressed by the size of this structure. It had three large openings in the front that must have been windows. But what was it doing in the middle of nowhere down a rarely used dirt road?

Remains of a building in the Sego Canyon coal mining camp

This is a big, important and awfully well built building for such a remote place!

We later learned that there had been a coal mine back in here and a mining camp with homes and commercial buildings! Coal was first discovered in the area by rancher Harry Ballard, and it was very high grade. A hardware store owner named C.F. Bauer bought the property and formed the American Fuel Company and began developing the area in 1911.

In its heyday, there was not only the American Fuel Company Store (the building we saw), but a boarding house, some mining buildings and settlement homes all around.

American Fuel Company Store in Sego Canyon coal mining camp

The old American Fuel Company Store.

Inside the American Fuel Company Store in Sego Canyon coal mining camp

There had been a basement level and a main floor with high windows near the ceiling.

Inside the big building, plaster was peeling off the walls revealing the masonry work beneath. We’ve seen plenty of imitations of this effect in modern replicas of old buildings. How very cool to see the real thing!

Peeling plaster on a wall of the American Fuel Company Store in Sego Canyon coal mining camp

There was classic peeling plaster on the interior walls.

A short ways away there was another building in ruins. Behind it were the remains of a car. It looked to be a 1940s vintage car but we couldn’t determine anything about it, not even the make.

Building ruins in Sego Canyon coal mining camp

This ruin was nearby.

Old car in Sego Canyon coal mining camp

At one time, someone was thrilled to drive this home from the dealership.

Nearby we found a massive pile of wood. We later discovered that this was the old boarding house. It was still standing in 2011.

Fallen down boarding house in Sego Canyon Utah

The boarding house was still standing in 2011 but is now just rubble on the ground.

We drove further on the dirt road and found another building. All these buildings were about a century old, but the masonry work was holding up pretty well.

Ruins of a building in Sego Canyon Utah

Another solid building.

Ryobi drill set
Well crafted bricks and lintel in a ruined building in Sego Canyon Utah

We could see the saw marks on the stones.

We came back to the trailer marveling at what we’d seen. At that point we had no idea what any of it was — it took some digging on the internet later to figure it all out.

But what a cool layering of history we found, all within a few miles. From far ancient times, possibly thousands of years BC, up to half a century ago, people lived and worked in this canyon.

Beautiful Utah skies

The extraordinary breadth and depth of human history can be found even in a remote Utah canyon.

Who Were the Most Recent Inhabitants of Sego Canyon?

In 1914, the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad built a 5 mile long spur line from nearby Thomson to the mining camp, but the mine was never as profitable as hoped. The low water table made the mine inoperable at times, the trains had problems on the tracks, and a big investment in 1927 to obtain electricity from Columbia, Utah, 100 miles away all contributed to meager profits.

At its peak, the mine employed about 125 miners and there were 500 people living in the community around the general store building we’d seen. However, the mining company missed their payroll a bunch of times, paying the miners in scrip to use at the company store instead. Disgruntled, the miners joined the United Mine Workers Union in 1933 and they began being paid regularly.

It didn’t last, however. Employment dwindled to 27 miners by 1947. They pooled their money to buy the mine and had high hopes. Unfortunately, two years later, a fire destroyed the huge structure they used to load the coal into the rail cars, and then the train ceased operations.

When I-70 was built and came through about six miles south of the canyon in the 1970s, the mines closed and everyone left. A bitter blow came in 1973 when two carloads of treasure hunters showed up with metal detectors. They burned all the buildings and took whatever they could find in the smoldering ashes.

In 1994, Amtrak moved their passenger rail stop from Thompson Springs to Green River in 1994, and the town of Thompson Springs that had once connected Sego Canyon to the outside world withered away to just a handful of residents.

What a dizzying story this was to uncover. When we’d pulled off of I-70, we’d just hoped to see some cool cliffs up close!

But for us, that is the sheer joy of travel — accidentally bumping into unexpected gems!

Brooding sky and camper in Utah

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Ken Burns National Parks DVD Set

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Petroglyph and rock art sites we’ve found in our travels:

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Utah – Off the Beaten Path…then FURTHER Off the Beaten Path!

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June 2022 – When we pulled into Mantua, Utah, we suddenly realized we’d been here before. We hadn’t recognized the town’s name when we planned our route on the map, but as we looked around at the pretty lake and quaint homes, we instantly remembered the place. This time, however, everything was green and in bloom. Last time, the whole place had been a winter wonderland of snow!

At dawn, the sun was just cresting the mountains on the far side of the lake, spreading its rays across the land. How magnificent!

Mantua Reservoir in Utah at Sunrise

Mantua Reservoir at Sunrise

A four mile trail goes around the lake, and we took our cameras and Buddy for an early morning walk. The light was soft and the water was perfectly still. A few people were fishing at the water’s edge.

Fishing at Mantua Reservoir in Utah

A peaceful time to go fishing!

Mantua Reservoir in Utah at dawn

Morning light

Buddy tip-toed into the water for a drink.

Puppy tests the water at Mantua Reservoir in Utah

Buddy makes waves on the mirror smooth lake.

On the near shore, blooming yellow flowers turned their faces towards the sun. Across, the lake on the far shore, pretty houses beamed in the morning light.

Mantua Utah Reservoir flowers

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Mantua Reservoir Utah

View of the far shore across the lake.

We turned around and walked in the opposite direction and noticed people were out on the water in kayaks.

Kayaks on Mantua Reservoir Utah

Kayaks on the lake

The kayaks were being launched from a small beach where sunbathers lounged on beach towels and in beach chairs. This was classic summertime waterfront fun in a mile high mountain town. The spirit reminded us of McCall, Idaho (which is a much bigger town).

Mantua Reservoir Beach Utah

Mantua is a beach town in the mountains!

Mantua Reservoir Beach Utah

Summertime.

Suddenly a young boy rode up on a dirt bike. I’d noticed on the map that there are some trails that head up into the mountains on the east end of town.

Dirt Bike

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As we walked the trail along the water’s edge, we noticed a group of teenagers hanging out on docks. I was impressed that they were all talking and giggling together, and not one held a phone in their hands.

A little while later, we watched three little girls riding their bikes down the middle of the main drag trying to best each other riding no-handed. These were heartwarming scenes straight out of my own childhood!

Mantua Reservoir Boat Dock Utah

Teenagers being teenagers…without phones!

Something that wasn’t right out of my childhood was the sound of a sheep ba-a-a-a-ing nearby. Huh? I turned and spotted a young girl walking her sheep down the street. What next!

Girl walking her sheep in Utah

Taking the family sheep for a walk.

Over at the town park we found large fields of deep green grass. Buddy was in heaven as he rolled this way and that in the soft grass.

Puppy rubbing his face in the grass

Puppy rolls in the grass

Puppy grassy back scratch

We had rushed through the 75 mile long interstate nightmare of Salt Lake City at full speed, eyes closed (figuratively, of course). So, it felt great to unwind in such a peaceful small town where the population is not even 1,000 people. That same relaxed feeling continued as we carried on northwards on US-89 and Route 23.

The scenery was spectacular.

Back country highway in Utah

As we drove north, the views were fantastic.

Scenic mountains in Utah

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Snow capped mountains in Utah

Snow on the peaks!

We were headed for Idaho Falls, Idaho, but we didn’t want to rush on our way. So, we wandered off onto some smaller roads. We knew we were in a very small town when we saw the City Office was barely bigger than a phone booth.

City Office

Open…occasionally.

We also knew we were in a rural farming area when we saw the craziest high wheel tractor ever coming down the road towards us.

Tractor on the road in Utah

Yikes!

