A Utah Backcountry Adventure!

Posted on September 27, 2019 by Roads Less Traveled

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

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!

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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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More info about Capitol Reef National Park:

More from Capitol Reef National Park:

Related articles from our RV travels:

Our most recent posts:

We’re Alive and Well and Camping in Arizona! 06/05/20
A Hawaii Vacation! 11/01/19
Williams, Arizona – Home of the Grand Canyon Railway! 10/25/19
Drag Boat Races in AZ – Top Speed FUN on the Colorado River! 10/18/19
Seligman, Arizona – Birthplace of Route 66! 10/11/19

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 and check out our GEAR STORE!!

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

Posted on September 13, 2019 by Roads Less Traveled

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!

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.

Fish Lake Lodge

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.

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!

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

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.

A nice spot to rest a spell…

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.

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

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

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!

Buddy jumps for joy…

…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

After the storm…

Saying goodnight to the clouds at sunset

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.

The moon rises behind the trees on a distant hillside

Full moon rising behind the trees-min (1)

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:

Fish Lake Resorts – Fish Lake Lodge, Cabins, RV Park & Restaurant
Fish Lake Lodge RV Park – Full hookups at Fish Lake Lodge
Bowery Haven RV Park – Full hookups with lake views a mile from the Lodge
Other camping options near Fish Lake
Locations of Fish Lake and Forsyth Reservoir in Utah

Other blog posts from our travels to Fish Lake Utah:

Fish Lake Utah – Alpine Beauty & Brilliant Stars in Dark Skies! 09/06/19
Fish Lake Utah – Wildlife and Aspen Groves 06/25/12
Fish Lake Scenic Byway 06/17/12

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

Spring Has Sprung! – Sweet Days at Roosevelt Lake, Arizona 04/20/19
Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, New Mexico – A Dog’s Eye View! 11/30/18
A Smoky Moon, Badlands & Hummingbirds on the South Dakota Prairie 08/31/18
Magical Moments in the RV Life 03/02/18
Dolly Steamboat – Gliding Through the Arizona Desert on Canyon Lake 02/09/18
Zion National Park’s Hidden Jewels – Off the Beaten Path in an RV! 12/06/17
Sand Hollow State Park, Utah – An Oasis in the Desert! 11/21/17
10 Years of Full-time RVing and Sailing!! – The Early Years… 05/24/17
Eggs & Aliens in Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness (Bisti Badlands) 05/15/17
Zion National Park RV Trip – One AWESOME Canyon! 12/15/16
Moraine Lake – Crown Jewel of Banff National Park 06/19/16
Florence, AZ – Few Tourists & Lots of Soul! 02/13/15
Dancing in the Moonlight 12/07/14
Bisti Badlands NM – Mysterious rocks and an alien egg factory! 10/27/12

Our most recent posts:

We’re Alive and Well and Camping in Arizona! 06/05/20
A Hawaii Vacation! 11/01/19
Williams, Arizona – Home of the Grand Canyon Railway! 10/25/19
Drag Boat Races in AZ – Top Speed FUN on the Colorado River! 10/18/19
Seligman, Arizona – Birthplace of Route 66! 10/11/19

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 and check out our GEAR STORE!!

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

Posted on September 6, 2019 by Roads Less Traveled

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 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.

A pretty lake with a hillside full of yellow wildflowers.

The Fish Lake Scenic Drive takes in some spectacular views

We found streams and lakes galore

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!

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.

There are lots of creeks and streams in this area

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!

The mud was flying when Buddy zipped along the riverbanks!

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

A horse grazes in the middle of a postcard setting

These horses were very friendly

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

Buddy gave some cows an earful

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.

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.

The dirt road went alongside a stream.

Beautiful noxious weed in Fish Lake Utah-min

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!

Dandelion gone to seed Fish Lake Utah-min

Yellow wildflowers on Fish Lake Utah hiking trail-min

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!

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

A fisheye lens view

Milky Way Johnson Valley Reservoir Utah-min

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

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.

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:

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:

Fish Lake Scenic Byway 06/17/12
Fish Lake Utah – Fun Things To Do in the Lakes and Mountains 09/13/19
Fish Lake Utah – Wildlife and Aspen Groves 06/25/12

Other blog posts with Stars and Milky Way images:

More from Southwestern Utah:

Our most recent posts:

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 and check out our GEAR STORE!!

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

Posted on August 30, 2019 by Roads Less Traveled

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.

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!

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.

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

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

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!!!

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

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!

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

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

Window on Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

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

Red rock hoodoos Arches Trail Red Canyon Utah-min

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

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!

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:

Casto Canyon Trail – A Delightful ATV / UTV Ride! 08/23/19
Red Canyon Utah and the Bryce Canyon Bike Trail! 10/13/16
Red Canyon Utah is an Overlooked Treasure 09/02/11

More hikes and trails in red rock country:

Other arches we’ve seen in our travels:

Our most recent posts:

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 and check out our GEAR STORE!!

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Casto Canyon Trail – A Delightful ATV / UTV Ride!

Posted on August 23, 2019 by Roads Less Traveled

August 2019 – When we were casting about on the internet to find beautiful places to ride our Polaris RZR side-by-side, we came across a claim that Casto Canyon in Utah is one of the top 10 ATV trails in the country. Wow!! We had to go!

