At the top of Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah.
Some folks were put off by the
trail's wooden ladders.
Looking down is a bit unnerving!
The trail hugs a sheer canyon wall.
Barefoot tracks...
Dramatic cliffs and rock
formations everywhere
Full sized trees at the base of the cliffs.
Massive leaning walls are painted in vivid stripes.
Sipapu Bridge
Ladders...
…and carved stairs.
Striped cliff walls.
Kachina Bridge
Mark is dwarfed by Kachina Bridge.
Owachomo Bridge - delicate and soaring.
Owachomo Bridge.
The base of Owachomo Bridge.
"Bears Ears"
The Cheesebox.
Jacob's Chair.
Scenic Bicentennial Highway
Bridge over the Colorado.
Colorado River.
Scenic Overlook on the
Bicentennial Highway.
Ghost town Hite City lies underwater here.
The gods were messing with finger paints.
Scenic Route 24, Utah.
Capitol Reef National Park, Utah.
Capitol Reef National Park, Utah.
Natural Bridges and Utah's Bicentennial Highway
Early June, 2012 - After leaving Mesa Verde National Park we were
totally enthralled by the scenery that surrounded us on Utah's
Bicentennial Highway. This area is rich with exotic rock formations, and
three special ones are clustered at Natural Bridges National Monument.
While getting our hitch extension fabricated in Blanding we had learned
that our welder, Jack, had grown up playing among the bridge
formations before the modern park rules became so strict. "It was in
our backyard and we could camp anywhere in those days. I grew up
climbing all over those bridges."
Now it is a formal tourist attraction,
set aside and protected by the
government, with signs telling you all
the things you shouldn't do.
However, rather than having to scramble down scary drop-offs and wondering how the heck all
these formations got here, the National Park Service has built beautiful trails to the bridges and
offers all kinds of literature and books that explain everything about the geology, the wildlife, and
nature in general at their terrific visitors center.
Just like Canyon de Chelly where the canyons
are equally as stunning as the cliff dwellings, we
found the setting, the vistas and the hikes as
thrilling here as the bridges themselves. There
are only three natural rock bridges, but there is
an infinite number of spectacular views.
All together it's just four miles of hiking, but you
can skip doing your stair stepping workout on
the day you go. Each bridge hike is a nearly
vertical descent to the base of the bridge, and
then, after admiring it, you've gotta climb out. We quizzed
everyone we passed whether each hike was worth the
effort. Most said "Yes!" But one couple was put off by the
rickety looking wooden ladders. We found the ladders were
actually really fun! They're rock solid and shiny smooth
from thousands of hands and feet using them.
The trail to Sipapu bridge is
sandy and hugs a sheer canyon
wall. There are all kinds of
footprints from previous hikers,
but the ones that caught my eye
were the barefoot ones. I felt like
I was following an Indian. But it
was just someone wearing those
newfangled Vibram FiveFingers
shoes!
We scampered all over the place, soaking
up the towering cliffs and basking in the
silence. It is hard to imagine that the
immense natural force of flowing water
created these formations.
Many of the rocks are beautifully striped,
carefully painted in vibrant hues by
mother nature.
The size and scale was hard to
capture with the cameras,
especially trying to draw into the
lens that sensation of being
embraced by soaring cliffs and very
hot sun.
Mark got to the
Sipapu bridge
first, and when
he called back
to me his voice
echoed
wonderfully
between the
rocks. He let
out a few extra hoots
and whistles, enjoying
the effect. I hooted
and whistled back and
marveled at hearing
the sound perfectly
duplicated.
Climbing back out we noticed
how the Park Service has not
only installed fantastic Navajo
looking wooden ladders, but
has carefully sculpted out lots
of stairs in the rocks as well.
And we learned these bridges
were first found by Cass Hite in
1884 when he was searching for gold.
Kachina Bridge was up next, and
again we descended on a nearly
vertical path into a vibrant green
wash filled with trees and refreshingly
cool shade. The rocks here had
been painted in stripes too, and bird
songs echoed off the canyon walls as
they flitted from tree to tree.
We staggered around in the sandy wash at the base of the bridge, craning
our necks as we tried to take it all in. This bridge is thick and squat, and the
underside is decorated with scraggly petroglyphs. People have lived here
off-and-on for 9,000 years, including a few Mesa Verde cliff dwellers who
moved over here for a few generations around 1200 AD. This must have
been a great spot to while away the hottest summer hours back in the days
when air conditioning was unavailable and people entertained themselves
by pecking out images on rock walls.
The steep climbs and descents began to blend together in a
haze of sweaty huffing and puffing as we put one foot in front of
the other and hiked up and down the canyons.
The last bridge in the trio is
Owachomo Bridge. Where
Kachina Bridge had been thick
and massive, Owachomo was
thin and delicate.
Still mighty at its base, from a
distance the narrow stone
seemed almost wispy as it
soared across the expanse.
As we left Natural Bridges National
Monument we caught a glimpse of the
twin peaks the Indians called "Bears
Ears." What a perfect name!
Many rock formations, cliffs and mesas
around here often beg to be named
because their shapes are just so
familiar. The Bicentennial Highway
took us past the Cheesebox and
Jacob's Chair.
Back on the scenic Bicentennial Highway the views really got us excited as we
approached Glen Canyon and the Colorado River. I was practically jumping up
and down in my seat with excitement as the truck swept around one gorgeous
curve after another.
Mark just puttered along, patiently driving, while I whirled around from side to
side snapping hundreds of photos out the windows. I even climbed up to sit in
the truck window a few times to get pics over the roof. It is just that gorgeous!
This section of the road must have
been a huge challenge to construct,
and I kept thinking of Ferd Johnson
from the visitors center back in
Blanding who described living out in
these canyons for over two years
while building the highway and the
bridges across the river.
What a place to work!
We stopped at a scenic overlook after
crossing the river and learned that
when the river was dammed back in the
1960's, the new Lake Powell flooded
not only countless ancient Indian
settlements complete with artifacts,
petroglyphs and other priceless
treasures of humankind, but it flooded
an old mining ghost town as well. Hite
City had boomed when local miners got
"uranium on the cranium" and started
searching the area for "hot rocks." Now
the entire town lies underwater.
Back in Blanding, both our welder, Jack, and highway builder Ferd
told us they remembered this canyon vividly from the days before it
was filled with water. What an event it must have been when the
dam was completed to see the water rise against the cliffs and
transform the landscape.
Eventually the scenery along the Bicentennial Highway simmered
down to downright boring, and I settled down in my seat. From
Route 95 we turned west onto Route 24, and then the views began
to build yet again.
Swirling patterns filled
the rock landscape. It
seemed the gods had
gotten their hands
colorfully dirty, messing
around with finger
paints, and then had
smeared their prints
across the rocks.
We approached some
towering pale cliffs and
then found ourselves
deep in the heart of red
rock country.
We had arrived at Capitol Reef National Park. What a
spot! The bright green trees, burnt orange rocks and crisp
blue sky made a vivid feast for the eyes. We happily
agreed to settle in here and explore the area for a while.
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Other fabulous scenic drives in Utah:
- A Back Roads RV Trip – AZ to NV to UT – Colorado River & Spanish Trail
- The Burr Trail – A Fabulous Side Trip on Utah’s Scenic Byway 12
- Utah Scenic Byway 12 RV Trip – Driving An All American Road!
- Utah Scenic Byway 24 RV Trip – Capitol Reef National Park
Other wonderful hikes:
- Beehive Trail in Arizona – A “Mini Wave” hike by Lake Powell
- Bell Rock Pathway, Sedona AZ – Hiking & Biking the Red Rocks
- Brins Mesa Trail & Unexpected Delights in Sedona Arizona!
- Broken Arrow Trail in Sedona, AZ – What a Hike!
- Bryce Canyon National Park – Fairyland Trail – A Beautiful Hike!
- Cathedral Rock at Red Rock Crossing – Sedona AZ
- Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah – Better Than Bryce?
- Goblin Valley State Park Utah – One Gigantic Playground!
- Grand Staircase Escalante Nat’l Monument – Lower Calf Creek Falls Hike
- Hiking the “Pig Trails” in Sedona, AZ – Breathtaking! (oink oink!)
- Paria Rimrocks “Toadstools” Hike to A Hidden Canyon!
- Red Canyon – Arches Trail – Windows & Hoodoos in Utah!
- Red Canyon Utah is an Overlooked Treasure
- Sedona – Mountain biking in the red rocks!
- Sedona Arizona – Brooding Skies at Sunset in the Red Rocks
- Sedona Reflections on the West Fork Trail
- The Crack at Wet Beaver Creek (Bell Trail Hike), Sedona, AZ
- Top Sedona AZ Hikes: Little Horse to Chicken Point + Templeton Trail (Cathedral Rock)!
- Wire Pass Trail – Slot Canyon Hiking!
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Red Canyon Utah is an Overlooked Treasure
Red Canyon Tunnel
Bike path through Red Canyon
The bike path is almost 9 miles long.
Afternoon rainbow.