I had a route in mind that would take us to what looked to be very scenic and remote places, and I was juggling my trusty DeLorme Utah Atlas that never steers me wrong but doesn’t zoom in super close and my iPad which is great at zooming in but loses all the small roads completely when you zoom out.

It was hot in the lower elevation areas, though, and as I thought about our route, I didn’t like the idea of spending a day or two in an unreasonably hot place.

I spotted an intriguing looking small town backed by towering mountains out the window and impulsively said, “Let’s go there!” I was envisioning a friendly town with a grassy park to rest in for a moment while we collected our thoughts about where we were going and checked the weather forecast in various places.

Mark made the turn and off we went. I no longer had a real live route to follow in either the atlas book or the iPad, but I had a good solid imaginary route in my mind that would skirt the base of the mountains and be incredibly beautiful.

Heading into town in rural Utah

Maybe we’d find cool shade in town or cool temps in the mountains behind town!

We got to the center of town and I confidently said, “Turn right.”

Mark did as I requested and we passed some very pretty homes. An older gentleman was watering his stunningly colorful flower garden and we waved at him. He smiled and waved back but he had a puzzled look on his face as he watched our massive rig lumber past.

The road narrowed and Mark said, “Are you sure we’re going the right way? It looks like we’re driving into someone’s yard…or farm.”

“Oh yes,” I said with great confidence. “It goes right through!”

Small country lane in northern Utah

Are we going the right way?.

Thirty seconds later the pavement ended and we were staring at a skinny dirt road going between farm fields.

Dirt road in Utah farm fields

Oh no!

Lordy me. Now we faced an unknown amount of driving on a dirt road through farm fields to see if we could find a spot big enough to turn around a 33′ long fifth wheel trailer. Oh, great!

After about ten tense minutes of driving at 6 mph, we found a place just big enough to turn around by doing a twenty-point K turn. Putting the truck in forward and reverse a bunch of times, Mark eventually got the rig turned around and we slowly rolled back onto the paved road.

The man with the beautiful flower garden was no longer in his yard. He was probably watching us through the living room window, though, chuckling to himself about those crazy out-of-towners with the huge toy hauler that had no idea where they were going.

Utah barn and dirt road

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Utah Delorme Atlas

We continued on in an awkward silence. Who exactly had gotten us into that predicament? Didn’t she have both an atlas and an iPad in her lap? But all was forgotten when we looked up the road and spotted a procession coming towards us.

In the lead was a horse and carriage with two men in starched white shirts, black pants and long beards sitting up high in front driving a team of two horses. As they neared us, we saw that their carriage held a casket behind glass. The name “Nelson” was in the window. A line of cars with their headlights on followed behind them.

Funeral procession rural Utah

A horse-drawn hearse leading a funeral procession – WOW!

It’s not every day that you see a funeral procession any more. And I can’t say that we’ve ever seen one led by a horse-drawn hearse.

We pulled over and let the procession pass.

What a special moment this was out here in a very remote part of rural America, a place where narrow paved lanes turn to dirt and lead through farm fields without any advance warning.

We savored the moment and realized that this unique sighting was precisely why I’d suddenly gotten the impulse to abandon my carefully constructed itinerary and blindly head down a narrow road that went to who knows where. If we hadn’t gotten hosed up on the dirt road, we never would have seen the unusual funeral procession.

And so it goes on the roads less traveled, as we bump into beautiful things off the beaten path and then find more exotic things even further off the beaten path!

Scenic back road in Utah

The roads less traveled — preferably two lanes and paved!

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A Gateway to Utah’s Outback!

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June 2022 – The wonderful slogan on every license plate in Utah is: “Life Elevated.” This refers, of course, to the extraordinary red rock hoodoos, spires and bridges that abound in southern Utah and to the towering mountains that dominate the northern part of the state and also to the overall gorgeousness and good feelings Utah exudes. Our lives are definitely elevated every time we visit the state.

Genesis Supreme toy hauler at Hoover's Rest Area - Life Elevated in Utah

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We have been moving in a northerly direction as the June temps heat up and, as is usual for us, we’ve been staying off the interstates and traveling on country highways and byways instead.

We find these roads are not only more interesting, but are often in better shape than the interstates, and we’ve found we’re much more likely to bump into special places we’ve never heard of before.

Such was the case when we saw a blue sign saying “Rest Area ahead” and decided to turn off to stretch our legs. As we turned into the rest area, we thought we’d stay for 10 minutes at most. A few hours later, we finally pulled out again! It was a beautiful and unusual little spot.

A Rest Area in Utah

Is this a Rest Area or a National Park?

Right next to where we’d parked the rig was a sign, “Please, no overnight camping.” We’ve never seen “Please” on a sign like this before. How unusual!

RV parked at a Rest Area in Utah

No overnight camping…please!

Our trail scout, Buddy, noticed a trail we didn’t even see, and he led us down to a pretty tree-lined stream.

Stream at Hoover's Rest Area in Utah

Ahhh…a cool and shady stream!

And then he took us up another short trail that went high up on a bluff where we had views of jagged peaks in all directions. What a spectacular place!

Scenery at Hoover's Rest Area in Utah

We had a wonderful view from up on a bluff.

We noticed two spires framing two teepees in the distance. What was that?! We had to go down and find out more!

A Area in Utah with Teepees

Hey, there are teepees down there!

We scrambled down and followed a dirt road that went towards the spires. We hunted around but never did get a very good view of the teepees. However, as we walked along the dirt road, a guy we’d seen unloading his mountain bike from his Lance camper back in the parking area suddenly rode past us. Hmmm….where was he headed?

A few paces further on, we found another towering rock spire that had an old western town of store fronts at its base!

Spire at a Rest Area in Utah

At the bottom of this spire there’s a cool old western town of storefronts.

A babbling brook tumbled over rocks and boulders, making a lovely composition with the western town in the background. Our cameras were going full speed and we were loving it!

Babbling brook and rock spire with western town front

The western town is over the river and through the woods.

The old western town appeared to be on private property, but we still got a good look at it from the road. There was a hotel, a saloon, a mercantile store and a jail — everything you need!

Old western town store fronts at Hoover's Rest Area in Utah

A taste of the wild west!

Buddy was having as much fun as we were. He ran all around excitedly, so full of life!

Running pup in Utah

This is one happy pup!

As he zoomed this way and that, we snapped pics of this unique place. A tree was in full bloom with beautiful pink flowers.

Beautiful pink wildflower in Utah

Springtime!

A little further down the road we came across a collection of boulders and stone spires that had a swinging bridge between them.

Swinging bridge at Hoover's Rest Area in Utah

This could be fun…but I think I’d like some railings!

One towering rock had metal hand-holds affixed to it so you could climb the rock face without rock climbing gear!

Ladder Rock at Hoover's Rest Area in Utah

“Awesome view at the top…Agility and strength required!”

The road crossed a little bridge, and when we got to the other side we heard a side-by-side coming up behind us. The guy sped by and then another side-by-side crossed the bridge behind him.

Side by side crosses bridge at Hoover's Rest Area in Utah

A side-by-side followed us over the bridge.

I was snapping photos of the second UTV crossing the bridge when the driver slowed down and stopped next to me. I looked in the door and his passenger was holding a video camera. “We’re YouTubers!” the driver said excitedly.

“Cool! We’re bloggers!” I said. “So, you were filming me as I was taking photos of you!”

He laughed and handed me his card for their channel, Our SxS Adventures with Curt and Charlene. “We’re just getting started with it.”

YouTubers SxS Adventures

YouTubers showed up in blue — out of the blue!