Casto Canyon ATV and UTV trail ride in a Polaris RZR-min

Casto Canyon is a gorgeous ATV / UTV / hiking / biking and horseback riding trail

Casto Canyon (there is no “r” in the word “Casto” ) is located on the back side of spectacular Red Canyon, a unique collection of red and pink hoodoo pinnacles that acts as a warmup show for visitors heading to Bryce Canyon National Park.

We eagerly hopped into our RZR and hit the two track trail.

Two track trail across a wash in Casto Canyon Utah-min

Casto Canyon Trail is a two-track trail that follows the route of a huge wash.

The Casto Canyon ATV trail follows a wash that winds through the canyon and criss-crosses it repeatedly. In no time we had a view that totally warranted that “Top 10” designation we’d read about.

Casto Canyon ATV trail goes alongside a wash in Utah-min

After just a few minutes we were in the middle of a gorgeous red rock canyon.

Our little Buddy ran along ahead of us in his usual role as Trail Scout and sprinted down the two track trail as it ducked back into the woods.

Casto Canyon trail goes through the woods for a while-min

The trail wandered between the wash and the woods, perfect for a puppy prance.

Two track ATV trail in Casto Canyon Utah-min

The Casto Canyon trail parallels the wash and hops back and forth across it repeatedly. We had the whole canyon to ourselves, and the rising sun felt warm on our skin each time we emerged into the wash from the deep shade in the woods..

Red rock pinnacle and puppy in Casto Canyon Utah-min

Red rock pinnacle on Polaris RZR ride in Casto Canyon Utah an ATV : UTV trail copy

The red rock hoodoo pinnacles rose up around us.

Red rock pinnacles in Casto Canyon Utah-min

The Casto Canyon ATV trail crosses a wash many times-min

The Casto Canyon wash is very wide and quite deep. What a rush it must be when it floods!

UTV Polaris RZR ride in Casto Canyon Utah-min

The trail crossed the wash many times.

Casto Canyon Trail is only 5.5 miles long, but we took our time, riding a few hundred yards and then stopping to take pics and explore on foot. At first, the shadows were long and deep, but gradually the sun rose higher and the shadows crept back towards the base of each tree and red rock hoodoo.

Sunrise in the red rocks of Casto Canyon Utah-min

Early morning was a great time to explore this canyon.

Red rocks through the trees in Casto Canyon Utah-min

Casto Canyon Trail is a multi-use trail that is open to horses, hikers, bikers and motorized vehicles. It would be possible to ride it on a bike, but we knew we’d be jumping on and off our bikes a lot to walk through the more difficult patches.

Casto Canyon ATV trail in Utah winds in and out of a wash-min

As we explored the fringes of the trail, our gaze was drawn both down to our feet where delicate flowers were in bloom and up high above us where the red rock spires reached towards the sky.

Pretty flowers were blossoming here and there.

Such fantastic shapes!

At last we came to an intersection with Barney Cove Trail. This spot marks the end of the dramatic red rocks lining the sides of the wash and the trail. Buddy decided it was time for a rest!

End of Casto Canyon at Barney Cove and Fremont Trail junction-min

We stopped for a break when the Casto Canyon trail intersected the Barney Cove Trail

Suddenly we heard the sounds of a motor in the distance, and then an ATV appeared on the trail ahead of us. The driver stopped and took a break while he waited for his companions behind him.

It turned out that he and his friends were on a 12 day long 300 mile ATV adventure. They had already covered 100 miles in the first four days and they had another 200 miles to go.

They were carrying all their gear on their four wheelers, from tents, clothes and food to drinking water and gas for the ATVs. They were staying on or near the trail in the wilds the whole time, and they were having a blast.

As we watched him and his buddies ride off down the trail behind us, we agreed that they were probably about to see the most beautiful scenery of their whole trip.

ATV on 300 mile journey on Paiute Trail and Casto Canyon Trail-min

A group of ATVs passed us. They were 100 miles into a 300 mile multi-day trip!

Nearby, we found a trickle of a stream flowing. The wash is enormously wide with steep eroded dirt walls that have been carved by blasts of rushing water in some places. But at the moment, in mid-August, there was just a dribble of water here and there, likely from the recent afternoon monsoon storms.

Creek in Casto Canyon red rocks in Utah-min

Recent monsoons had left a dribble of water in a few spots.

We continued a little further on Casto Canyon Trail. Casto Canyon is a narrow trail and we were glad we had a skinny trail model RZR when we squeezed through one tight spot.

Narrow passage on Casto Canyon ATV trail Utah-min

There were some tight spots on this narrow trail.

The trail got rougher as we went along, and the most stunning red rock scenery fell behind us. So, we turned around and headed back. The sun was much higher now, and with the different lighting and in direction the views were all new.

Casto Canyon Utah AtV UTV trail through a wash-min

View in Casto Canyon on the ATV - UTV trail-min

The size of the red rock canyon walls is hard to comprehend, but the size of the trees gives a hint.

Green tree in the red rocks of Casto Canyon Utah-min

A big tree snuggles up to the base of a red rock canyon wall.

RZR ride on Casto Canyon ATV - UTV trail in Utah-min

Even as tall and rugged as the red rock hoodoos were, we kept finding dainty little things down at our feet. We were immersed in Nature’s wondrous beauty.

Not only were the towering hoodoos eye catching, we found beautiful things at our feet!

The trail twisted and turned around berms on the edge of the canyon on our way back.