Early morning visitor.
View from the Red Canyon visitors center.
Hoodoos.
A peephole on Pink Ledges Trail.
Burnt orange and forest green
backed by blue sky are the
colors of Red Canyon
Pink Ledges Trail.
Storms roll in every afternoon.
Utah's red rock answer to
Easter Island.
Bryce Canyon
Rim Run.
Ken and Marcia Powers,
exceptional long distance hikers.
The road through Red Canyon.
Bird's Eye View Trail.
Tunnel Trail.
Mormon hand-cart in Panguitch.
Mark helps commemorate the Quilt Walk.
Downtown Panguitch.
Historic brick pioneer
homestead.
Perhaps the site of the
infamous jail.
Home of Ebenezer Bryce, of "Bryce's Canyon."
Storms approach Arches Trail.
Our one and only arch sighting.
Red Canyon, Utah
Late August, 2011 - We were on a roll uncovering the many gems that make up
America's finest crown jewels in Southern Utah. Leaving Cedar Breaks, we pointed
the truck down the hill towards Red Canyon. Most people on this road are headed to
the more famous Bryce Canyon National Park which lies just a little further on, and few
are aware that their path will cut right through the fabulous rock formations of Red
Canyon on their way there. It's amusing to watch the steady stream of international
tourists flying through this five mile stretch of road, because as soon as they get into
Red Canyon the car windows fly open and heads pop out as the driver swerves into
the nearest pullout. It is that beautiful.
We did that too, years ago. And just like
everyone else, each time we have been back to
Bryce we've breezed through Red Canyon
without sticking around long enough to see it up
close. All we had ever seen was the fantastic
paved bike path that weaves through the canyon
walls for almost 9 miles of spectacular riding.
Years ago we had ridden this
path when the bright blue
lupines were in bloom, but
this year we came later in the
season and the color
trimming the red rock views
was bright yellow.
There is a delightful little
campground in Red
Canyon where we had
camped in a tent long
ago. It was there, in the
rain (which comes every
afternoon in July and
August), that we decided to get a trailer. While we were shivering and running around
looking for indoor activities during the rain, we saw people kicking back in their RVs as
snug as little bugs in rugs. Within two weeks of returning to Phoenix we had purchased
our first pop-up tent trailer and pickup truck.
This time we found a spot to
camp nearby and watched
the afternoon monsoon
clouds build and swirl The
sky would go from bright blue
in the morning to almost
black in the afternoon, and then
huge raindrops would fall.
Sometimes we were blessed with
a rainbow.
One morning we woke to the
sound of cows mooing, and a small herd walked into a
corral nearby and hung out for a while, as if they were
waiting for the rancher and his truck to show up and take
them to market.
Red Canyon boasts many hiking trails, but some of
the best are short ones right outside the visitor
center.
Pink Ledges Trail took us on a winding, narrow path
partway up the canyon walls. It led us back into a
vivid red backdrop of craggy rocks decorated with
rich green trees and then wound back out again
towards some hoodoos.
As usual, a storm was gathering in the
distance, and the sky got darker and
darker. The hoodoos -- humanlike,
almost sculpted rock formations --
resembled the giant heads of Easter
Island. But these were not crafted by
human hands and they glowed a rich
burnt orange.
We had found it extremely challenging to keep up any
kind of fitness regimen on the boat last winter, and as
soon as we got back to Phoenix, Mark had started
running everyday. I was a little slower to get going,
but by the time we got to Red Canyon I had put my
running shoes on a few times.
Mark found out there was a 5 mile race at Bryce
Canyon, and before I had a chance to say, "How far?,"
there I was at the start line. Luckily, the beginning of
the course wound along the edge of Bryce Canyon,
keeping my mind happily occupied with the views. But when the route turned
away from the rim into the woods and continued uphill for over a mile all I could
think was, "Why did we start this exercise program at an altitude of 8,400 feet?"
Thrilled to have survived the race, we were
inspired to keep training. One day I ran past
a couple walking down the road with walking
sticks and serious looking backpacks. There
was nothing up the road for at least 30 miles,
so I had to stop running and find out where they had come from. It
turns out they had walked 60 miles in the past three days to launch a
two month walking adventure. They planned to hike through Bryce
Canyon into Utah's canyon country towards Page, Arizona where they
would arrive around Halloween. Taking a breather at our trailer, they
told us their names were Ken and Marcia Powers and we discovered
they are celebrated hikers who have hiked not only the entire
Appalachian Trail and Pacific
Crest Trail but were the first
people to hike the entire cross-
country American Discovery Trail in one continuous hike
(it took 8 months). They have done all this since they
retired 11 years ago. "We didn't want to just sit at home,"
Marcia said. They have logged thousands of miles of
other long distance hikes, and they chronicle their
adventures at http://www.GottaWalk.com.
We continued ticking off the short hikes around Red
Canyon, very self-conscious now that they were all just a
measly mile or so. But they were spectacular. The Bird's
Eye View hike goes up around the backside of the canyon
and the Tunnel Trail Hike follows a series of switchbacks
up a steep hill until it deposits you at a fantastic viewpoint
overlooking one of the tunnels spanning the main road.
Taking a break from the red rocks, we
ventured into the nearby town of
Panguitch. A small city park
celebrates the town's mormon pioneer
history, and a hand-cart in the park
reminded us that whole groups of
people of all ages, some pulling hand-
carts, walked across this country
years ago to settle Utah.
Those pioneers were tough folk. In 1864 the new mormon settlers in Panguitch
were starving, and seven men set out to cross the snow-covered mountains to
get supplies from Parowan some 40 miles away over a steep pass. Unable to
make progress in the deep snow, they threw out a quilt and gathered on it to
pray. Noticing the quilt supported their weight in the soft snow, they began
laying quilts out ahead and walking across them. Amazingly, they walked all the
way to Parowan and back this way, lugging heavy loads of flour with them on
the return trip. Mark decided to help out the commemorative Quit Walk statue
with his quilt.
The downtown
area of Panguitch
is listed on the National
Register of Historic Places, and
I had a walking tour map that
pointed out certain historic
homes and buildings. The jail
intrigued me, but the location
on the map didn't correlate with
any buildings.
I began asking around, and
ended up on a wild goose chase as one shopkeeper sent me
to the next and I finally ended up with a group of little old white
haired ladies "who know all the history of this town." My jail
query started quite a discussion among them, but not one was
sure where this jail was or might have been. "It's down by your
house," one woman said. "A jail by my house? No, it was at
the other end of town…" We were all laughing by the time I
left, but apparently this historic jail in this historic town had
slipped from historic memory. Making one last stop at
Cowboy's Steakhouse Cafe on my way
out of town, the bartender said
thoughtfully, "Well, this building used to
be a jail. I think what you're looking for
is right here."
An easier landmark to find was in the
town of Tropic in the opposite direction
past Bryce Canyon. Back in the
mid-1870's, Ebenezer Bryce built a road through the woods leading to
a pink cliff canyon to make timber more accessible for the settlers of
the area. The amphitheater of red rock at the end of his road became
known as "Bryce's Canyon," even though he moved to Arizona just a
few years later. His wee home is on display in Tropic. Poking our
heads inside the tiny door, I couldn't imagine what winters were like for
a real family of full-sized people living in such a dollhouse.
Ready for one last blast of red rocks, we checked out Arches Trail at
the edge of Red Canyon. This trail boasts 15 arches, although a
couple completing the hike as we arrived said they had found only
five. We charged up the path, quickly deciding that this was by far the
best hike of them all. The path twists and turns as it climbs, and each
view is more enchanting than the last. We spotted an arch and
rushed up to it just as a huge thunder-boomer rumbled and lightning
flashed in the distance.
In no time at all the sky went black. We saw a cave in the distance
and hatched a plan to go hide in the cave until the rain ended.
What a terrific adventure that would be! But we couldn't find a
path to the cave, so we ran back to the truck instead.
Unfortunately, the rain wasn't the kind that would blow over any
time soon, and we were leaving Red Canyon next day, so when
we drove away from Arches Trail we realized we were leaving
most of it for a future visit to Red Canyon. But at least we now
know it is a hike that is well worth doing!
We hustled south along I-15 making stops for the Iron County Fair in Parowan, Utah and the Interbike bicycle trade show in Las
Vegas, Nevada, and we finally landed in Williams, Arizona on famous Route 66.
Dixie National Forest Utah – Caves and Hikes
Echo Cliffs, Route 89, Arizona.
Lake Powell, Arizona
Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona.
Vermilion Cliffs
Cool cave nearby.
Scenic Utah.
Mammoth Cave entrance.
Inside required a flashlight.
Looking out of Mammoth Cave.
Bowers Cave entrance.
Mark climbs in.
Lava flow.
Dirty snow in the Ice Cave.
Navajo Lake.
Wizened old guy,
2,000 years old.
Bristlecone Pine Tree.
Bristlecone branches
resemble bottle brushes.
Bristlecone pine cone.
Views on Cascade Falls hike.
The trail follows the canyon's edge.