Curt went on to explain that this trail was part of the huge Paiute ATV Trail system and the guy ahead of them was a local guide who was going to show them the best spots. He suggested we grab our RZR and come along with them!

But we’re kinda Slow Road / Picture Taking UTV riders, and we weren’t sure we could keep up. We aren’t adventure side-by-siders at all. We stop all the time on our RZR and we get out every mile or so to take photos. What’s worse, in UTV terms, is that we turn around when the going gets any tougher than pretty flat ground! So, we wouldn’t have been good company for them!

We thanked them for the invitation and followed them up the trail a little ways as they drove off. The view around that bend was stunning!

Beginning of the ATV trail at Hoover's in Utah

How inviting! Where does this trail go??!!

Curt was right. We just had to go back to the trailer and grab the RZR and do one of our slow-poke rides. Thanks for the inspiration, Curt!

This was only our second time unloading the RZR from the back of the toy hauler, so we were really pleased that, unlike the first time, it went smoothly and didn’t take any longer than unloading it from our old flat bed utility bed trailer that we’d towed behind our fifth wheel. Yay!

Walking the trail at Hoover's Rest Area in Utah

Lured by the possibilities on that trail, we walked back to get the RZR.

We’d first heard of the Paiute ATV Trail system at the Quartzsite RV Show back in January. A fellow from Piute County came to the show to let folks know about the wonderful ATV/UTV riding all around the county, and I ended up chatting with him for while. We had hoped to ride some of the trail system on this trip but hadn’t figured out exactly where, when or how. This little impromptu intro was perfect!

The theme of dramatic cliffs framing both sides of the trail that we’d glimpsed when we were on foot continued for the first few miles of the ride. It was gorgeous!

ATV trail at Hoover's Rest Area in Utah

The trail took us between towering canyon walls.

After a few twists and turns between these fabulous canyon walls, we just had to stop and get out and sniff around (Buddy) and take some photos (us).

ATV trail at Hoover's Rest Area in Utah

We’d barely gone a half mile before we stopped and got out!

We were very happy campers!

Happy photographer

I love these kinds of adventures.

Wildflowers and rock cliffs in Utah

A spray of penstemon flowers gave the scene a splash of color.

We continued on with Buddy leading the way on four paws. He’d run ahead and then wait for us or come back to see what was holding up the slow poke grown-ups.

Dog on the ATV trail at Hoover's in Utah

Our trail scout runs back to tell us what’s ahead.

Other folks were out enjoying this beautiful trail too.

UTV on the trail at Hoover's Rest Area in Utah

Other side-by-sides were out on the trail too.

A side by side on the ATV trail at Hoover's Rest Area in Utah

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A stream ran alongside us and then crossed over the trail in front of us. A water crossing!

It was just a few inches deep and the RZR handled it fine. Again, our cameras urged us to stop the RZR and get out. Further down the trail, we caught sight of a fantastic waterfall. Out we went again!

That’s how we roll in the RZR…ride a little and walk around a bunch!

Photographing a waterfall in Utah

Mark and Buddy check out the stream.

Waterfall at Hoover's Rest Area in Utah

The waterfall.

Next to the waterfall was the carcass of a 1950s era car on its side. It was half buried in the dirt and had lost everything but its rusted metal frame long ago. We suspected that kids might have deliberately rolled it over the edge as a lark decades ago. At least, we hoped it was that and not a car crash!

Rusted car frame by a waterfall

Who knows what happened here, but hopefully everyone was okay.

Mark and I were having a ball taking photos in this particular spot where the water splashed vigorously over the rocks. But Buddy isn’t as into photography as we are. He sniffed everything that was sniffable in the area and then laid down for a little rest.

Our pup waits patiently by a waterfall in Utah

Our trail scout took a break while we milled around the waterfall taking photos.

After a while, the trail narrowed and became quite rocky, and the views of exotic rock formations were replaced with thick vegetation on each side. We weren’t sure how much further we’d have to ride before the views returned, and the going was getting rough. So, we decided to turn around, get lunch in the toy hauler and continue down the country highway we’d been on (US-89 south of Sevier).

Right before we got back to the beginning of the trail, we noticed a small building with a paddle wheel deep in the woods. We got out one last time to explore and we spun the wheel for a fun pic. The structure was too new to have been an original paddle wheel from way back when, but it was a neat find.

Paddle wheel at Hoover's Rest Area in Utah

Off the trail, we spotted a small building with a paddle wheel and a flume.

Before leaving the rest area, we visited the restrooms and were impressed at how clean they were. For a lonely spot in the middle of nowhere, I was surprised to see a woman cleaning them. But she disappeared before I could ask her who managed this very interesting place.

We hopped back in the truck and hit the road again all full of smiles. Unexpectedly, our “boring” day of driving had turned into an exciting day of exploring. This little gem will go down in our memories as a sweet mystery deep in Utah’s hinterlands!

Genesis Supreme toy hauler RV in Utah

We’ve found that taking the slow road often brings us gentle adventures that are really fulfilling.

It is unanticipated moments of pleasure like this that are our favorite aspect of this lifestyle. We wake up with one agenda in mind (if any), and within a few hours we’re doing something completely different that’s even better!

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Panguitch, Utah – Little Britches & Big Horses in the City Park

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June 2022 – We’d been driving north through glorious Utah red rock landscapes for a while, and Mark suddenly said, “I’d really like to go to a nice city park with some lush green grass so Buddy can stretch his legs!”

Well, gosh. I wasn’t sure I could produce such a thing out here in this dry craggy landscape, but I did a quickie search and suddenly found just the thing. And it was only a few miles ahead to boot: Panguitch City Park.

We pulled in and parked by the lush green grass. As we looked around, we discovered the fairground behind the park was filled with horses and horse trailers!

Little Britches Rodeo in Panguitch Utah City Park

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Horses were standing around tied to their trailers, resting between events. No doubt they were analyzing their performance and thinking of ways they could improve next time.

Horse waits for the Little Britches Rodeo in Panguitch Utah

A horse waits for his next event.

Cowboys and cowgirls were doing the same thing, but they weren’t tied to their trailers!

Quiet time between events at Panguitch Utah Little Britches Rodeo

Young riders discuss the day’s events.

Downtime between events at Little Britches Rodeo in Panguitch Utah

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We wandered closer to the action and saw a line of horses tied up outside the arena. There were lots of trailers parked back there too. We’d arrived just in the nick of time — yet we’d stopped here just to give Buddy a break from driving!

Horses wait their turns at Little Britches Rodeo in Panguitch Utah

Horses were lined up outside the arena.

Suddenly two young women riders came out and circled around in front of us. One had a lasso in her hand and she was expertly swinging it around above her head.

Two riders in Little Britches Rodeo in Panguitch Utah warm up for their event

Two gals warm up, one swinging a lasso!

Other riders came out and took a spin around in front of us to warm up before heading into the arena to compete.

Rider warms up for Little Britches Rodeo in Panguitch Utah

Two riders in Little Britches Rodeo in Panguitch Utah warm up for their event

We found out this event was part of the National Little Britches Rodeo, and it was the tail end of the second day of events. These young riders were the very last to compete!

Horse waits behind dummy roping steer

Roping was a big part of today’s events and there were practice bullhorns by each horse and trailer.

Beyond the fairgrounds there was a dramatic view of red rocks in the distance. What a place to ride a horse!

Red rock views in Panguitch Utah

The view beyond the fairground — stunning!

Down at our feet we noticed some yellow wildflowers blooming.

Spring wildflower in Panguitch Utah

Spring was springing!

As we strolled back to the lush green grass of the city park, we admired the many types and styles of horse trailers that were here for the rodeo. It was a multi-day event and lots of people stayed in their horse trailers.