Woods and red rocks in Casto Canyon Utah-min

Two track trail in Casto Canyon for ATV UTV Horses and hiking-min

The red rock hoodoos stood cheek-by-jowel on the edges of the wash, each one covered with horizontal stripes. When we turned one corner, we noticed a red rock hoodoo that had slipped on its foundation and was lying at an angle. Cool!

Casto Canyon trail in Utah follows a wash through the red rocks-min

The hoodoos sported horizontal stripes.

Tumble down red rock pinnacle Casto Canyon Utah-min

One of the hoodoos had slipped and fallen!

Even if you don’t own an ATV or small UTV, Casto Canyon is a true delight to explore. The views begin within the first few hundred yards, so even a short out-and-back hike is rewarding. If you are comfortable riding (or walking) a bike across multiple washes filled with loose sand and gravel, Casto Canyon would also be lovely to experience from the seat of a bike.

Casto Canyon ATV trail follows a was through a red rock canyon-min

What a fun morning this was!

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Other blog posts from Red Canyon and Bryce Canyon National Park:

Red Canyon – Arches Trail – Windows & Hoodoos in Utah! 08/30/19
Red Canyon Utah and the Bryce Canyon Bike Trail! 10/13/16
Red Canyon Utah is an Overlooked Treasure 09/02/11

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Cedar Breaks Wildflowers + Stunning Brian Head Overlook

Posted on August 16, 2019 by Roads Less Traveled

August 2019 – One of the things that Cedar Breaks National Monument in southern Utah is most known for is the brilliant display of wildflowers that happens in mid-July and early August.

Wildflowers at Cedar Breaks plus Brian Head Utah-min

Summer wildflowers at Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah

The overlooks at Cedar Breaks are stunning, of course, and well worth the trip to go see.

Amphitheater at Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

Cedar Breaks National Monument – WOW!

Stunning red rock views at Cedar Breaks

Storm clouds over Cedar Breaks National Monument-min

Monsoon clouds over Cedar Breaks

The wildflowers, however, are out of this world. They aren’t everywhere, but we found them in thick pockets here and there. They were especially dramatic on a hillside along the highway on the back side of the Monument. What a gorgeous and colorful meadow!

Wildflowers on a hillside Dixie National Forest Utah-min

Hillside full of wildflowers at Cedar Breaks.

Texture and color in field of wildflowers in Utah-min

Field of summer wildflowers Dixie National Forest Utah-min

Soft, undulating shades of lavender filled the hillside, and we wandered among the flowers for a long time admiring the blanket of pastel hues.

Purple wildflowers near Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

Cedar Breaks National Monument Wildflowers in Utah-min

Hillside of summer wildflowers Dixie National Forest Cedar Breaks Utah-min

Little sprigs of red Indian Paintbrush were visible here and there. What a lovely contrast to the purple flowers and green grass all around.

Hillside of summer wildflowers Dixie National Forest Utah-min

Indian paintbrush and purple wildflowers-min

Field of wildflowers Dixie National Forest Utah-min

Indian paintbrush and wildflowers Dixie National Forest Utah-min

Summer wildflowers Dixie National Forest Utah-min

A red paintbrush in a canvas of purple flowers

Over the years, when we’ve chatted with other travelers about this area, they’ve often asked us, “Did you go to Brian Head?”

Well, “Brian Head” is the name of a ski resort near here, and after hearing so much about Brian Head we made a special trip to the ski resort years ago. It was an interesting place, but didn’t impress us as being some kind of magical “must see” spot.

This year, while we were out and about, we noticed a sign at the start of a dirt road that said: “Scenic Vista.” This sounded promising!

The road wound around and climbed up a steep ascent. At the top, we realized we were at Brian Head — the Brian Head everyone had been talking about!

Brian Head is a knoll at an elevation of over 11,300 feet, and it offers a commanding view of the surrounding area. Back in the 1930s the CCC built a stone monument for visitors at the top.

Stone building at the Brian Head overlook in Utah-min

At the Brian Head overlook there is a stone building built by the CCC in the 1930s

There are a few trails that take you to various views, and they were all terrific. But the most dramatic was the one overlooking the amphitheater of Cedar Breaks National Monument in the distance.

Puppy looks at Cedar Breaks National Monument from Brian Head-min

The red rocks of Cedar Breaks glow in the distance.

We had arrived on a blustery late afternoon during the “golden hour” just before sunset, and the red rocks of Cedar Breaks were lit with a magical glow.

Cedar Breaks National Monument as seen from Brian Head-min

What a cool view of Cedar Breaks!

From this perspective we could see how the Cedar Breaks amphitheater was cut right out of the side of the mountain. How totally cool!

Cedar Breaks National Monument from Brian Head-min

Cedar Breaks seen from Brian Head

There are several hiking trails around Cedar Breaks National Monument, and the Alpine Pond Loop Trail is where lots of wildflowers hang out. However, it is not pet-friendly. So we walked the dog friendly trail between the main overlook, Point Supreme, and Sunset View quite a few times, and we found lots of wonderful flowers in bloom.

Some of them seemed to have been carefully arranged by a divine hand.

I looked down and saw this awesome little flower arrangement right at my feet

Natural landscaping with wildflowers-min

Nature’s handiwork

A pair of columbines

A busy bee

Mother Nature’s arrangement of Indian Paintbrush with a log in the background

Buddy checks out some flowers

On our RZR rides in the area, I had noticed a clump of purple flowers nestled against a triangular rock. I had a hunch they would be especially pretty at sunset, so I headed out one evening to take a pic. I wasn’t disappointed — what a beautiful flower arrangement Mother Nature had made!