Stairs make it accessible
for everyone.
Don't move or it might collapse!
Trail snaking along the edge of the cliffs.
Cascade Falls.
Horses and riders greet us on our
return to the trailhead.
Dixie National Forest, Utah: Deep Caves and Spectacular Hikes
Mid-August, 2011 - We left
Monument in Flagstaff, Arizona,
aiming for southern Utah and red
rock country. We got our first
glimpse as we passed Echo Cliffs
where we jumped out of the truck
for a few minutes and ran around
taking photos.
The climate in this desert area is
dictated by altitude, and we
watched the temperature rise
from 75 degrees in Flagstaff at 7000' to 100 degrees in Page, Arizona where we had
dropped to just 3,000' elevation. So our visit to Glen Canyon Dam and sighting of Lake
Powell were limited to viewings from the truck window as we drove by in the blazing heat.
Approaching Kanab, Utah we watched
the Vermilion Cliffs begin to loom on
our right, and once past, we set up
camp and started exploring an
unusual cave near our campsite. This
cave was just a drainage culvert
under a road, but it had cool patterns
in the red and white sandstone. Little
did we know that cave exploration
would become the theme of the next
few days.
We continued up the road to spend some time in the cool pines in Dixie National Forest where the altitude is 8,500'. We had
seen a little marker on the map, "Mammoth Cave," and were curious what was there. Like Sunset Crater in Flagstaff, this is
volcano country, and eons ago lava flowed as the volcanoes erupted. When the lava began to cool, in certain places the molten
lava on the inside drained out from the cooling, hardening rock around it, creating a cave or lava tube. Mammoth Cave is one
of these lava tubes.
From the outside it just looks like a big hole in the ground, but once
you are inside the cave the tube extends about 1/4 mile.
Bats live inside, using the cave for hibernation during winter. Because
lots of folks visit the caves in the wintertime, the bats get woken up
again and again with each intrusion, depriving them of the rest and
energy conservation they rely on to survive the harsh winters. So the National Forest Service has placed a grate over the main
tube entrance with a little dog door-like opening for people to crawl through during the summer months. That way, by closing
and locking the "dog door" in the winter, they can prevent winter visitors from entering the cave and bothering the bats.
After watching a family ahead of us shake their heads and leave as
they decided they didn't need to explore the cave badly enough to
crawl through a dog door-like opening, we crawled into the yawning
darkness. Instantly I was really grateful that I travel with a man who
likes to be prepared. Mark whipped out a much needed flashlight and
then pulled a second one out of his pocket for me. For some reason
"cave exploration" and "flashlight" hadn't connected in my mind ahead
of time. I guess I was expecting lighted tunnels!
As we walked, the tube angled slightly, the bright light of the opening
disappeared, and suddenly everything was pitch dark. I mean, inky
blackness surrounded us and I couldn't see my hands in front of my
face. Mark's flashlight got a little dim and he teased me that it might
go out and then we'd be relying on my flashlight… and what if mine
went out too? I stumbled at that thought, because you could get disoriented so easily in there. I sure didn't want to look away
from the little circle of light I was casting ahead of me as I walked. It was really eerie.
Eventually we reached the end and turned back. Only afterwards, when we saw the
photos we took, did we really get a sense of what the inside of the tube looked like.
Other parts of the cave are
shorter in distance and
shorter in height too!
Leaving the cave I noticed
some really exotic patterns
on the roof. Finally we
crawled back out into
daylight.
We were in a quiet and remote
part of Dixie National Forest,
having driven down several small
dirt roads to make our way to
Mammoth Cave. As we left we started checking out what was down some of the other dirt
roads. There were boondocking spots galore, and lots of people with ATVs and
toyhaulers were set up for a few days of fun.
Suddenly we saw a tiny sign that said,
"Bowers Cave." Mark spotted the cave
opening -- a small hole in the ground. Like
Mammoth Cave, this is a lava tube that
was formed ages ago. Someone had put a
tree trunk down into the hole to make it
easier to crawl down in. A National Forest
Service sign outside the entrance said,
"Bowers cave is an undeveloped 'wild'
cave." The sign went on to explain that
caving is a risky activity for those who
aren't knowledgeable or prepared.
Mark shimmied down into the darkness while I watched from a safe distance above ground, deciding I was neither
knowledgeable nor prepared. He yelled up reports of what he saw. He said it was a good sized room but he couldn't find the
tube leading out. Apparently it travels some 950' but he returned to daylight without finding the path. That was fine by me.
In the era when the volcanoes were active, flowing lava didn't leave
just vacant tubes behind, it also left enormous piles of sharp, jagged
black rock. This stuff is razor-edged, and climbing on it is extremely
difficult. We passed a large lava flow on our way out to see our last
cave: the Ice Cave.
Like the other caves, the Ice Cave appears to be just a dark hole in the
ground on the outside, and you have to do a bit of scrambling to get in.
Here on August 19th we found there was still a large pile of dirty snow
leftover from last winter.
Granted, we had been told
that winter didn't really end
here until mid-July this year,
but still, a snow pile in August
is impressive. Something about the
orientation, elevation and thickness of the rock
above keeps this cave very cold so the snow
doesn't melt. A ranger told us that the man
who owned the land before it was acquired by
the National Forest Service had used the ice
cave to keep food cold over the summer
months, like a huge refrigerator.
After all this cave exploration we had had
enough of underground tunneling and were
ready for some above-ground activities. We
drove past the scenic Navajo Lake overlook on
our way to the trailhead for the Bristlecone
Pine Trail.
This mile-long trail wanders through some
wonderful woods on a soft dirt path, and we
breathed deeply, filling our lungs with the rich
pine scent. The Bristlecone Pine Tree is
considered to be the oldest living thing on the
planet, and we couldn't wait to see what it
looked like.
It turned out that there were quite a few of these
ancient trees on this trail, and the oldest ones
were about 2,000 years old. The bristlecone
pine grows only in Utah and Nevada on high,
barren windswept slopes. You'd think that the oldest
living thing in Nature (some trees in Nevada have
been measured at over 5,000 years old) would prefer
a fairly cushy existence, like a comfy retirement home.
But perhaps achieving that kind of extreme old age
requires a kind of gritty toughness that scoffs at any
but the most rugged lifestyles.
What makes the bristlecone pine tree able to live as
many as 60 human lifetimes is its ability to stop
growing all together when things get ugly. When the
going gets tough -- drought, wildfire, etc. -- this old
tree just stops. Maybe there is some wisdom in
that strategy.
What I liked about these guys is that they have a
fantastically wizened appearance, bent and twisted
into gnarled shapes. Most of the tree is dead
wood, the heart of the tree seemingly laid bare to
the elements, the grain of the barkless wood clearly
visible in striated colors. But a thin thread of life
snakes through the tree along a vein just under the
dead wood, and branches that resemble bottle
brushes hang in clusters from the living parts.
The Bristlecone Trail Hike had been one of two that a
forest ranger had recommended to us, and a day later we
tried his other suggestion, the Cascade Falls Hike. "It has
a nice view and a waterfall at the end." Hmmm… it might
be okay, but it didn't sound all that unusual.
When we took our first footsteps at the trailhead our
hearts leaped. What an incredible view! It turns out this
spectacular 1.6 mile roundtrip trail meanders along the
edge of a stunning red rock canyon. You are positioned
about halfway up the cliffs, wandering along the contours
of the red rocks on a perfectly groomed gravel trail.
Our cameras clicked along at full speed. Every
view in every direction was gorgeous. A little
brother and sister, about 3 or 4 years old, walked
along with me for a while. They couldn't wait to
get to the waterfall, but all along the way they
were saying "Wow, look at this! Look at that!"
I felt the same way. The
whole trail was a feast for
the eyes.
Forest rangers have
installed really solid stairs in
certain places, so people
young and old can enjoy this
rare hike. From the little kid
on dad's shoulders to the
oldest grandma with a
hesitant step, everyone on
the trail wore a grin from ear
to ear.
Utah's canyon country is full of surprises like this. This area would no doubt
be a national park if it were located in any other state. But Utah is so
overloaded with national parks that a little gem like this is just that, a special
gem to be enjoyed by the public without the fees, hype, extensive literature,
crowds, "do's and don'ts" lists and the roaming rangers that are so often a
part of the national park experience.
It was a Saturday afternoon, so Dixie
National Forest was teeming with Las
Vegans escaping the heat for a few
days. But the trail, although busy and
loved, was not overcrowded.
We turned a corner and suddenly the
sound of rushing water filled our ears. It was crashing down
the rocks through the lush greenery far below us. A few
more twists and turns along the canyon walls and suddenly
there it was, Cascade Falls, in front of us.
The little boy I had seen earlier was
standing on the viewing platform
staring at the falls. "Look at that!" he
said to me.
"Wow, that's awesome!" was the only
response I could come up with.
We hiked back out vowing not to take any more
pictures. But the cameras wouldn't quit. Even at
the parking lot at the trailhead the cameras kept
going as two horses and riders showed up at the
edge of the woods.