Horse trailers are really different than fifth wheel RVs, though. Besides having a gooseneck hitch and shorter overall height, the trailer axles are placed at the far back end of the trailer. This is because of the heavy weight of the horses standing in the rear end of the trailer. This axle placement is similar to a semi tractor trailer.

Horse trailer

A triple axle horse trailer has the axles way at the back of the rig.

In contrast, the axles on a fifth wheel RV are placed quite close to the midline of the trailer because there isn’t all that much weight in the far back.

Genesis Supreme 28CRT Toy Hauler

Our fifth wheel toy hauler has its tandem axles closer to the middle of the trailer

You’d think that a toy hauler might be something like a horse trailer in terms of weight distribution since the toy goes in the far back, but our RZR weighs only 1,250 lbs, and even if it were 2,000 lbs., our toy hauler can carry 15,000 lbs, so it’s not that large a percentage of the total. So, fifth wheel toy haulers are built like regular fifth wheels with the axles placed just a smidge further towards the rear end of the trailer.

When turning a fifth wheel trailer, the back end swings quite wide because so much of the trailer is located behind the axles. Whereas with a horse trailer or tractor trailer you don’t have to worry so much about smacking something out with your wildly swinging rear end since very little of the trailer extends beyond the trailer’s axles.

Back at the lush green grassy park, we noticed that a woman with two Australian shepherd dogs was letting them run free and play. Buddy couldn’t resist and he ran over to introduce himself. For a split second they all huddled face to face. After that, of course, it was all about sniffing each other…at the other end!!

Playful dogs meet at Panguitch City Park

Buddy meets some new friends!

We strolled around this pretty park enjoying the shade of the tall, full trees.

Panguitch City Park serenity

This is a lovely park

Buddy absolutely loved running and prancing in the soft, moist grass. This was quite a contrast to the red rock desert we’d just traveled through.

Playful pup prances in the grass at Panguitch City Park

Weeeeeeee!

Off to one side we came across a very old log cabin. A plaque explained that it was built for Kate Alexander by her son in 1890. It is a tiny structure that is around 12′ x 15′ in size, the size of many modern day bedrooms!

Kate Alexander Cabin Panguitch Utah

Kate Alexander’s son built this home for her in 1890.

There was a little knothole in the front door and we peeped in. Inside there was a small bed, a cupboard, a pot belly stove and a fireplace.

Keyhole interior view Kate Alexander Cabin Panguitch Utah

Peaking in the front door knothole, it looked like life had been simple in this house.

There were doors on three sides of the house (a door on each wall except the wall with the fireplace). There were two windows, one by the front door and one by the back door.

It is very hard to imagine living in a house like that—a space much smaller than a typical RV used for full-time living!—but the homes from that era in this area are all about that size.

A quilt had been placed over the exteriorwall with the fireplace. We were puzzled at first and then we noticed a sign advertising the Panguitch Quilt Walk festival on June 8-11, 2022. Another quilt was draped near the sign too.

Kate Alexander Cabin Panguitch Utah Quilt

A quilt hung on the outside of house.

Panguitch Quilt Walk Utah

Another quilt was hung nearby.

The original Panguitch Quilt Walk was an extraordinary event that took place in the dead of winter in 1863. The devout Mormons living in Panguitch (then called Fairview) began to run out of food and they decided to send their strongest men on foot up and over the towering mountain that was buried in snow to get some sacks of flour from the town of Parawan 45 miles away..

As they ascended the mountain and the snow deepened, the men couldn’t make any progress, so they threw down a quilt and kneeled on it to pray. Suddenly, they realized the quilt was keeping them from sinking into the snow.

So, for the entire mountain pass, the men threw down a quilt ahead of them, traversed it, and then picked it up and threw it down ahead of them. It was painfully slow going, but they made it.

I can’t even imagine a trip like that over a steep mountain simply walking on a road, nevermind crawling across quilts in deep snow. On the way back, the men were loaded down with sacks of flour for the town. And for the entire trip they had to supply themselves with food as well!

In downtown Panguitch there is a memorial that honors these intrepid men, and the town celebrates the memory with an annual Quilt Walk.

This all made for a very fulfilling stop in our travels. When we first went to Panguitch City Park, we thought we were just taking a break from driving to walk the dog for a little while. Instead, we ended up spending several very happy hours in a pretty city park that we’d blindly driven past many times before!

Happy puppy in tall lush grass

Traveling with a dog changes your travel style, but we’d never have seen any of this without our special boy.

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A previous visit to Panguitch a while back

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Heavenly Theatrics in Utah’s Red Rocks

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September 2019 – We spent a lot of time roaming around in the backcountry of Utah in recent weeks, and some of our best days were when we the skies grew gloomy or when the sun and clouds chased each other across the beautiful vistas.

FB 1200 Light and Shadow in the red rocks of Utah

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Some of the trails and two-track roads we ventured out on started out simply enough.

Backcountry trail in Utah-min

Red rocks beckon in the distance.

And then within a few minutes we’d find ourselves staring at the most amazing view from up on a plateau.

Red rock vista Utah-min

What a view!

Sometimes storm clouds would gather, and we’d notice the patterns they formed in the heavens complemented the patterns of the rock formations on the ground.

Red rocks and clouds Utah-min

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As we would gawk at the mysterious wonder of the beauty before us, Buddy would keep it real and look for chipmunks in the bushes!

Puppy in red rocks Utah-min

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There are vast networks of trails and two track roads through all the Utah National Forests, and the possibility of discovery lured us down one trail after another.

Red rock view from a Polaris RZR in Utah-min

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Cloud formations and red rocks in Utah-min

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On some excursions the dramatic views changed with every turn in the road or trail. Our little Trail Scout would lead the way, but sometimes he’d have to run back to us to see what was taking so long (we’d be busy with our cameras!).

Red rock trail in Utah-min

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Puppy on the trail in the Utah red rocks-min

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Running on a red rock trail in Utah-min

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Shades of orange and red dominated many landscapes, but we found the most curious patch of yellow rocks mixed in with the orange ones in one spot.

Yellow patches in the Utah red rocks-min

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The cloud patterns were astonishing and everchanging. One day, we watched one group of clouds that looked like space ships moving across the sky. It was amazing how these clouds and others seemed to mirror the shapes of the rock formations below.

Crazy clouds in the Utah red rocks-min

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Wild cloud pattern over red rocks in Utah-min

Wow!

Beautiful red rocks in Utah-min

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One afternoon the sun came out and chased the big fluffy clouds all over the sky. The sun spread warmth and light across the hills only to have the clouds sweep everything into darkness for a brief moment. Then the sun would return and embrace the land once again.

Dramatic sky and red rocks in Utah-min

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Light and shadow on red rocks in Utah-min

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Red rocks in Utah light and shadow-min

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Utah red rock cliffs and clouds-min

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Afternoon sun in the Utah red rocks-min

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Utah continues to be our favorite state, and it’s easy to see why: breathtaking views like these are all over the place. It’s no wonder that lots of folks say Utah’s most minor destinations would likely be National Parks if they were located somewhere else!

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A Utah Backcountry Adventure!

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September 2019 – We enjoyed several trips into the backcountry area near Capitol Reef National Park during our Utah RV trip.

View from one of the many backcountry roads in Utah.

On each excursion we just loved the sudden transition that came after riding our Polaris RZR through the woods of Fish Lake National Forest when the thick trees cleared and the red rock views of Capitol Reef National Park far below began to come into view.

Running the trails on Thousand Lake Mountain Utah-min

A backcountry road crosses a meadow in Fish Lake National Forest

Near the top of the woodsy mountains it was very cold, and we all bundled up in winter jackets, even our pup Buddy!