Wildflowers in Dixie National Forest Utah-min

This cluster of flowers looked so cool during the day I returned at sunset to capture them with a pretty sky

As the days went by, some types of flowers began to fade while others began to bloom. Patches of bright yellow flowers appeared here and there.

Yellow and purple wildflowers near Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

When one group of flowers faded another bloomed. Yellow flowers appeared after a few days.

Hill coveed with wildflowers in Dixie National Forest Utah-min

We met lots of different folks who came to the area to see the exotic red rocks at Cedar Breaks, but we also came across a few travelers who were visiting at this time specifically to see the wildflowers too.

Indian Paintbrush

If you decide to put Cedar Breaks National Monument on your travel itinerary, be sure to get to Brian Head, the “real” Brian Head!

And if you go in mid-summer, keep an eye out for Nature’s handiwork in the colorful wildflower displays all around.

Columbine

Purple wildflowers in Dixie National Forest Utah-min

A soft blanket of flowers

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The Day the Sheep Moved In!

Posted on August 9, 2019 by Roads Less Traveled

August 2019 – Our favorite thing about our unusual lifestyle is that we never know what will happen next. One day this week when we were driving home after a day of exploring, we were surprised to see a huge truck with a ramp parked in the middle of the road, blocking the way ahead of us.

We turned down a normally quiet dirt road to find a huge truck blocking our way.

It turned out that a bunch of folks were unloading a whole ton of sheep to graze in the meadow!

There were several big livestock trailers parked all around, and the guys began fitting the ramp to the second story of the truck in front of us.

The sheep were stacked in two layers in the trailer!

The guys connected the ramp to the upper level of the livestock trailer.

We heard a commotion in the upper deck of the trailer, and then a sheep headed down the ramp. The rest followed right behind!

Sheep comes down loading ramp in Utah-min

After some confusion in the trailer, stomping of hooves and banging around, a sheep appeared and headed down the ramp.

Sheep come down loading ramp in Utah-min

Soon dozens of sheep were running down the ramp.

We watched in amazement as the sheep came down the ramp. They just kept on coming and coming — dozens and dozens of sheep. Some even jumped when they got to the bottom!

Sheep jumps off loading ramp in Utah-min

Some of them leaped to freedom at the end of the ramp!

I don’t know what made them jump, but quite a few took a flying leap off the bottom of the ramp.

Weeee!

Then they all trotted around to the quickly filling field to start grazing with all their friends.

The sheep continued running once they hit the grass and quickly joined the rest of the herd grazing.

Ahhh… There’s nothing like tall lush grass!

The family that owned the herd was very friendly and explained that the sheep had originally belonged to the granddad who had driven one the of the trucks in. His son had purchased the herd from him years ago and continued the family tradition of raising sheep for meat and wool.

We talked a little about the meat and wool markets and were impressed when we learned that they have found a happy wool buyer in the US government. Some of the new military uniforms are going to be made from wool, in a nod to the uniforms and military of yesteryear, and the sheep we were looking at would be providing it!

The herd had almost 2,000 mamas along with all their babies from this spring, and the sheep had been moved from a mountain grazing area down the highway to this area. The family had obtained a sheep grazing permit from the US Forest Service and planned to keep them in these meadows until late October or early November.

We were fascinated listening to all this, but Buddy was much more interested in their dogs. They all made a quick round of introductions.

As we talked to the sheep herding family, the dogs made their own introductions

These were working dogs, and they had different jobs according to their breeds.

The three or four border collies and a red heeler mix were the ones who helped round up the herd and head it in a particular direction. The four Great Pyrenees were the sheep dogs who lived with the herd, 24/7, and protected them from coyotes, mountain lions, and other predators.

The border collies and a red heeler mix were there for sheep crowd control

The four Great Pyrenees dogs were there to protect the sheep from predators.

When we were in Buffalo, Wyoming, two years ago, we took part in a huge celebration of the Basque sheep herders who had settled that area over a century ago.

Descendants of the original Basque families paraded down the main street of town and a bunch of sheep wagons that the shepherds of the late 19th and early 20th century lived in all summer long were on display (blog post here).

The shepherds’ little trailers reminded us of the historic Basque sheep wagons we’d seen in Buffalo, Wyoming two years ago.

Unlike cattle that are more or less left to their own devices to wander around their grazing areas in the National Forests and on BLM land, sheep are watched over quite closely.

There is a long tradition of the Basques and others living in small wagons or trailers out in the fields with the sheep. Over in Ketchum, Idaho, we had learned that Peruvian sheep herders had had such a big operation there in the 1920s that Ketchum was the second biggest wool producer in the world at the time, behind Sydney, Australia!

Nowadays the shepherding job is hired out. Peruvian shepherds are brought in each summer on special visas to live with the sheep as they graze. Being accustomed to high altitude living, the Peruvians are probably more comfortable living at 10,000 feet for months at a time than many other folks would be, although a new friend of ours in town said there are help wanted ads for shepherds in the local paper. For anyone looking, this could be a cool summer job!

The trailers they live in are very simple and are reminiscent of the historic Basque sheep wagons we had seen in Wyoming. Staying out in the meadows until late October, they must experience overnight temperatures in the 20s for the last few weeks, so the little smoke stacks on the trailers made lots of sense and were reminiscent of the smoke stacks for the woodstoves we’d seen on the Basque sheep wagons!