We had come to this neck of the woods to see
Cedar Breaks National Monument, but we'd
already spent a week in the neighborhood without getting there yet!
Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah – Better Than Bryce?
Sweeping views at Cedar Breaks.
Fluffy clouds drifted above us.
Happy campers.
Red rock hoodoos with arches.
The trail winds through lush
greenery.
Columbines.
Indian paintbrush.
A chipmunk nibbles bluebells.
"Place where the rocks are sliding
down all the time."
Spectra Point.
1,600 year old bristlecone pine tree.
Gnarled old fellas.
A young fawn looks up as we pass.
Chessmen Overlook.
North View Lookout.
Cedar Breaks is known for
wildflowers.
Redrocks through the trees.
Millions of years old, the canyon weathers all.
Thick green carpet on the Alpine Pond
Loop Trail.
Alpine Pond.
Nature's graffiti.
The Upper Loop wanders through a meadow.
Colorful wildflowers.
Wild strawberry.
Last glimpse of the red rocks.
Reflections on the Alpine Pond Trail.
Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah
Mid-August, 2011 - Visiting Cedar Breaks National
Monument was the main reason we came to Dixie National
Forest but, sidetracked by caves and canyons, it took us a
while to get there. Vastly overshadowed by nearby Zion,
Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon National Parks, a lot of
folks are like us and only hear about it from a ranger or
other traveler once they get to this area. Years ago we had
stopped by for an hour on a quickie drive-by. This time we
wanted to hike the two hikes and see the canyon up close.
Perched nearly in the clouds at 10,350' elevation, the wildflower-lined
winding road seemed to climb forever before we got to the park.
Intrigued by the sign for the Spectra Point overlook in the parking lot,
we went straight up that path when we arrived, not knowing we were
venturing out on a 2-mile round-trip hike.
WIthin minutes we were staring at a wonderland of red rock spires
and hoodoos. The puffy clouds floated by above us, casting
shadows across the red rock "amphitheater." Red, pink, white and
orange rocks in crazy shapes filled the view in all directions, and
bristly pine trees speckled the distant cliffs
The trail wanders along the rim of
the canyon, weaving in and out of
lush greenery. There are no railings
or gates to obstruct the view, and
we felt as though we were
suspended above an orange
fairytale town.
Wildflowers bloomed alongside the
trail: white columbines and red
indian paintbrush flowers begged to
be photographed.
A little chipmunk
sat contentedly in
a thicket of
bluebells and ate
them for lunch.
We made very little forward progress as we kept stopping to take in the views,
admire the colorful wildflowers and chat with other people on the trail.
Many people were at the canyon that day somewhat by
accident, as it hadn't been on their original itinerary. One
fellow had had car trouble while visiting Zion and Bryce and
had asked the mechanic how to keep his family entertained
while waiting for the several-day repairs to be completed.
"Go to Cedar Breaks!" He was so happy to have discovered
this park; his kids were running ahead of him down the path,
excited to get to the overlook.
A 1,600 year old
bristlecone pine
tree stands near the
end of Spectra
Point, thriving in a barren, windwhipped and
hopelessly exposed spot. The wood is striated
beautiful shades of orange and brown, and a few
scraggly branches prove to the world that the
seemingly lifeless giant is truly alive and well.
The sun felt warm on our skin as we walked,
but the brisk wind that swept across the
canyon was a sharp reminder of just how
cold this area can be. A ranger told us that
the park usually gets 15' of snow each winter,
but last winter was buried 30 feet deep.
On our way back we noticed a doe eating the flowers, and then
behind her we saw her fawn.
As we drove out of the park we stopped at Chessmen overlook
and the North View Lookout. Stunning. Amazing. It's impossible to find words to
describe the vastness, the vivid color, the exotic contours and shapes of this beautiful
land.
Earlier residents of this area were the Paiute Indians, and they named the canyon, "Place
where the rocks are sliding down all the time." After that the Spanish explorers
misidentified the juniper trees as cedars (much as they did on Isla Cedros off of Mexico's
Baja Pacific coast). The word "breaks" refers to the steep, eroded landscape.
Cedar Breaks is known as much for its glorious wildflower
displays as it is for its majestic red rock amphitheater.
We returned on another day to hike
the Alpine Pond Loop Trail, and
found ourselves snapping shots of
the many brilliant wildflowers before
we even got to the trailhead.
Lupines and daisies and a myriad of
other flowers lay thickly on the green
brush surrounding the trail. The hum
of bees and mosquitos was very loud
too, and the lush land seemed to be
teeming with life.
Oddly, the forest of tall pine trees shading the
wildflowers is largely dead. In past years the
energetic National Forest Service extinguished all
wildfires within hours of them starting. The result was
an unhealthy forest dominated by one species of tree.
Those trees provided the most awesome feast for the
bark beetles that like to eat them, and in the past
decade the beetles have munched their way through
the woods, transforming the living pine
canopy into a pin-cushion of dead trunks and
branches.
Between the dead branches you can glimpse
the red rock canyon, however. The spires,
nooks and crannies of that spectacular
landscape are utterly impervious to the
comings and goings of trees upon the
surface.
Eventually we arrived at the alpine
pond. It wasn't the crystal clear kind
of lake we have seen at Yosemite
and other places, but it had its
charm.
Some of the dead tree
trunks had been carved
by Nature's graffiti
artists -- little worms
made all kinds of
patterns in the wood.
We had started on
the Lower Trail
which is lush and
green and closed-
in feeling. We
returned on the
Upper Trail which
takes the hiker out
across a wide
meadow filled with
flowers. The peak of the wildflower
season in Cedar Breaks is the final weeks
of July and perhaps the first week of
August. We were a little behind the peak,
so the blanket wasn't quite as thick with
color. But it was plenty
beautiful enough for me.
Mark has a green thumb
and cultivated strawberries
at one time, so he instantly
recognized the shape of
wild strawberry leaves
among the other greens.
"Strawberries!" He cried,
and then he spotted a beautiful tiny red ripe one, about a half inch
across. We left it for whatever bird or bunny might come that way.
The trail gave us one final glimpse of the red
rocks of Cedar Breaks and then we were
back at the truck.
Mark's parting shot was the reflection he saw
in my sunglasses. He came up to me really
close and said, "Oh, that looks really cool!" I
thought he was sweeping in for a kiss, but
suddenly he stopped, put his camera up and
snapped a picture. I made a face at him,
and then, being a romantic, he swooped in
for a real kiss.
Looking for more red rock adventure and a slightly lower altitude, we wandered 30 miles or so north along the incomparably
scenic Route 89 to the Red Canyon area.
Kanab & Alton, UT – Whoa!!!
Kanab and Alton, Utah
July 15-19 (and again August 21-26, 2008) - We left the cool pine
woods of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, and
descended into the flat, hot desert floor of Utah to the north. Kanab,
Utah, is the only town of any size (pop. 3,800) between several
national parks: Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon and Grand
Staircase Escalante.
It is a charming community tucked up against a row of red
rock mountains. At this time of year the town is loaded with
rental RVs and foreignors. Groups of Europeans were
caravaning in their rental RVs, hanging the flags of their
homelands off their radio antennas and in the back windows.
Our weeks in the woods at
the North Rim had emptied
our shelves completely, so
we stayed for a few days to
replenish everything. We
were fortunate that the
monsoons were still very
active. Even though Kanab is
at 4,900 feet elevation, it was
blazing hot in the sunshine.
The cloud cover and
downpours in the
afternoons kept us
from sweltering.
Kanab's city park
features beautiful
gardens and a brand
new huge swimming
pool and water slide
that was packed to the
gills with happy kids all
day. While we strolled among the flowers, the park's longtime caretaker
described the boisterous family fun of the Mormon Pioneer Days that are
celebrated with an enormous city-wide barbecue in the park's barbecue pit.
Hundred of kids and families spread out on the grass on the July 24th
weekend to celebrate the unique heritage of the Mormons who settled
Utah with great purpose in the mid-1800's.
Behind the park, Squaw
Trail climbs up a canyon
to heights way above the
city, passing steep red
rock walls along the way.
We clambered up the trail,
shouting "hello" at the
tops of our lungs as the
trail took us ever deeper
into the canyon. I have
never heard such a
perfect echo with such a long time delay. As we
shouted, it was as though the canyon walls were
shouting back at us, each word enunciated with
absolute clarity.
The bird's eye view of Kanab from the top of the
cliffs was worth the sweat we lost getting there. We
had often hiked similar trails around Phoenix in the
olden days, but this trail was unique because it was
utterly quiet. We didn't pass one other person on
the entire trail. From the top of the mountain we
could hear the town's internal workings below: a
tractor in a distant field, a motorcycle rumbling down
the main street, kids playing ball in a back yard.
The air around us was perfectly still, and these quiet
murmurs from the town's streets drifted slowly up to
us on sun-drenched air currents.