View of Capitol Reef National Park from Thousand Lake Mountain Utah-min

It’s coooold up here. But between shivers, what a view!

While we drove in our side-by-side behind him, Buddy zoomed down the twisting road ahead of us as the incredible views grew ever larger all around.

Running free near Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

The descent had some fabulous views.

Overlook at Capitol Reef National Park from Thousand Lake Mountain Utah-min

View from an overlook.

Storm clouds were brewing overhead, giving the astonishing views a really dramatic flair. As we descended towards the valley floor, we hoped the clouds would clear once we got free of the mountains and out into the red rock desert.

Red rock views looking down at Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

An exhilarating run — with views!

Capitol Reef National Park Utah views during run on Thousand Lake Mountain-min

A new view with every turn.

Running above Capitol Reef National Park Utah Red rock views-min

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Storm and rain over Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

Light and shadow.

By the time we got to the bottom, though, the sun had come out and the air had warmed up at least 20 degrees. Buddy shed his jacket but Mark and I hadn’t been running like he had, so we kept our hats, jackets and gloves on a while longer!

Taking a break-min

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The backcountry roads in and around this area go on forever with lots of little off-shoots and detours and diversions along the way. There were signs pointing out different destinations, but we just followed the roads that looked intriguing without a particular destination in mind.

RZR ride in Capitol Reef National Park-min

There are dozens of roads and just as many great destinations.

Lots of rain all summer long had left the valley unusually green. The lush verdant carpet of vegetation around the base of the red rock pinnacles and cliff walls was just wonderful. One especially prominent pinnacle was Solomon’s Temple.

Capitol Reef National Park view-min

First glimpse of Solomon’s Temple.

Pinnacle in Capitol Reef National Park-min

Solomon’s Temple.

As we walked around taking photos, the storm on the horizon seemed to intensify.

Photographing Capitol Reef National Park during backcountry drive-min

This whole area was wonderful for taking photos, especially as the storm rolled in!

Storm in Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

Rain was falling in the distance.

The backcountry road weaved and twisted and turned as it ran between the pink sandstone hills.

Backcountry road in Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

The gravel road was very squiggly!

Pink sandstone hills in Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

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There were storm clouds in every direction by now, and we began to feel droplets of rain here and there. We wanted to keep going, but the clouds were becoming really threatening.

Storm clouds Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

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Storm threatens RZR ride in the red rocks-min

Hmmm… those clouds were getting very dark.

Storm clouds descend in Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

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Storm clouds Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

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We began to head back towards the mountain we’d come over hours earlier, but we noticed that a huge storm was pelting the very place where our road went. Yikes!

As we watched the thick rain cloud gathering steam over the distant hills, we realized it was headed our way.

Arriving storm

A particularly threatening storm cloud hung over the mountain we were returning to.

We looked around and noticed a group of ranch buildings and barns nearby. We ducked into a three sided barn for quick shelter. Luckily, the three walls around and behind us protected us from the approaching tempest.

Waiting out a storm-min

We hid out for cover for a few minutes

While we huddled inside waiting for the storm to blow over, Buddy noticed some rabbits zipping around. He could hear and smell them on the other side of the barn wall. Gosh, did he go crazy over that!

Puppy hears rabbits behind barn wall-min

Buddy passed the time eavesdropping on the rabbits on the other side of the wall

A bunch of old, used horseshoes had been hung on a half wall that formed a pen for smaller animals. How cool!

Horseshoes

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Fortunately, the worst of the storm missed us, and before long the sun had come out again. We made our way back up the switchbacks and over the mountain just in time to see a rainbow crossing our fifth wheel.

Rainbow over fifth wheel RV-min

A beautiful rainbow filled the sky after the storm passed.

The network of backcountry roads around the outside Capitol Reef National Park and in Fish Lake National Forest surrounding the Park is immense, and there are all kinds of interesting things to be seen, whether by 4×4 vehicle, side-by-side, mountain bike or horse!

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Capitol Reef NP – Cathedral Valley – A Stunning Backcountry Drive in Utah!

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September 2019 – One day, while enjoying the beautiful lakes and woods of central Utah, we took our RZR up and over a mountain and found ourselves staring down into a world of stunning red rocks: Capitol Reef National Park’s spectacular Cathedral Valley.

Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah

We took our RZR for a ride in sensational Cathedral Valley — WOW!

The road wound around through the mountain woods and passed a few small ponds and meadows and then branched off on a spur to an overlook. What a fabulous view!

View from a RZR Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

The red rock towers of Cathedral Valley beckoned from a distance.

Lookout at Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

Buddy looks out at the astonishing view.

Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

Cathedral Valley lay far below us.

In the distance we could see a dirt road crossing the valley floor heading off towards the towering red rock cathedrals.

Road to Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

A road through Cathedral Valley wound towards the pinnacles.

Towers in Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

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The road descended quickly and made some sharp switch-back turns.

First glimpse Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

We got down towards the level of the valley floor.

We stopped on a little promontory and wandered around on a narrow sandy trail. Such views!

View of Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

Exotic stone towers seemed to jut up from the desert floor.

Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah views-min

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We rounded one final hairpin switchback turn and then the view widened. The towering cathedral pinnacles seemed within arm’s reach.

Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah view-min

“Cathedral Valley” is the perfect name for this place.

Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah pinnacle framed by tree-min

View through the branches of an old dead tree.

Some of the rock formations were sharp and jagged, while others had a more rounded and softer appearance.

Sandstone towers Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

Some rock towers had knife-like edges. Others were softly rounded.

Striped sandstone formations Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

Horizontal stripes and undulations

Pinnacles Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

Varying shapes and layers.

Once we got down to the valley floor, our little canine trail scout, Buddy, insisted on showing us the way.

Puppy runs in Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

The views made Buddy want to run run run!

Puppy runs in Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

What a place!

We were all alone in a fantastic and desolate land. The sun was warm on our skin and there were exotic red rock cliffs and pinnacles in every direction around us.

RZR side-by-side ride in Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

Moon unit in a moonscape!

We hopped out of the RZR onto the sandy trail, and down at our feet we noticed that even though we felt like we were alone, there were lots of other creatures enjoying this beautiful place along with us.

Footprints in the desert sand-min

We were not alone out here!

Further down the road a thin wall of pinnacles rose up on one side of us.

Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

Some pinnacle walls were very sheer.

Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

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At one spot there was a a U-shaped window in the thin wall.

Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

The razor’s edge of the cliff wall can be seen in this unique window

Window Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

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A little further down the road we saw an old dead tree permanently arched as if blown by a persistent wind.

Old tree in Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

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As we progressed down the road we had to stop every 100 yards or so to get a closer look. Such beauty absolutely everywhere — it was breathtaking!

RZR side-by-side ride in Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

We hopped in and out of the RZR a lot. There was just so much to see up close on foot!

Pinnacle peaks Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

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The name “Cathedral Valley” is perfect for this area. One formation in particular seemed to have buttresses along the flanks of the cathedral and a steeply pitched roof.

Cathedral buttresses and roofline Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

All it needed was a tall steeple at the far left end!

While Nature has created these fabulous rock formations, ranchers have put their imprint on the land as well. We came across a small wooden building that was used by the cowboys of yesteryear when they brought their cattle to this valley for summer grazing.

There was a hitching post out front and a small corral for their horses off to the side. Inside was a table and set of shelves that held many of the relics that have been found around the property: rusty cans and utensils, bits of pottery, cookware and some leather straps and buckles.

There was a row of hooks on the wall for coats and cowboy hats.

Old cabin and hitching post Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

We found an old cabin cowboys used to use in the summertime.