The shepherds take their trailers to a campsite where they can watch over the flock.

That night it poured cats and dogs and was very cold. As we snuggled under layers of blankets and piled blankets on top of Buddy too, we thought about the thousands of sheep and the sheepdogs sleeping out in the fields. Brrrr!

The next morning we woke up to the ba-a-a-ah sounds of sheep grazing all around us. What a sight!

We also kept hearing bells! We looked around to see if the shepherds were ringing bells and then realized that a few sheep had bells on their necks, undoubtedly to make it easier to locate the herd when they wandered off.

What a surprise it was too look out our window at dawn and see hundreds of sheep!

A few of the sheep wore bells, and we could hear them coming!

Buddy was as fascinated by our new neighbors as we were. What a crazy scene this was!

Suddenly, he went nuts and ran across the field in an all out sprint. He had seen one of the Great Pyrenees dogs and was overjoyed!

We had tried to explain to Buddy that these are all working dogs, not playmates, and that they were on the clock. But he figured any dog out in his yard was fair game to be a fun playmate.

Dog friends border collie mix and Great Pyrenees-min

Buddy was excited to see the Great Pyrenees he’d met the day before.

Despite their huge size difference, this particular sheepdog took a liking to Buddy and they hung out together for a while.

When we’d first come across the trailer loads of sheep the day before, I had asked the family how the herding dogs and sheep dogs learned their jobs and what kind of training they did to teach them to herd or to protect the flock. The gal I was chatting with shrugged and said, “It’s instinct. We don’t train them. The puppies learn their jobs from the older dogs.”

Keeping an eye on the sheep.

Well, we soon discovered that the instinct does run deep, even in a mixed breed pup.

The presence of all these sheep began to inspire Buddy’s inner herding instinct. We don’t know his exact breed — undoubtedly he’s a mix of at least four or five different kinds of dogs — but our little pup has a huge talent for running.

Buddy felt his inner herding instincts calling.

Before we could stop him, Buddy decided to try his hand at moving the sheep.

And he was off!

Our jaws dropped as he expertly got them all to head in one direction up the hill. He was really good for a roockie!

Once he had cleared the field of all but a few stragglers, we noticed a Great Pyrenees dog head lying low in the flowers and grass. The dog had watched the whole thing from a front row seat! He seemed as impressed as we were.

“Good job, young fella!”

Later in the day the flock returned. They were like a giant lawn mower moving across the grass. The field was full of very stinky white flowers, and we hoped the sheep would find them particularly tasty!

One of the Peruvian shepherds emerged from the woods to have a look at the flock. We waved and then he disappeared back into the trees.

The shepherd kept an eye on the flock from a distance on horseback.

I had learned the day before that the Great Pyrenees dogs literally live with the sheep their whole lives.

When they are mere puppies they are put into the middle of the flock with the sheep and the older sheepdogs, and they live all together from then on.

Great pyrenees sheepdog with a flock of sheep-min

The Great Pyrenees dogs kept an eye out for any threats to their sheep companions.

Sure enough, out in the flock we saw three of the Great Pyrenees milling around with the sheep. They barked to each other and all gathered together for a few minutes when they saw us, and they approached us as a group. Once they recognized us and realized we weren’t a threat they disbanded and went their separate ways.

Great Pyrenees sheepdog oversees his flock of sheep-min

On patrol.

It was fascinating watching these dogs moving among the sheep.

Great Pyrenees sheepdog with a sheep-min

The Great Pyrenees take their protective role seriously. They know the sheep and their ways very well!

The Great Pyrenees dog that had befriended Buddy earlier broke away from the dog pack and came over to visit.

Buddy was delighted to make friends with his favorite of the Great Pyrenees.

They sniffed each other and hung out for a while. And then Buddy ran back to our trailer, grabbed his favorite sandal and began running around with it. He really wanted to play with his new friend.

Playful puppy with Great Pyrenees sheepdog-min

Buddy wanted to play with his favorite sandal that he found while we were out hiking a few months ago.
The sheepdog was intrigued but didn’t really get into the game.

Even though the bigger dog wasn’t really into playing, the two new friends bonded anyway.

What a special encounter this was for all of us!

Dog friends Great Pyrenees and border collie mix-min

We never know what we’ll find on the less traveled roads of this beautiful country, but we always make interesting new friends!

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Cedar Breaks National Monument – Wild Skies & Summer Storms

Posted on August 2, 2019 by Roads Less Traveled

July 2019 – Cedar Breaks National Monument is a stunning landscape of red rock pinnacles and hoodoos in any kind of weather, but when clouds form and rain starts to fall in the distance, it is truly breathtaking.

Cedar Breaks National Monument Summer Storms

Cedar Breaks National Monument is spectacular when summer storms sweep through

As storm clouds began to gather, we made our way out to the main overlook at Point Supreme. What a fabulous drama in the sky was unfolding! Black clouds were dumping torrential rain in the far distance, but our little spot at the overlook remained dry for the moment.

Storm clouds at Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

Storm clouds with rain in the distance at Cedar Breaks National Monument

Rain at Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

What a spectacular sight!

Once in a while the sun peeked out from behind the storm clouds, casting shafts of light across the red rocks. Then the clouds would close ranks around the sun once again, sealing off all but a thin ray from the heavens.

Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah storm clouds-min

Light shafts Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

A shaft of light broke through

As we set ourselves up to take pics, a gal scurrying back towards her car laughed as she ran by. “This kind of weather is when the photographers come out and when everyone else leaves!” Sure enough, we were soon alone at the overlook as the storm clouds rushed to surround us.

Even Buddy wasn’t so sure about the wisdom of being here in this kind of weather. He took shelter in Mark’s arms and advised him of the best techniques for taking photos of the incoming storm.

Photography at Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

Mark sets up a shot as Buddy looks on

Wild skies

Shafts of light at Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

Heavenly light.

Finally, the rain hit us with full force, and we bolted back to the truck. The downpour as we drove through the woods was a deluge!

The rain came down in buckets

Even though most mornings were sunny, storm clouds returned to Cedar Breaks with punctual regularity every afternoon. It didn’t always rain, but the bright blue skies of early morning were filled with puffy clouds by noon and were buried under heavy dark clouds filled with heavy raindrops by afternoon.

Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah clouds parting-min

The sky was slightly more tame after the deluge.

Cedar Breaks National Monument colors-min

Visiting the overlooks at the golden hour late in the afternoon, we watched the red rocks take on a brilliant glow. The sun pierced the clouds and bathed Cedar Breaks in a rich orange light.

Golden hour storm clouds Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

The colors were incredibly rich at the golden hour before sunset

Chessmen Overlook Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

One of the “chess men” at Chessmen Overlook

Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah Golden Hour-min

Red rocks Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah Golden Hour-min

One evening, as we walked out onto Point Supreme overlook at sunset, we found a group of tourists huddled along the fence watching the show. One brave person was even standing on a fence post!

Standing at Point Supreme overlook Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

At sunset a small crowd formed along the fence — and on top of it!

We explored the other overlooks too: Sunset View, Chessmen Ridge and the North View. Each one offered a unique view of unusual shapes and colors.

Colorful Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

Beautiful Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah pink orange and white cliffs-min

Inner light Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah pink orange and white cliffs-min

Pink and orange Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

Because the road along Cedar Breaks National Monument is a fairly busy highway, we took our truck on each visit. The Polaris RZR side-by-side wasn’t getting much use at all. One day when we called Buddy over to get in the truck, he ran over to the RZR instead and sat next to it, as if to say, “Why can’t we take the RZR this time?”

Buddy wanted to take the RZR instead of the truck!

We did get out into the woods a bit wih the RZR, and Buddy was our little trail scout, as he always loves to be.

Puppy runs down a dirt road in the woods-min

He got his wish and had fun running through the woods

Cedar Breaks and the surrounding area lies at 10,000 feet elevation. That is, it lies 4,000 feet higher than the peak of famous Mt. Washington in New Hampshire!

Being so high, it is cold and is prone to all kinds of crazy weather. As I mentioned in our last post, we’d seen patches of snow in our wanderings, even during the last few days of July, right in the middle of a heatwave that had engulfed the whole country!

One day while we were out exploring we turned a corner and found a particularly enormous patch of snow.

A big patch of winter snow that’s still left at the end of July

Buddy loves snow, so we decided to let him play in it for a while.

A happy little puppy in a big field of snow!

Oh my, was he in heaven once he figured out what he was standing on! He went wild, running in crazy circles, throwing up snow and ice all around him as he took hairpin turns at top speed and dove into the show head first. He galloped at full speed in sheer joy.

“Weeeeeee!!!”

After he had gleefully burned off enough energy for all three of us, we finally told him it was time to go. He was soooo disappointed.

He stood by the edge of the snow and forlornly watched us walking away, making no move to follow. He could have happily stayed at his private summer snow park for a few hours more!

“Do we have to go??!!”

Not far away from the patch of snow we found some beautiful wildflowers in full bloom. The bees were busy gathering pollen in the bell shaped flowers, and despite the nearby snow, the flowers reminded us that it was indeed summertime, even here in Utah’s higher elevations.

Columbine

Busy bee

Indian Paintbrush

Most of southern Utah is in the 4,000 to 7,500 foot range of elevation and is quite warm or even blazingly hot in mid-summer. But for those who love blustery weather and snow, there’s a bit of that waiting for you atop the plateau at Cedar Breaks National Monument.

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Cedar Breaks National Monument – Glorious Amphitheater of Red Rocks!

Posted on July 26, 2019 by Roads Less Traveled

July 2019 – After enjoying many trips to the edge of the Grand Canyon this summer, we were ready for a little different scenery, so we headed north to one of southern Utah’s most dramatic yet less visited red rock wonders, Cedar Breaks National Monument.

Cedar Breaks National Monument RV trip in Utah-min

Cedar Breaks National Monument – An Amphitheater of Red Rock Glory!

Located close to the famous National Parks at Zion Canyon and Bryce Canyon but situated at of 10,000 feet, a much higher elevation than either of the other two Parks, it is a place that is forever haunted by wild weather patterns that make the extraordinary red rock vistas and dense woods even more dramatic.

As we arrived in the afternoon, the sky was wearing a forbidding grimace, and we quickly changed from the shorts we’d been wearing for the last few months into long pants and jackets!

Even more startling, we saw patches of snow in the woods as we drove. Holy smokes! It was late July and there was knee deep snow on the ground in some places!