The rocks were every
shade of orange and
red. Some faces were
rainbow streaked, with
stripes formed over the
ages, offering a full
array of orange-hued
swirls and bands. As
we climbed back down,
we found furnace-hot
rock faces were now
baking the spots where
there had been cool
shade during our ascent. The beauty filled our senses, but this red rock
desert environment is unforgivingly harsh in the sun.
The road leading north
out of Kanab is
stunning, without being
showy. Crowded in
among tourists and
locals hurrying along
this busy stretch of
road, I caught myself
gaping at the exotic
cliffs that lined its
edges.
Over eons, the darker hues of
some red rocks have dripped
lazily down the lighter colored
cliffs, leaving dribbled stains on
the rock face like an old paint can.
August 21, 2008 - We saw a small
road on the map leading away
from the highway to a dot marked
"Alton." Accepting this open
invitation into the hinterlands, we
hoped no cars would want to
share the one-lane road with our
behemoth truck and trailer as we
approached the town. We arrived
unscathed, but found ourselves
hopping out of the truck each time
the power lines crossed the road,
worried that the buggy would snag its
roof on the low-hanging wires.
Tucked away, far from anything, amid
farmlands that stretch as far as the
eye can see, this picturesque tiny
town charmed us with its "Whoa" stop
signs and warm welcome from
people working in their yards.
We asked a man in a cowboy hat
where we might find a place to park
for the night, and he suggested the town hall parking lot. "Really?" we asked. "I'm the mayor,
and it's okay with me!" Another fellow, Paul, set his shovel aside for over an hour to chat with us
about the town and its history. He told us the mayor, Claren Heaton, was the great-grandson of
the town's founder, and that the name of the town was drawn from a hat, back in 1908, by two-
year-old Gwen Heaton, as the citizens of the new town looked on.
He said it is not unusual to see a horse
strolling down the street, and that no one
minds. With just 134 people in town,
there's no such thing as a strange face,
human or equine. 100% of the citizens
are Mormon, he said, adding, "probably
80% are related to each other too."
As we talked, Paul's fifth cousin three
times removed, Victor, pulled up. He
parked his truck in the middle of the
road to join our conversation. We
were on the main drag, and Mark and
I looked up nervously when a truck
approached in the distance. Paul and
Victor laughed and assured us there was no need to move: the truck would go around us.
We watched in amazement as the man in the truck, marked "Sheriff," waved "hello" to our
little group, and then drove off the road into the dirt to get past.
We rode our bikes throughout
the town, utterly delighted with
the prettiness and happiness of
this little community. We eagerly
jumped off the bikes every few
minutes to snap pictures.
Without being backward or old
fashioned, this miniscule hamlet
seemed untouched by the rest
of the world, living in peace, and
removed from time.
So we had to laugh when we discovered we had a wi-fi signal in the trailer.
But the joke was on us. Mark popped off an email to his cousin, describing this wonderful town we'd discovered. Almost instantly,
he received a reply, complete with a link to the Alton, Utah, website showing the long line of Claren Heatons' ancestors that had
been mayors of the town before him. Mark's cousin also included a link to Alton's satellite photo on Google Earth, detailed enough
to see the shed next to where we were parked.
At peace, yes. Removed from time, perhaps. Out of touch, hardly!
We spent the summer of 2008 bebopping around southern Utah. Two of our most heartwarming experiences were the
discoveries of two unusual Utah animal sanctuaries: Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, a no-kill domestic animal sanctuary in
stunning Angel Canyon and the Southwest Wildlife Foundation which rehabilitates and reintroduces native fauna.
Parowan UT – Vermillion Castle and County Fair
We learned the "Vermillion Castles"
are not man-made
Yankee Meadows Reservoir in Parowan Canyon
A split rail fence lines the reservoir
One couple we met ate fresh-caught trout every night
Our epic ride up 2nd Left Hand Rd was challenging
Finally, we made it to the top
The Iron County Fair had something for everyone
Lots of thrills for young and old
Mark discovered the Rodeo Royalty
Nearby, the youngest crowd got to test the
driver's seat for the first time
The older "kids" showed off the muscle cars of their youth
Parowan, Utah: A Vermillion Castle and County Fair
August 26 - September 5, 2008 - After
visiting Kanab and Alton, UT, on the
eastern side of the mountains, we made the
heart-stopping climb and descent into Cedar
City and went on up the interstate to
Parowan. We had heard there was great
boondocking somewhere in Parowan
Canyon but I couldn't figure out quite where
it was on the map. We stopped in the
Visitors Center to get some help, and
discovered the town was hosting the fun-
filled Iron County Fair over Labor Day
weekend in just a few days. Whie I was busy studying the maps and local photos of the
canyon to get my bearings, I barely noticed Mark saying, "Hey, there's a 5K race on Labor
Day. Wanna do it?!" I must have muttered something that sounded like agreement,
because the next thing I knew Mark had filled out the race forms and was reaching in his
wallet for the entry fee.
Part of my confusion about the
Parowan Canyon roads was that I
thought the "Vermillion Castle"
landmark would be a building -- a real castle! Instead, it was a series of
red rock spires. Also, we soon learned that although everyone in the
area knew exactly where Second Left Hand Road was located, there
was no road sign to help visitors find its tree limb-shrouded entrance.
We camped at
the top of the
canyon in a
scenic meadow
surrounded by
mountains.
One day we got the crazy idea to ride our bikes down 3,000 feet
into Parowan on paved First Left Hand Road and then climb back
up on the gravel 4x4 Second Left Hand Road. The mere 16 miles
took us well over two hours, and we were pooped when we got to
the top. I kept looking at my bike's odometer and telling myself, "3
mph is a very respectable speed!" The views of Yankee Meadows
Reservoir at the top were well worth the effort, and we heard from
several sources that the fishing in the reservoir was excellent.
The Iron County Fair was a classic small town fair, and we wished we
had our little granddaughters with us. As the mayor said to us days later
when we met him walking down Main Street, "It is a little piece of
Americana." Attendance was much higher than in past years, perhaps
because people were staying home to save gas money. The rides were
packed, the kettle corn was delicious, and there were events and prizes
for everything imagineable.
There was live
music and a vast display of beautifully crafted artworks, from crocheted
booties, to finely made quilts, to an elegant wedding dress, to Lego pirate
ships built by the kids, to pies, jams and cookies of all types, to
photographs of everything under the sun. Blue ribbons abounded, and
they were all well deserved.
As we wandered the
fairgrounds, we met all
kinds of characters.
We are learning to be a
little more brazen in
taking photographs of
the fun people we
meet, and Mark
captured the fair's clowns, both two-
legged and four-legged, while I captured
Mark basking in the glow of the Rodeo
princesses, queens and attendants.
The horseshoe championships were hotly contested, with
professionals stepping up to expert throws, and the area was filled
with smiling people of all ages. The tractor display showed farm
equipment of all types from an earlier age. Mark spotted one built
when he was born in 1954 while another fellow noted one
built in his birth year, 1939. We had lunch with the tractor
drivers, learning a little about that hobby while we munched
pizza, and we got to know Red, Basil and Alden, each of
whom we had either seen around town in previous days or
spent time with in the weeks following the fair.
There was a long train for
the toddlers that snaked
endlessly around the
fairgrounds. The kids
alternated between
grinning with delight and
frowning in concentration
as they turned their
steering wheels around
each corner. There were
cries everywhere of
"Mommy, can I ride in that?" Meanwhile, the dads were busy admiring the muscle
cars on display, hoods up, chrome polished, each restored with loving care.
The fair went on for
three days, and we
returned on Labor
Day itself to watch
the parade down
Main Street. There
were floats, dance
teams, horses, fire
engines, the Rodeo
Royalty on
horseback, local
politicians and candy and toothbrushes
thrown into the crowd. Parowan is the heart of Mormon Pioneer history, as it was the first
community settled, even before Salt Lake, and several floats made proud reference to
that heritage.
We left the fair contented and smiling. It had been a perfect day and weekend, the best
Labor Day that either of us could remember. And -- oh yes -- we each placed 2nd in our
age group in the running race, and paid the price with sore joints for a few days
afterwards!
We recovered from our race in Cedar City where we watched the Great American
Stampede Horse Parade (some pics and notes on our "What's It Like?" page), and then
we made our way on to Pioche, Nevada, which felt to us like the true heart of the Wild
Wild West.
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary & Southwest Wildlife Foundation in Utah
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
Reception Building
Avian greeters
Joey, Hyacinth Macaw
South America
Honey, Major Mitchell Cocaktoo
Australia
Seppi, Mollucan Cockatoo
native to Indonesia
Writes a column in the monthly magazine
Quetzl, Congo African Grey
Age 54 - the same as Mark!
Tika, Umbrella Cockatoo, native to Indonesia
"Angel Canyon"
The sanctuary sits on 5 stunning square miles
Rescued horses live in Horse Haven
Angel's Rest Cemetery
Cemetery plots for all the animals. No animals are
killed; most are fostered out to new homes; a lucky
few live out their days at the sanctuary.
The cat house
Siesta time
Bunny companionship
All the bunnies, dogs and cats
have indoor/outdoor living
quarters, and they come and go
at will.