Window view old cabin Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

It was ultra-simple living out here in this remote land, but I’m sure the cowboys loved it.

Back on the road we savored the views in every direction. While we snapped endless photos, Buddy pranced along on his own four paws.

Pinnacle in Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

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Puppy runs in Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah-min

These glorious open spaces make some people want to grab their cameras and other people want to run!

Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah puppy on the trail-min

Working up a thirst!

Water break

Ahhh! A cool water break in the shade!

The back roads through Capitol Reef National Park are open to highway licensed vehicles, bikes, horses and hikers, and they are drivable with a 4×4 passenger vehicle if you take it slowly.

Some parts are narrow, steep, twisty and washboarded, and in a few places the road was covered with fairly deep sand, but we did see a pickup go by. We loved driving in our “little tank” because it is open air, it floats over the bumps and is so easy to hop in and out of.

Side-by-side RZR ride Cathedral Valley Capitol Reef National Park Utah

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This remote back side of Capitol Reef National Park is gorgeous. As with all the National Parks, though, we recommend that first time visitors check out the sights by the front door of the Park at the outset.

After all, visitors centers and major overlooks are always located at the most spectacular spots, and there is much to see along the truly eye-popping Highway 24 “All American Scenic Drive” as it goes through the main part of Capitol Reef National Park before venturing into the Park via this more rough hewn back door!

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Fish Lake Utah – Fun Things To Do in the Lakes and Mountains

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September 2019 – The area around Fish Lake is a wonderfully remote corner of Utah that we’ve enjoyed exploring, and the tiny spot that is at the heart of this place is the Fish Lake Lodge.

Fish Lake and Forsyth Reservoir Natural Beauty in Utah

The Fish Lake area of Utah is remote and full of Nature’s wondrous beauty

Fish Lake Lodge is open only during the summer, and we arrived late enough in the season that the fantastic dining room in this decades old log lodge was closed. But we were able to tip-toe into the dining room and take a peak. Wow!

Fireplace in dining room at Fish Lake Lodge Utah-min

Fish Lake Lodge has an inviting dining room and very cozy fireplace.

The dining room has a wall of windows that face the lake. Talk about dining with a view!

Dining room in Fish Lake Lodge Utah-min

Dinner with a view at Fish Lake Lodge

FIsh Lake reflects in the dining room windows at Fish Lake Lodge Utah-min

Outside on the deck, the wall of windows reflects the image of Fish Lake

Built between 1928 and 1933, this historic lodge made from locally harvested spruce logs has hosted travelers for nearly 90 years. Modern day travelers can rent charming lakefront cabins on the property, and RVers can set up camp with full hookups in the RV park.

The deck at Fish Lake Lodge Utah-min

Fish Lake Lodge

Exterior of Fish Lake Lodge Utah-min

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As we wandered around the outside of the building, we came across an absolutely fabulous old door.

Cool doorway at Fish Lake Lodge Utah-min

What a cool door!

There are lots of trails for hiking, walking and slow strolling in the area around Fish Lake, and every morning Mark took our pup Buddy out for a run.

Running with puppy

Buddy leaps into action — all four paws off the ground — at the start of his morning run with Mark

Buddy just loves his morning run, but his fast pace makes it tough for two footed runners to hang with him.

He likes to start his runs with a steady four minute mile pace, and he doesn’t throttle it back to a five minute mile pace until he’s gotten a mile or two under his belt. Yikes!

Running with puppy-min

Four short legs are a lot faster than two long ones!

My absolute favorite trail in the Fish Lake area is the portion of the miles-long Lakeshore Trail that goes southwest from the Fish Lake Lodge. It winds along the water’s edge for a mostly shady mile or two.

Lakeshore trail through aspen grove Fish Lake Utah-min

Lakeshore Trail heading southwest from Fish Lake Lodge was my favorite.

Buddy loves this trail too. It goes through a beautiful grove of aspen trees and is just wide enough to walk, run or bike comfortably yet stil feel intimate as you progress under the canopy of trees.

Aspen grove on Lakeshore Trail at Fish Lake Utah-min

Some folks run this trail and then have to wait for their slower companions to catch up

Puppy leads the way on Lakeshore Trail at Fish Lake Utah-min

The trail winds along the lake

Along the Lakeshore Trail there are lots of places where you can get down to the edge of the lake. We zipped up and down these short paths, and at one point we found a few aspen trees that beavers had gnawed on. One was even toppled over and had a huge pile of small wood chips next to it!

Beaver chewed aspen tree at Fish Lake Utah-min

Beavers had been busy!

In the middle of the aspen grove, the trees suddenly parted and the trail opened up to the sky. Looking down at our feet we found a wonderful area of rocks, wildflowers and deep puddles where Mother Nature had done some exquisite landscaping.

Mother Nature's landscaping at Fish Lake Utah-min

Beautifully casual landscape designs by Mother Nature

Flowers at Fish Lake Utah-min

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The Lakeshore Trail wanders all along the shores of Fish Lake both north and south of the Fish Lake Lodge, and it is a truly delightful walk.

Pretty view at Fish Lake Utah-min

A nice spot to rest a spell…

Fishing at Fish Lake Utah-min

Pretty in Pink!

Forest shoreline Lakeshore Trail Fish Lake Utah-min

Shoreside view of Fish Lake

In addition to hiking and biking trails, there are also lots of two track motor vehicle trails, and we took our RZR on one two track trail that took us way up into the hills where we got a beautiful view of Fish Lake.

Fish Lake Utah-min

View from a bluff in the hills on a brilliant sunny day which made the water a vivid blue

Horseback riding is very popular around Fish Lake, and there are lots of horse-friendly trails.

Horses preparing for a ride near Fish Lake Utah-min

Horseback riders prepare for a trail ride.

One of the many US Forest Service campgrounds in the area is an equestrian-only campground. This unique campground has solid, well built horse stalls right next to each campsite. Some are single stalls and one can hold four horses! Most of the stalls are well shaded.

However, you can only stay at this campground if you have a horse with you!

Horseback riders near Fish Lake Utah-min

Riding at dawn

There are lots of smaller lakes in the area, and we spent some time at nearby Forsyth Reservoir, both walking and riding the RZR on the wide trails that criss-cross the area.

Forsyth Reservoir Utah-min

Forsyth Reservoir

Trail at Forsyth Reservoir Utah-min

Our little trail scout leads the way down the trail at Forsyth Reservoir

Forsyth Reservoir Utah-min

Our RZR took us high above the lake

Buddy absolutely loves water (but only wading…no swimming!), and he drank freely from a spring that flowed down to the reservoir.

Something about the fresh air, fresh water, and the little beach area brought out his inner puppy, and before we knew it he was doing high jumps!

Puppy jumping-min

Buddy jumps for joy…

Puppy jumps for a stick at the lake-min

…and throws in some dance moves!

Since this is a mountainous area, the weather was highly unpredictable and ranged from really hot to really cold to crystal clear skies to fabulous storm clouds.

Light and shadow with storm clouds Forsyth Reservoir Utah-min

Light and shadow play on the land at Forsyth Reservoir

Rainbow

After the storm…

Puppy watches storm clouds-min

Saying goodnight to the clouds at sunset

RV under stormy skies at sunset-min

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Late one afternoon we were surprised to see an almost full moon rising. We took note of the time, and the next day, about an hour later and a few degrees to the left of where the moon had risen the day before, we watched the full moon rise out of the trees on a distant hillside.

Full moon rises above the trees-min

The moon rises behind the trees on a distant hillside

Full moon rising behind the trees-min (1)

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Full moon rises from the trees-min

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Full moon rises from trees-min

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Full moon at night-min

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We’ve really enjoyed exploring this quiet part of Utah where it’s not uncommon to see deer crossing the highway and herons stalking fish in the lakes. We even had a troop of five elk walked right by our campsite one evening! If your travels take you to central Utah, Fish Lake is worth a detour to see.