Storm clouds over fifth wheel trailer-min

Wild storm clouds greeted us as we arrived at Cedar Breaks National Monument

Cedar Breaks National Monument is known not only for its eye popping amphitheater of red rock hoodoos but for its vibrant display of summer wildflowers. The wildflower season runs from mid-July through August, and the flowers were showing off their most brilliant colors everywhere.

Our first glimpse of the colorful wildflower display was a field of yellow flowers – under threatening clouds!

How cool is this?!!

We hustled out to Point Supreme, the main Cedar Breaks overlook, as quickly as we could. Rain clouds were threatening, but what really caught my eye was the wonderful contrast of the soft green hillsides peeking over the mile high walls of red rock cliffs.

View Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

At the main Cedar Breaks overlook, Point Supreme, the layers of colors were just fantastic.

Green mountain and red rocks at Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

Green hillsides above the red rock cliffs and hoodoos where the mountain has fallen away.

If doesn’t matter how many times we see these red rock cliffs and spires, whether here at Cedar Breaks or over at nearby Bryce Canyon, they are spectacular. The bright colors and the towering “drip castle” types of formations that look like they were made by kids at the beach are just astonishing.

And from the top of the canyon, looking down into the bowl shaped amphitheater, we always find it so hard to comprehend just how enormous the seemingly tiny pinnacles are. But a look at the tall pine trees snuggled up to the bases of the hoodoos gave us a sense of their immense size.

Red rock pinnacles Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

How big are those red rock hoodoos? The tall pine trees are dwarfed by them!

Pinnacles at Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

Brilliant red rocks Point Supreme Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

Fabulous layers of color and texture.

The sun was obscured by the threatening black clouds which softened the colors of the canyon and eliminated the harsh contrast of light and shadow on the ridges.

Then, suddenly, the sun came out in force for a little while, and the amphitheater was bathed in golden light.

Colorful red rocks Point Supreme Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

The nuances of the red rock hues are easily seen when the rocks aren’t lit by the sun.

Red rocks at Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah-min

Bright sunshine created dramatic contrasts.

Golden hour Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

Amphitheater Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah Point Supreme-min

Like all of America’s National Parks and National Monuments, dogs are allowed on leashes but only in certain areas. Point Supreme, which lies directly behind the Visitors Center, is one of the few areas at Cedar Breaks where pups can get a look at the eye-popping view, and Buddy gave the grand vista a cursory look and sniff.

But he was much more interested in other things at Point Supreme, like watching the ground squirrels running around the base of a tree in the distance, and he quickly took up a position in the middle of the overlook with his back to the view to keep an eye on the squirrles and also act as the Official Greeter.

Buddy turned his back to the view so he could greet everyone arriving at the rim and keep an eye on the ground squirrels too!

There was only one other couple at the overlook, and they had already given Buddy a pat on the head, so they resumed admiring the breathtaking views. But Buddy sat stock still for several minutes until a family suddenly appeared on the path walking towards him.

They had a little toddler with them who was as thrilled to see a puppy as the rest of the family was thrilled to see the views for the first time. As I watched Buddy and the toddler interact, I wasn’t sure who was more fascinated by their new friend, the puppy or the baby!

Who’s more intrigued by whom? These two played together very happily while the adults savored the views

While the toddler and her old sister played with Buddy, our focus returned to the incredible 270 degree views surrounding us. What a place this is!

Cedar Breaks

Suddenly, the sun began to play games with the clouds, and we watched in awe as light and shadow chased each other across the vast landscape and the heavens opened above us with shafts of light between the clouds.

Monsoon light Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah81-min

The weather turns on a dime at Cedar Breaks, and suddenly the heavens opened above us.

Cedar Breaks National Monument Stormy sky-min

Mark grabbed his 12 mm fish-eye lens for a very creative shot.

Fish-eye view of Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

A fish-eye view!

And then he asked me and Buddy to pose by the railing. Sure!

Happy Campers at Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah-min

Two happy campers

Little family groups came and went at Point Supreme, but we stuck around for a while to watch the show.

Vivid colors.

Colorful Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah Point Supreme-min

Each cliff, hillside and hoodoo was unique in color and shape

Then we took a stroll down a path that was lined with beautiful wildflowers. The little bluebells were so delicate!

Wildflowers at Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

The wildflowers peak at Cedar Breaks between mid-July and mid-August

Wildflowers Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

The tiny bluebells start as pink buds and then open up to a pretty shade of blue

And the columbine wildflowers were dancing in the slight breeze. Some of the columbine were pure white and others wore a wonderful combo of blue and white with yellow trim at the center.

Columbine wildflower at Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah-min

A beautiful two-tone columbine flower

There are lots of things to see at Cedar Breaks National Monument, and we’ve written about them in the past.

The Alpine Pond Trail hike is a great place to savor the wildflowers and the Spectra Point Trail hike is an absolute Must Do if you don’t have a dog or don’t mind leaving him/her in the car. The hike takes you out on a long peninsula that juts into the red rock amphitheater, and at the end you find yourself surrounded by thousand year old bristlecone pine trees.

We didn’t do those hikes on this visit, but we marveled at the power of summer storms as huge black clouds let loose a deluge that afternoon and all the next day.

We got hail interspersed with heavy rain punctuated with ferocious growls of thunder and too-close-for-comfort bolts of lightning.

So, we bundled up and Mark baked banana bread and put turkey pot pies in the oven too to keep our rolling home warm inside.