Nothing like some soft green grass for your
campsite.
Martin Tyner & Thumper, a Harris Hawk
22 years old, reaches speeds of 100 mph
Igor, a Prairie Falcon
Dives for prey at 200 mph
Scout, a Golden Eagle
Can spot a yummy rabbit from 5 miles away.
Golden Eagle: 7 lbs and 7,000 feathers
Can reach altitudes of 35,000 feet
and hurtle towards earth at 145 mph
Each raptor got many hugs during the seminar.
A different golden eagle was released later that day
from an overlook in Cedar City, UT.
Utah Sanctuaries: Best Friends & Southwest Wildlife Foundation
July 15-19, 2008 - Kanab, Utah sits squarely between three of
the greatest national parks in the US, and we stopped there,
along with everyone else, for supplies, water and haircuts. We
didn't intend to stay, but as we were leaving town we saw a cute
sign that said "Best Friends Animal Sanctuary" with an arrow
pointing down a winding road that seemed to go deep into a
canyon. We couldn't resist the temptation and took that turn.
Four days later we finally emerged!!
Best Friends is a unique,
extraordinarily well-funded and
beautiful no-kill animal shelter.
It sits on 5 square miles of
exotic red rock canyon and
houses 2,000 animals. Their
mission is to find homes for all
the animals that are adoptable, while the rest are allowed to live out their days in the loving care
of an enormous staff. The grounds and landscaping alone are worth seeing, but it was the
many tours of the various animal areas that kept us in that canyon so long.
I am a bird lover, and the parrot garden is a treat. On
summer days, all the parrots are kept in outdoor enclosures under a canopy of huge shade
trees near a pretty waterfall feature. Visitors are invited to interact with the parrots, and we
spent many happy hours entertaining and being entertained by these squawking, talking,
feathered comedians. The parrots' nighttime quarters
are indoors, so twice a day during the summer months
the bird caretakers do the Parrot Parade, carrying each
bird between its indoor enclosure and its outdoor
enclosure. On the hottest summer afternoons the
caretakers walk around misting the birds with water
sprayers to help them stay cool. What a life!
An important
theme at the
sanctuary is
positive
interactions
between the
animals and
people. All the tours are free, and you can
volunteer to stick around and work with your
favorite animals for as little as a few hours or
for as long as you want to stay. There are
cabins and a tiny RV park in the canyon to
accommodate volunteers, and many return
for a week or two every year.
Seppi, a Mollucan cockatoo, likes to walk
along the underside of the
roof of his cage, hanging
upside down and talking to
you. Quetzl, a quiet
African Grey, was hatched
in 1954 but doesn't look a
day over five. Tika, an
Umbrella cockatoo, was
summering at the sanctuary
while his owner took care of
some personal challenges.
He was accustomed to a lot
of attention, so he was happy
to climb into my arms and get
some free cuddles for a while.
The canyon, officially "Kanab Canyon" but affectionately called "Angel Canyon," is a
dramatic gorge lined with towering red rock cliffs. Most sanctuary tours require a
shuttlebus ride of a few miles from the reception building out into the rest of the
property: Dogtown Heights, the Cat House, Feathered Friends and the Bunny House.
The drive along the cliff's edges is stunning, and we passed some
of the sanctuary horses who live a charmed life, grazing in peace
while gazing at multi-million dollar views.
Angel's Rest cemetery is along this road as well. Every animal that dies at the
shelter is buried here with a headstone. There are tiny plots for the little birds and
big plots for the large farm animals. Even horses, goats and cows are adopted out
to new homes, whenever possible, and the video shown hourly at the reception
building included snapshots of many happy people who had become loving owners
of goats, sheep and other farm animals.
Most of the animal
buildings are built with
wings that provide an
indoor shelter with a
doorway the animals can
pass through to reach an
outdoor shelter. At the
cat house, the outdoor areas include ladders, pillowed perches, and a
lattice-work of planks and shelving near the ceiling. Litter boxes, food
and water dishes are discreetly placed in these out-of-reach alcoves.
Looking up, all we could see was the
odd paw or tail hanging down from
the lofty hideaways. It was siesta
time, and all the cats were happily
dozing.
The bunnies have indoor/outdoor
housing as well, and since bunnies
like to cuddle, many had a stuffed
bunny to snuggle up to. Outside, one bunny
was working very hard digging a hole, while a
few others were taking a load off under little
tent-like canopies that offered cool shade in a
lush bed of soft green grass.
Dogtown was a busy barking array of buildings. Most of the
dogs from Michael Vicks' dog-fighting operation had just been
rescued, and many dogs from Katrina were still in transition
here. We heard amazing stories of animal rescues. One lady
had 200 guinea pigs living in her 10' x 10' kitchen, and another
wacko had 1,600 rabbits in her back yard. 1,000 cats were
taken from a crazy lady's home in Pahrump, Nevada, and as I
heard the tale from a caretaker I remembered reading about it in
the Pahrump newspaper when we visited eight months earlier.
All those cats, rabbits and guinea pigs had passed through Best
Friends to new owners or were still at the sanctuary hoping for
new homes.
Before an animal is adopted out, it must go on an overnight stay to ensure that it is a well-behaved
propsective pet. Visitors can volunteer for these overnight stays, without obligation, at Parry Lodge in
Kanab. If the animal flunks the test, it simply gets a little more loving at the sanctuary, as the caretakers
work to improve its manners.
August 30, 2008 - In Parowan, Utah, at the Iron
County State Fair, we attended a fantastic
demonstration and talk by Martin Tyner, founder
of Southwest Wildlife Foundation. His
sanctuary focuses on rehabilitating native
creatures and returning them to the wild. It was
my understanding that Rocky Mountain Power
Company has recently donated a huge, multi-million dollar parcel of land
to this sanctuary. Eventually, once money is raised for land
improvements and building construction, this foundation could become
for native wildlife what Best Friends already is for more domesticated
animals.
He had three raptors with him: a Harris Hawk, a Prairie Falcon and a
Golden Eagle. He is a Master Falconer, and although he uses each of these
particular birds for education purposes, he takes them all out hunting on a
regular basis to keep their natural instincts sharp. His job is to flush out rabbits
and other prey from the desert brush so the raptors can catch their meals. They
fly free, and they fly high, happy to have a trained human to take the guesswork
out of finding dinner.
He told us of the highly aggressive nature of the Prairie Falcon, a slim bird that
screamed periodically throughout his talk. A few years back he had rescued and
rehabilitated a particularly aggressive female that had deserved her nickname
"Horrible." He released her into the desert near Cedar City, and she became a
great mom and has raised several clutches of young since then. But she's oh-
so-smart. She recognizes his truck from their many hunting outings together
when she was in his care. Now, when he brings other raptors into the desert to
hunt, she goes out of her way to tease and harrass him. One time, as he stood
with his arm outstretched waiting for his raptor to return to him, she dived
at him from the other direction, knocking him to the ground six feet away!
At the moment of impact, he suddenly understood exactly the kind of
blood-draining terror that rabbits feel when a Prairie Falcon singles them
out for a lunch date.
He invited everyone at the talk to come out to the highest ridge in Cedar
City later that afternoon to witness his release of a Golden Eagle back
into the wild. We didn't attend, but he said that whenever he releases a
bird he welcomes spectators, so hopefully we will watch a release
another time. He told us that the local Paiute Indians have a special
relationship with Golden Eagles. They believe that if you say a prayer
over an eagle feather, the prayer will
be carried directly to God. The Golden
Eagle being released that afternoon
was going to carry prayers for more
than 4,000 local cancer victims, the "down winders" in southern Utah who contracted cancer as a
direct result of the Cold War era nuclear testing carried out next door in Nevada.
Unrelated to these two wonderful animal sanctuaries in Utah, I recently discovered that Bird
Lovers Only Rescue in Dyer, Indiana has a very funny movie clip of a lesser sulphur crested
cockatoo dancing to the beat of the Backstreet Boys here. It puts a smile on my face every time I
watch it.
We spent the summer of 2008 bee-bopping around souther Utah, and one of the most eye-
popping stops was at the majestic Bryce Canyon National Park.
Bryce Canyon, UT – Fairyland of Pink Turrets
Inspiration Point overlooking Bryce Ampitheater
Bryce Canyon Point
Smiles everywhere
Natural symmetry
The regularity and precision of
these formations can be dizzying.
Trees cling to the rim
Bryce Ampitheater
Beginning of Queen's Garden hike
The spires give way to a smooth, orange and red
moonscape
Trees from another planet
End of the trail -- at Queen's
Garden
Nature's Wall Street
The top of the Wall Street switch backs
Bryce Lodge has many cute cabins for guests
The Peek-a-boo hike defies nature's laws and seems
to ascend for the entire loop.
Serenity
Spires and spikey trees surrounded
us
Peek-a-boo
At times it seemed as though we were wandering
among towering chess pieces.
A promontory hangs into the canyon for an awe
inspiring view. A good place to take a breather!
Little tunnels and hobbit doorways invite the hiker to
vast views on the other side.