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More info about this area:

Other blog posts from our travels to Fish Lake Utah:

Blog posts with full moon images (some have just one image and some have several):

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Fish Lake Utah – Alpine Beauty & Brilliant Stars in Dark Skies!

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September 2019 – We loved our hike and RZR ride near Red Canyon, Utah, but at 7,500′ elevation it was pretty toasty in the afternoons during summer’s final big heat wave. So we dashed further north and up to an altitude of 9,000′ at Fish Lake, Utah, where the early mornings were downright cold and the night skies were incredibly clear.

Star trails over RV in clear night sky

Star trails over our trailer!

The area around Fish Lake is hilly and filled with babbling brooks, ponds and pretty lakes. The Fishlake Scenic Byway is a twisting and winding route that goes between the villages of Fish Lake and Loa, Utah. The scenery is just gorgeous.

Scenic vista near Fish Lake Utah-min

A pretty lake with a hillside full of yellow wildflowers.

Fish Lake Scenic Drive Utah-min

The Fish Lake Scenic Drive takes in some spectacular views

Stream near Fish Lake Utah-min

We found streams and lakes galore

Views near Fish Lake Utah-min

The hills were full of pines, aspen trees and open meadows

Up in the hills above Fish Lake there is a stand of aspen trees called the Pando Aspen that is thought to be the biggest and oldest single living organism on the planet.

Aspen trees are not individual trees. Each one is connected to its neighbors, and the Pando Aspen is over 100 acres in size and is estimated to be about 80,000 years old!

Pando Aspen Fish Lake Utah-min

At over 100 acres and 80,000 years of age, the Pando Aspen in Fish Lake, Utah, is the largest and oldest single living organism in the world

There are lots of hiking trails and dirt roads to explore in the area around Fish Lake. We drove past the Lakeshore Trailhead and could see a cute little wooden bridge going over a stream in the distance. We just had to check out the wooden bridge, so we circled back and let our pup Buddy lead the way.

Puppy ready to hike the Lake Shore Trail in Fish Lake Utah-min

The little wooden bridge at the start of the trail was too cute to pass up


There were three trails to choose from, and Buddy promptly ran straight uphill into the woods on the trail marked “Crater Lake.”

Of course, this wasn’t THE Crater Lake of Crater Lake National Park fame in Oregon (the upcoming November 2019 edition of our Trailer Life Magazine back page column features one of Mark’s glorious photos of THAT Crater Lake!).

But we were curious what THIS Crater Lake was like. So up we went behind Buddy.

The trail went straight up. Not just a little up, but a whole lotta up and up, and then up some more. We huffed and puffed and kept looking for signs that the summit was just ahead, but the more we hiked into the heavens the less likely it seemed that we would ever get there!

I hate to say it, but we finally had had enough of climbing and decided that since we hadn’t brought any water or prepared for a big hike it was probably best to save the view of this Crater Lake for another time.

Down we came, having seen only woods!!

Hiking Crater Lake Trail near Fish Lake Utah-min

We didn’t make it to Crater Lake, but we got a good hilly workout!

The streams in the area were delightful, and on most hikes and walks we were able to find a stream where Buddy could get a drink and play for a while before we turned around and headed back.

Creek near Fish Lake Utah-min

There are lots of creeks and streams in this area

Stream near Fish Lake Utah-min

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One day he had so much fun sprinting through a stream that he splattered mud on his face. He looked like he had put on makeup or was dressing up as a tiger!

Puppy with mud mascara-min

The mud was flying when Buddy zipped along the riverbanks!

In one spot wer found horses grazing by a stream. Such bucolic scenery!!

Horse grazing in Utah-min

A horse grazes in the middle of a postcard setting

Horses

These horses were very friendly

Buddy found a trio of cows and began talking to them in a very loud voice.

Puppy with cows-min

Buddy gave some cows an earful

Smiling puppy with cows-min

They seemed to take it in stride.

There are lots of dirt roads to explore too, and we headed down one that looked especially inviting. Unfortunately, no sooner had we started than we found the way blocked with huge boulders in front of an old wooden bridge. The bridge was pretty rickety, so that’s probably why the road was closed to vehicles.

End of a RZR ride in Utah-min

Our RZR ride ended when we came to a small bridge that was blocked. So we hiked instead!

No matter. We hopped out of the RZR and walked on the wide dirt road which was now wonderfully free of any kind of traffic.

The road followed a stream that was lined with wildflowers, and I soon realized the theme for this little excursion would be “wildflowers.” They were all kinds of shapes and colors and sizes.

Stream with flowers in Utah-min

The dirt road went alongside a stream.

Pink wildflower in Utah

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Unusual wildflowers in utah-min

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Beautiful noxious weed in Fish Lake Utah-min

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While we snapped pics of the flowers, Buddy ran ahead to scout for chipmunks and squirrels. One squirrel watched him warily from a branch high up on a tree.

Squirrel teases puppy during hike at Fish Lake Utah-min

This squirrel eyed Buddy from the safety of a high branch!

The flowers continued to enchant us as we strolled slowly along the edge of the river, and we were surprised how many were in full bloom so late in the summer season. Then again, we saw leftover winter snow in the nooks and crannies of the mountains, so these flowers had had a long wait for the warm weather to arrive!

Lavender wildflowers Fish Lake Utah-min

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Yellow daisies Fish Lake Utah-min

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Dandelion gone to seed Fish Lake Utah-min

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Yellow wildflowers on Fish Lake Utah hiking trail-min

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Suddenly, we noticed a bush with the familiar spiky leaves of raspberries. And sure enough, there were hundreds of tiny wild raspberries. These weren’t the big cultivated raspberries we all see in the supermarket. There were just a few bumps on each berry. But they were unmistakeably raspberries — and the birds and possibly the bears had been enjoying them.

Wild raspberries near Fish Lake Utah-min

Wild raspberries!

Down at the edge of the lake we found lots of marshy plants growing. A few herons and other waterbirds poked around at the water’s edge.

Weeds at Johnson Valley Reservoir Utah-min

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The weather at Fish Lake is unpredictable, and on several afternoons storm clouds gathered overhead and we could see rain falling in the distance.

One afternoon the clouds turned black while the sun shone through beneath them, making for a fantastically dramatic image.

Dramatic scenery at Fish Lake Utah-min

A wildly stormy sky heralded the start of an intense summer storm!

No sooner had I taken that photo than the heavens opened up. Hail the size of peas fell in torrents!

Hail storm at Fish Lake Utah-min

Hail pounded the lake

Almost as soon as it had started, the tempest ended and the sun came out. But the evidence of the hail storm was plain to see on our patio mat.

Hail on an RV patio mat-min

The sun came out right after the storm, but the hail stuck around for a little while

After a few days of afternoon monsoon storms, the skies cleared and we had sunshine all day every day. Late one evening Mark headed out the door and then dashed back in: “You wouldn’t BELIEVE the Milky Way!” he said.

We both grabbed our cameras and ran outside.

The MIlky Way was as bright as could be and was coming right down on top of our rig!

Milky Way over an RV in a clear night sky-min

We caught the Milky Way AND a shooting star over our rig!
(The shooting star is the thin line to the right of the Milky Way)

Milky Way with an RV night sky astrophotopraphy-min

The Milky Way came right down to our rig!

Luck was with us, and for the next few nights there was no moon in the early evening and the sky was completely clear of clouds.

One night we headed down to the edge of the lake with our gear and caught the Milky Way as it fell towards the lake.