All this was happening during a blistering heat wave all across the country that delivered the hottest week of the summer to almost every corner of our beautiful nation!

During a brief break in the tempest around us, we snuck out to the rim of Cedar Breaks at Sunset View Overlook which is at an elevation of 10,354 feet. The sun was nowhere to be found, but the rain let loose once again, and we laughed along with a handful of other tourists who ran out of their cars in raincoats, braving a downpour to take a look at the red rocks in whiteout conditions!

Cedar Breaks National Monument whiteout-min

You never know what you’ll see at the Cedar Breaks rim til you get there. Pouring rain and swarming mist is a very good possibility!

Cedar Breaks National Monument is a fabulous RV destination in any kind of weather. And it’s almost guaranteed you’ll have some kind of intense weather if you visit mid-summer when the southwest monsoon season is underway. Bring shorts but pack long pants and a raincoat too because you just never know!

Sunset at the end of a red letter day!

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Kanab, Utah, 4th of July – Stars & Stripes in the Red Rocks!

Posted on July 5, 2019 by Roads Less Traveled

July 2019 – One of the great things about traveling in the summertime is being able to enjoy the 4th of July celebrations in a special place. This year we were near the small town of Kanab, Utah, and we eagerly went into town to see the parade.

Uncle Sam greeted us as we came into town!

We were staying over the border in Arizona, and we’d forgotten that in the summer months Arizona and Utah are in different time zones. Utah is always in Mountain Standard Time while Arizona floats between Mountain and Pacific Standard Time depending on the time of year because they don’t change their clocks for daylight savings.

We’d planned to arrive about a half an hour before the parade started, and as Mark parked the truck he glanced at the clock on the dashboard and was about to say, “Perfect timing, it’s 9:30,” when he noticed our truck’s clock said 10:30.

Oh no!

4th of July parade Kanab Utah Parry Lodge-min

We missed the start of the parade, but what we saw was wonderful.

Luckily, the parade was still going on and we saw some fun things roll by. A bright red fire engine went past and then there were a bunch of RZRs all dolled up in red, white and blue. There were some other interesting contraptions too.

4th of July parade Kanab Utah RZR group-min

A RZR brigade in red, white and blue (hey, what are they passing to each other?!)

More RZRs!

Tricycle Kanab Utah 4th of July parade-min

4th of July celebration in Kanab Utah-min

A few antique cars beeped as they passed by the historic Parry Lodge where all the Hollywood stars of the Golden Age stayed when they made hundreds of movies in the beautiful red rocks around town.

Antique car 4th of July parade Parry Lodge Kanab Utah-min

Antique car 4th of July parade Kanab Utah-min

Smokey Bear made an appearance in the back of a US Forest Service truck. And then one of the Hot Shots standing on a Forest Service fire truck gave us all a big spray.

Kanab is an hour’s drive from any town big enough for a city-sized supermarket, but the grocery store in town, Honey’s Market, keeps everyone’s pantry full. A lady clown from Honey’s Market brought up the rear of the parade, slowly making her way down the street, chatting with friends and neighbors and giving out goodies to the kids.

Kanab was settled in 1864 when Fort Kanab was built, and in 1870 ten Mormon families moved into the fort to establish the town. A huge mural on the side of a building depicts the arrival of a wagon train at Fort Kanab.

Mural Wagon trains arrive at Fort Kanab_-min

The full mural of the wagon train arriving at Fort Kanab

There is lots of detail in this mural — the excited pioneers at the front calling out to the people at the fort, the weary travelers further back in the line, and the folks hanging out at the trading post as the wagons slowly come in.

“Kanab or Bust!” – The wagon train was greeted warmly when it arrived.

Mural in Kanab Utah weary wagon train travelers-min

It was a long journey, and some walked much of the way…

Mural in Kanab Utah welcoming party at Fort Kanab-min

Shooting the breeze at the trading post

Back in the glory days of Hollywood, Kanab played host to visiting celebrities making movies, but today it is a tourist town. It isituated conveniently between three of America’s major National Parks: Grand Canyon (North Rim), Zion and Bryce Canyon.

It is also close to Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Cedar Breaks, Lake Powell, Horseshoe Bend and Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

Kanab Utah is near many national parks-min

Kanab is conveniently located in between many gorgeous places.

Over in the town park the 4th of July festivities were in full swing when we walked up. The lush green grass and the vibrant red rock backdrop were beautiful, and the mood was decidedly festive and upbeat.

Kanab has a beautiful town park and the party was well underway when we got up there.

Red, white a blue stencils of all kinds had been spray painted on the grass, and lots of people were decked out in stars and stripes.

4th of July party in the park Kanab Utah-min

An old windmill honors Kanab’s ranching history.

Everyone was wearing red, white a blue, and some outfits were really cute!

Tents were set up with all kinds of beautiful arts and crafts for sale, and the food court was humming.

There were arts and crafts and food galore!

The most fun — and coolest — spot to be was near (or in) the water fountain. The water jets sprayed on and off in all directions, and the kids had a blast.

What a great way to cool off!

Buddy wasn’t sure what to make of the constantly moving streams of water, but he was grateful for a drink from Mark’s helping hand.

It was a wonderful and hearwarming day and a great way to celebrate the 4th of July. If your travels take you near Kanab, Utah, on Independence Day some year, stop on by. This town puts on a wonderful celebration!

4th of July Celebration Kanab Utah-min (1)

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