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
July 20-August 20, 2008 - We had
arrived in the lower elevations of
Kanab, UT and visited Best
during a peak week of monsoon
activity. Monsoons are a
southwest phenomenon that give
the desert's much needed
moisture and relief from the heat
in mid-summer. I had learned
about them living in Arizona, but
had never known that they could
spread their salve as far north as
southern Utah and even over into
southern Colorado. It is magic to
watch the sky cloud over promptly
at noon every day, and there is a
lusciousness to being drenched
by brief downpours every
afternoon. These storms leave
the air crisp and clear, and they
keep the ferocious heat to a minimum. Once the monsoons abated, we
found ourselves in an oven, baking by noon, and burnt to a crisp by
evening. Full of energy at the break of day, we were lethargic sloths by
nightfall. It was time to get back to the higher elevations. We left Kanab
for Ruby's Inn, a settlement just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park at
7,500 feet.
Bryce Canyon
is a wonderland of pink and white
spires, laid out with amazing
symmetry. The open bowl of
crystalline formations carved from
the surrounding flat plains
resembles an ampitheater. The
man who first ranched the area
around Rubys Inn in the 1800's
had no idea the canyon was just
beyond his land. Imagine the
look on his face when, at the
suggestion of a knowledgeable
neighbor, he took his family on an
excursion to the rim! It is a place that evokes smiles
in everyone, and as we rode the shuttle bus to the
view points and walked the many trails that lead
along the edge and down into the canyon, I was
struck by how happy everyone was. Children love
this place.
We walked along the Rim, from
Bryce Point to Inspiration Point,
and watched a fantastic summer
thunderstorm creep over the
valley until we had to run for
cover ourselves. This land was
carved by a divine hand using the
tools of wind and rain to erode the
rock into fantastic formations. I
was awed by the regularity of the
carvings. Rows upon rows of
spires stand in perfect military
formation.
At the top the
trees cling to the rim for dear life,
their roots clawing at the
crumbling gravel as their
branches wave ominously in the
breeze, threatening to rip the
trees from the edge. At the
bottom the trees pierce the air
above them, the dark green
spikes contrasting with the
orange and white striped spears
of rock.
We hiked down into the canyon to
the Queen's Garden. As you descend on this hike,
the land becomes otherworldly. Between the spires,
the land forms smooth, rounded slopes and the
trees are short and twisted. The noise of the
tourists at the rim fades away behind you and the
solitude and odd surroundings seem like a
moonscape. The emotional
anchor of the ordinary looking
grassy fields and ranches that
surround Bryce Canyon
disappear from view, and you
find yourself on the moon, or
mars, looking up at the red rock
spires, repeating the mantra:
"Wow!"
The gravel path winds in and out
of the spires, abandoning one
spectacular sight as it takes a
sharp turn around a bend
towards another. We walked
through several doorways and
tunnels, emerging from each to
find ourselves staring at yet
another splendid work of art by
Nature. People linger on these
trails. Llittle groups and pairs line
themselves up for photos, posing
all over this spectacular setting.
Cameras are handed around
trustingly between strangers in
order to get everyone in each
group into the pictures. "I'll take
one for you if you'll take one for
me," is the phrase of the day,
sometimes said in broken English,
and often accompanied with gestures and sign language. Cameras are all
shapes and sizes. "Just press the button." Lots of nodding and pointing.
Everyone is grinning. None of us can wait to show these pictures to our
friends back home. All the photos turn out great.
At the very bottom we came to a plaque that showed us
Queen Victoria. This was the Queen's Garden. She is
at the tippy top of a spire. She looks very regal, and
very wee. In time she will erode away and be replaced
by other shapes. Looking around at the other hoodoo
rock formations, we made out a medieval friar and a
great horned owl to accompany the queen.
We had descended about a thousand feet and had to
climb back up again to the rim. We chose the route that
goes through Wall Street, where the red rock walls
close around you like skyscrapers but much closer. A
switchback trail takes you up until you look way down
on the tiny pine trees at the base. Then you climb
higher til the people seem mere specks. Your heart
pounds from the exertion of climbing
straight up, and when you reach the
top the view takes your breath away
yet again.
We wandered along the rim and met
a little girl holding a camera that was
as big as she was. What a smile she
had as that camera clicked away.
The Bryce Canyon Lodge is the
oldest original National Park lodge still
standing; the others at Yellowstone,
Grand Canyon and the rest all
succombed to fire at one time or
another and were rebuilt. Bryce isn't immune to
wildfires, however, and there were many "prescribed
burns" in action while we were there as the Park Service
attempted to keep the woods thinned so they wouldn't
be prone to future fires.
We spent a few days riding our bikes and hiking in the
areas away from Bryce Canyon and then returned to do
the Peek-a-boo hike. We were both surprised at how
the grins came back to our faces and the "wow" formed
on our lips again as soon as we walked up to the rim.
What a place.
We had no idea why the Peek-a-boo hike has its name,
and we descended into the canyon away from the
crowds wondering what laid
ahead.
Once again, as we walked down
into the canyon, we felt an
almost physical sensation cloak
our bodies as the immense quiet and peace of this place enveloped us.
Suddenly, we looked up at a wall of spires and saw one hole, and then
another. "So that's why it's called Peek-a-boo!" Mark said, mugging for
the camera. We walked with our heads up and our eyes on the peaks,
tripping occasionally. But you can't look down on this hike, even as you
stumble.
The trail
twisted and turned and double-backed on itself between formations. I
felt like a rat in a maze, or a child stomping around on an enormous
chessboard.
We did a lot of climbing on this hike, more than seemed physically
possible for a loop hike. Mark walked faster than I did (he didn't
bring his camera and mine kept slowing me down!), and I turned a
corner and looked up to see him happily surveying the view from
an ideal vantage point. Once I caught up to him we sat together
for a moment.
When we turned to continue on, we were facing a little doorway. As we passed through the door
to the glittering view on the other side, I felt like Dorothy as she steps out of her Kansas house
into the colorful Land of OZ.
After a few weeks at our "ranch
house" outside of Bryce Canyon,
among the cattle, ponderosa pines
and pronghorn, overlooking grazing
lands that stretched to the horizon,
we felt like it was home. Our TV got
great NBC reception, so we stayed to
watch most of the Beijing Olympics. It
was very hard to tear ourselves away,
but eventually the day came, and
once we hit the road, the excitement
of discovering new places propelled us forward and made us eager to
leave. We bumped into the sweet village of Alton and gradually made
our way over the mountains to Parowan and Cedar City.
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More info about Bryce Canyon National Park:
- Bryce Canyon National Park Official Website – National Park Service Website
- Maps of Bryce Canyon National Park – National Park Service Maps
- Location of Bryce Canyon National Park – Google Maps
- RV/Tent Campgrounds in Bryce Canyon – Dry camping for small / medium RVs inside the National Park
- Ruby’s Inn RV Park – Full hookups and Big Rig Friendly in nearby Bryce Canyon City
- Red Canyon Campground – Beautiful dry camping with 6-8 campsites big enough for our 36′ fifth wheel trailer.
More blog posts from our RV trips to Bryce Canyon
- Bryce Canyon in Winter – Snow and Lace on the Red Rock Spires! 01/25/19
- Spring in Sarasota FL + Bryce Canyon’s Night Skies – in Trailer Life 04/04/17
- Bryce Canyon – Rainbow Point – Bristlecone Pines and Sweeping Vistas 11/01/16
- Bryce Canyon National Park – “Mossy Cave” – Mystery Waterfall! 10/18/16
- Red Canyon Utah and the Bryce Canyon Bike Trail! 10/13/16
- Bryce Canyon Gone Wild – Tempests, Rainbows & Wildlife 10/09/16
- Bryce Canyon National Park – Fairyland Trail – A Beautiful Hike! 10/02/16
- Bryce Canyon – Hiking The Rim & Navajo Loop + A Tourist Time-lapse! 09/29/16
- Bryce Canyon National Park – Inspiration Point – OMG! 09/27/16
- Bryce Canyon, UT – Fairyland of Pink Turrets 08/25/08
Related posts from our RV travels:
- Our RV travels in Southwestern Utah – Bryce, Zion and Capitol Reef area
- Our RV travels in Southeastern Utah – Moab, Arches, and Canyonlands area
- Our RV travels to Sedona Arizona – Red Rock Country in AZ
- Our travels to North America’s National Parks – National Parks and World Heritage Sites in the US, Canada and Mexico
Our most recent posts:
- Buckskin Mountain State Park – Fun on the Colorado River! 01/31/26
- How to Install Starlink Gen 3 in an RV? Use the Speedmount! 08/07/25
- Escape to Paradise – Rocky Mountain Magic! 08/01/25
- Is Forest River a Good RV? Well Built? Here’s Our Experience 06/20/25
- Sunset Crater Nat’l Monument – Lava & Camels at Bonito CG! 06/06/25
More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU.
New to this site? Visit RVers Start Here to find where we keep all the good stuff!!
Zion NP, Kodachrome Basin & Snow Canyon, UT – Great Red Rocks!