Milky Way Fish Lake Utah-min

We drove out to the edge of the lake to get some shots of the Milky Way diving towards the water

Remote parts of Utah are known to have wonderfully dark skies, and the above photo shows just how easy it is for artificial lights to affect the magic. The yellow glow in the lower right part of the image is from just a handful of buildings behind the hill.

Mark took out his 12 mm fisheye lens and got some neat effects.

Milky Way Fish Lake Utah-min

A fisheye lens view

Milky Way Johnson Valley Reservoir Utah-min

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When we got back to our rig we noticed that the Big Dipper was right above it.

Big dipper over RV-min

The Big Dipper was right over our trailer

The Big Dipper can be used to locate the North Star which sailors and outdoor adventurers have used to navigate for ages. The North Star is in line with the last two stars in the bowl part of the Big Dipper.

Big dipper over RV with outline-min

The Big Dipper can be used to find the North Star

As I lined up the stars to find the North Star, I suddenly realized that this might be a perfect time to do a “star trails” photo.

It’s a little tricky to conceptualize, but as we stand on the earth and it rotates around its north-south axis, the stars in the sky appear to rotate around the North Star.

This reminded me of when I was a little girl and I used to spin around in a small room in our house with my head thrown back as I stared up at a light fixture in the ceiling. I would spin and spin while staring at that light fixture, and then when I stopped the whole world would keep spinning. I’d try to take a step and would promptly fall on the ground, totally dizzy, and crack up laughing. I thought this was hilariously funny and would do it over and over again!

Well, such is the silliness of a six year old girl making herself hopelessly dizzy. But now, many decades later, the star trails effect over our trailer was sensational.

I set the camera up on the tripod and left it to take a photo of the stars on a 14 mm lens for an hour at f/2.8 and ISO 64. When I tiptoed back out in the black of night and felt my way back to the tripod (without bumping into it or knocking it over!), I was thrilled with the image I saw on the back of the camera:

trails

Star trails!

Fish Lake is popular among fishermen and hunters, but it isn’t high on the list for other travelers. However, if you are looking for a quiet spot that is 20 miles away from the nearest real town (of 400 people), a place where there’s precious little internet access but lots of nature everywhere, consider putting Fish Lake, Utah, on your itinerary!

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More info about the area around Fish Lake, Utah:

Other blog posts from our travels to Fish Lake Utah:

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More from Southwestern Utah:

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Red Canyon – Arches Trail – Windows & Hoodoos in Utah!

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August 2019 – Red Canyon in Utah is a little jewel that lots of folks miss in their excited rush to get to nearby Bryce Canyon National Park. But we’ve loved our visits there, and this time around we decided to hike the Arches Trail.

Arches Trail in Red Canyon Utah

Some of the windows seen on Arches Trail in Red Canyon Utah

Arches Trail is a half mile long loop trail, but there are so many offshoots and overlooks and fun nooks and crannies to explore that it can take well over an hour to savor it all.

When we got to the fork where the loop begins and ends, our pup Buddy and I headed one way while Mark headed the other. It wasn’t on purpose. We were all so busy looking around that we didn’t even notice we’d split up!

Buddy and I went to the right, and in no time we were doing a steep scramble. Buddy was already on all fours, but I nearly joined him on my hands and knees!

I looked up from my scramble for a moment and saw a fabulous arch in front of me.

Big arch Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

Way above me I saw an arch that was eerily familiar!

When I got closer to the arch I suddenly had a feeling of déjà vu. Mark and I had been in this exact spot many years ago (blog post here).

It had been late afternoon when we got up here back in August 2011, and the sky had suddenly gone black just as we got to this spot. A monsoon thunderstorm had chased us down off the trail and we had barely made it out before the deluge!

Big arch Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

The last time I saw this arch, it framed a big black threatening cloud!

Buddy and I decided to head down and see what Mark was up to, and I wanted to share this memory I’d suddenly had. How funny that neither of us had recognized the trail or the trail name at the start. I guess we’ve seen a lot in all these years of full-time travel!

Mark had gotten a beautiful starburst photo of the sun peeking around the edge of a red rock cliff.

Starburst in the red rocks-min

Morning light on the Arches hiking trail

As we continued on the trail all together, we started hunting for arches. We had heard that there are 15 arches on this trail.

We passed a mysterious stone structure that had a very rough roof made of loose logs. Buddy ran over to inspect it. “This is an arch, isn’t it?” He seemed to ask.

Stone building Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

What’s in here?? Hey, does this count as an arch?!

Not quite. The arches on this trail were supposed to be hewn by nature’s powerful forces of wind and water and not by human hands.

Mark discovered a ponderosa pine tree trunk that was marvelously twisted.

Twisted ponderosa pine tree Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

A fantastically twisted ponderosa pine tree trunk

The hike went up and up, so whether you did the loop clockwise, like we were doing, or counter-clockwise, there’s a bit of climbing involved.

Hiking up Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

Up, up, up!!

Mark and Buddy found a cave. It didn’t quite count as an arch, but it was cool.

Cave on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

This cave is almost an arch…

The trail got so steep that a set of stairs had been installed to make it a little easier to climb. How handy!

Stairs on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

A convenient stairway alleviated the scrambling.

Puppy on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

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Finally we got up to the top where the views went on forever in every direction.

View from the top of Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

Ahhh… it was worth the climb. What a pretty view at the top!

Views on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

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Red rocks and green meadows Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

We loved the contrast of the red rocks around us and the green open land beyond

We wandered off to see the views and soon found ourselves on opposite sides of the canyon.

Across the canyon on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

Hello..ello..ello..ello!!!

Across the canyon on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

I hear you-oo-oo-oo!

I wandered over to one edge where we had a good view of the Losee Canyon wash. Just at that moment a group of horseback riders appeared walking down the wash.

Forest red rocks and a wash on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

Way far down in the wash we noticed a horse trail ride underway.

Horses and riders Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

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Horses in a wash near Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

What a fun ride!

Trail rides are popular in this area, and there are rides of various kinds to all kinds of pretty places.

We continued our hike, wandering down little mini trails off the main path. It was fun to scramble up to higher heights and get pics of the vast landscape. What a place!

Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah Hike-min

Such an incredible landscape!

Suddenly, we rounded a bend and came across a row of giant chess pieces.

Pinnacles on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

A row of hoodoos appeared in front of us!

Pinnacle on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

Each hoodoo pinnacle had its own personality.

These hoodoos were standing very close together and touching each other here and there, forming interesting arches and windows in between them.

Windows on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

We checked out the hoodoo windows while Buddy checked out the chipmunk in a tree.

Pinnacle in an arch on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

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Tree in an arch on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

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Window on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

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At this point we we’d lost count of the arches we’d seen, but we just loved these funny people-like hoodoos.

Chess piece pinnacle on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

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Red rock hoodoos Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

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The trail wandered around, clinging to the red gravel hillside and luring us on into the ever-changing scenery.

Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah in the morning-min

We were loving Arches Trail

Hiking trail Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

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Buddy sprinted ahead while we took baby steps behind him, entranced by our surroundings. He zipped up and down and in and out while we progressed at a snail’s pace. Every so often he’d stop for a while and wait for us to catch up.

Running puppy on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

Buddy sprints down the trail…

Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah puppy pause-min

…and then waits for us to catch up

Finally we scrambled down from the highest heights and back to the trailhead. What a wonderful morning this had been!

Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah hiking-min

We’d seen arches of all kinds, even an arbor arch at the end!

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More info about Arches Trail and Red Canyon:

Other blog posts from Red Canyon:

More hikes and trails in red rock country:

Other arches we’ve seen in our travels:

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