Ballerina Leg
Snow Canyon
Snow Canyon
Zion NP, Kodachrome, & Snow Canyon, UT
October 7-19, 2007 - From Goblin Valley we took the gorgeous scenic
byway along Route 12 through Torrey, Capitol Reef National Park, and
Escalante to Kodachrome Basin State Park. Like all the Utah state park
campgrounds, this one was lovely. There was a flock of chukars (birds
closely related to the quail) that
wandered about the grounds happily
taking food from my hand.
We hiked the Panorama Point View trail,
soaking in the immense redrock
formations. Several had cute names,
including Ballerina Leg, which truly
looked like a ballerina's leg.
Sandstone is very soft, and we found
a huge sandstone rock that other visitors had
rubbed. It was fun to put your hand in the handprint
in the rock and rub. The rock would granulate into
sand beneath your fingertips.
From Kodachrome Basin we headed over
to Zion National Park. Because we were
towing the trailer and we were 52 feet from
end to end, we opted to approach the park
from the west side rather than taking the
really cool twisting road in from the east. So we didn't see the
amazing rock formations that flank the roads on the eastern side.
However, once we arrived at Zion we took an exquisite bike ride along
the bike path that leads into the park. The road into the main canyon
is closed to motorized vehicles, and we thrilled to the mammoth cliffs
on either side of us as we rode deep into the canyon.
There was an organized bike
ride going through Zion a few
days after we did our bike
ride. It would be fun to be
part of a large crowd of
cyclists taking over this pretty
road through the park, but we
enjoyed the solitude of riding
by ourselves beneath the
towering spires. We had a
perfect day with warm
temperatures, clear blue
skies and lots of flowers in
bloom.
We were continuing to press on
southwards, barely staying ahead
of the winter weather behind us. At
Snow Canyon State Park we found
another delightful campground
where we tucked ourselves right up
against the redrocks. We rode our
bikes on the beautiful park road
and looped through some pretty
new masterplanned neighborhoods
on the outskirts of St. George.
At last it was time to leave
Utah. We decided we would
return in the Spring of 2008,
as we had barely touched
upon the areas we wanted to
see. In the meantime,
however, the cold was
forcing us out, and we drove
south to the outskirts of Las
Vegas, Nevada, where we
found the spectacular Valley
Blog posts from our RV trips to Zion National Park:
- Zion National Park’s Hidden Jewels – Off the Beaten Path in an RV! 12/06/17
- Zion National Park “West” RV Trip – Gorgeous Kolob Canyons! 12/22/16
- Zion National Park RV Trip – One AWESOME Canyon! 12/15/16
- Zion NP, Kodachrome Basin & Snow Canyon, UT – Great Red Rocks! 10/31/07
Blog posts from the area near Zion National Park:
- Best Friends Animal Sanctuary & Southwest Wildlife Foundation in Utah 09/15/08
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park – Shape Shifting in the Sand! 11/08/17
- Johnson Canyon Movie Set – A Spooky Ghost Town – Happy Halloween! 10/27/17
- Kanab – Hub for the National Parks + Gorgeous Canyons Nearby! 11/12/17
- Kanab & Alton, UT – Whoa!!! 09/29/08
- Sand Hollow State Park, Utah – An Oasis in the Desert! 11/21/17
- Zion National Park “West” RV Trip – Gorgeous Kolob Canyons! 12/22/16
Blog posts from all our travels to National Parks and UNESCO World Heritage Sites in North America
More great RV camping destinations:
- Lost Dutchman State Park: GORGEOUS scenery & RV campground!
- Windy Hill Campground + Tonto National Monument
- Lynx Lake, Arizona – Great RV Camping Near Prescott!
- Dead Horse Ranch State Park + Tuzigoot and Clarkdale
- Catalina State Park & Roosevelt Lake: RV Camping in AZ
- Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, New Mexico – A Dog’s Eye View!
- Lost Dutchman State Park Campground – Arizona Gold in the Superstitions
- Lake Pleasant & Canyon Lake – Waterfront Camping in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert
- Sand Hollow State Park, Utah – An Oasis in the Desert!
- RV Camping with the Rock Art Petroglyphs in Gila Bend, AZ
- City of Rocks State Park, NM – RV Camping in the Hoodoos!
- Boondocking at Big Bend National Park – Cheap & Scenic RV Camping
- Roosevelt Lake – Lakeside Camping in AZ
- Wupatki Nat’l Monument – Ancient Indian Ruins & Great Camping in AZ!
- Valley of Fire, NV – A Cauldron Cooled
- Zion NP, Kodachrome Basin & Snow Canyon, UT – Great Red Rocks!
- Goblin Valley, UT – Where the Ghosts Are
Our most recent posts:
- Buckskin Mountain State Park – Fun on the Colorado River! 01/31/26
- How to Install Starlink Gen 3 in an RV? Use the Speedmount! 08/07/25
- Escape to Paradise – Rocky Mountain Magic! 08/01/25
- Is Forest River a Good RV? Well Built? Here’s Our Experience 06/20/25
- Sunset Crater Nat’l Monument – Lava & Camels at Bonito CG! 06/06/25
More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU. New to this site? Visit RVers Start Here to find where we keep all the good stuff!!
Goblin Valley, UT – Where the Ghosts Are
Sea turtle
Mushroom
Gorilla head
Space ship taking off
Ducks
Goblin Valley & Little Wild Horse Canyon, Utah
October 1-6, 2007 - Continuing south from the San Rafael Swell, we
stopped in at Goblin Valley, Utah. This state park is a gem. As you
arrive you are welcomed by a trio of goblins who stand apart from the
valley, greeting visitors with otherworldly expressions. Beyond them an
enormous formation dominates the flat horizon, looking like a bright red
gothic cathedral.
The campground is nestled into the buttresses of the redrock
cathedral, with shade ramadas at each site.
The rock formations are very tall and imposing, but when you walk up
close to them you discover that much of their structure is like a sand
dribble castle kids make at the beach. The sandstone is literally
dripping down the sides of the formation and it is very delicate to the
touch. Tap it lightly and it sounds hollow. Touch it any more forcefully
and it breaks off.
We wandered
down into the
actual Valley of
the Goblins, a
fantastic open area of redrock formations that look like creatures. We
learned that these formations evolve in the same way as the arches do
at Arches National Park, but in this neck of the woods the result is
goblins instead of arches.
You are allowed to climb on the goblins, and they stand two to three
times human height, making a great climbing playground. As we
walked down into the valley a little kid rocketed past us yelling, "This is
heaven!"
Many of the formations are recognizable shapes....
One day we hiked
the Little Wild Horse Slot Canyon. This is
an 8 mile hike but only about an hour of it is
spent in the slot canyon. The slot canyon
was very narrow. At times the gravel path
was wide enough for just one foot at a time.
But it wasn't scary at all.
The canyon is wide open to the sky
above, and the narrow portions last
only a few feet. Don't hike these
things when rain threatens, because
the water gushes through. After a
rain it takes a few days for the water
in the slot canyon to subside.
Feeling a chill in the air in Goblin Valley, we made our way towards southern
Utah along the incomparable Scenic Route 12, stopping first at Kodachrome
Basin and then riding our bikes through Zion National Park.
More great RV camping destinations:
- Lost Dutchman State Park: GORGEOUS scenery & RV campground!
- Windy Hill Campground + Tonto National Monument
- Lynx Lake, Arizona – Great RV Camping Near Prescott!
- Dead Horse Ranch State Park + Tuzigoot and Clarkdale
- Catalina State Park & Roosevelt Lake: RV Camping in AZ
- Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, New Mexico – A Dog’s Eye View!
- Lost Dutchman State Park Campground – Arizona Gold in the Superstitions
- Lake Pleasant & Canyon Lake – Waterfront Camping in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert
- Sand Hollow State Park, Utah – An Oasis in the Desert!
- RV Camping with the Rock Art Petroglyphs in Gila Bend, AZ
- City of Rocks State Park, NM – RV Camping in the Hoodoos!
- Boondocking at Big Bend National Park – Cheap & Scenic RV Camping
- Roosevelt Lake – Lakeside Camping in AZ
- Wupatki Nat’l Monument – Ancient Indian Ruins & Great Camping in AZ!
- Valley of Fire, NV – A Cauldron Cooled
- Zion NP, Kodachrome Basin & Snow Canyon, UT – Great Red Rocks!
- Goblin Valley, UT – Where the Ghosts Are
Our most recent posts:
- Buckskin Mountain State Park – Fun on the Colorado River! 01/31/26
- How to Install Starlink Gen 3 in an RV? Use the Speedmount! 08/07/25
- Escape to Paradise – Rocky Mountain Magic! 08/01/25
- Is Forest River a Good RV? Well Built? Here’s Our Experience 06/20/25
- Sunset Crater Nat’l Monument – Lava & Camels at Bonito CG! 06/06/25
More of our Latest Posts are in the MENU.
New to this site? Visit RVers Start Here to find where we keep all the good stuff!!