Valley of Fire And Nevada

Valley of Fire State Park

Leaving Utah behind after seeing so much rugged and inspiring scenery, we heading westward once again. There was a point of interest the Camp Host back at Cave Creek had strongly suggested as well as on of the bloggers Cindy follows - Valley of Fire State Park. Located an hour or so NNE of Las Vegas, VOFSP was the first state park in the Nevada system, added from land set aside to build Boulder Dam (Hoover Dam). Lake Mead is just a few miles to the East of the park.

Valley of Fire - Arch Rock Campground

rig parked across the way!!! not a VW Westfalia!!

Set in a geologic area 500 million years old, VOFSP has stunning landscapes of red sandstone set against gray limestone and other materials. There are petrified logs of pine trees that are two or more feet in diameter, showing that tens of millions or years ago, the landscape was indeed much different that what we see today.

compare the size of the petrified log to the brush behind it

All sites are first come first serve, but since we were arriving on a Thursday morning in late March, we figured we would have a good chance to get on of the less than 50 sites in the park. After driving the small two lane black top road from I15 back to the Park Entrance, we were saddened to see "Campground Full" posted at the Ranger Station. The Ranger said "don't get your hopes up but you can go in and look", and at least for the nominal $10 fee to enter the park (not the $20 camping fee) we could drive around and see the sights. My sunny brain said, there will be sites coming available but.....who knows?? In we went, cruised through the first campground loop and indeed......it was full. On we drove to the second loop about half a mile beyond, and there was a site!!! You could see the dry outline of where the camper must have just left (it was drizzling at the time). We pulled up, I hopped out and paced off the site and YES!! Winnie's 32 ft will fit with just enough room for Jeep parked sideways in front (I needed to move the picnic table to achieve this). Cindy directed me into the site and just as we were getting ready to call it our home for the night, a better site opened up across the way. Cindy walked over to claim it while I drove around to it and minutes later , we were settled in for the one day stay we had planned.

once again - thanks to the men of the CCC for providing us with great places

Loading Cooper and CJ into Jeep, along with  a packed lunch and water, off we went to hike and drive the park and see the sights. You may think "more red rocks??" but again, these were much different that anything we had ever seen. See what you think.

located in a canyon "-Mouse's Tank", hundreds of petroglyphs!!

amazing rock layers - hundreds of millions of years old

check out all the holes!

typical red sandstone formation at VOFSP

If you are in the Vegas area, and camping, this is less that an hour North of the city and just off I15. A 1-2 day s stay would be all that is needed, unless you want to do some serious hiking. We took 4 hours and were satisfied with what we accomplished and saw. From the campsites, you are surrounded by the red rock formations and the views they afford. There are excursions from Vegas if you are not in camping mode that you can take as well to see the sights.

On our way out the next morning, we were fortunate enough to have a herd of Big Horn Sheep cross just in front of us!

Big Horn Sheep center right edge of picture

more to come

a tip of the hat to the Aliens

interesting!!

take care

Cooper and CJ

Dead Horse Point State Park, Canyonlands NP and Arches NP

Dead Horse State Park, Canyonlands NP and Arches NP - Moab Utah

Driving eastward from Capitol Reef NP to Moab, Utah took half a day, but it was well worth the trip. Located in the immediate area of Moab are two National Parks, a great State Park, sites of several famous movies (Indiana Jones, Thelma and Louise, Stagecoach) and for those inclined, great Jeeping and ATV riding. Our stay for the week was at Dead Horse Point State Park, twenty miles out on a mesa, with the Colorado River Gorge behind it. This is a great place and hard to believe it is not a National Park. The scenery is fabulous and we were fortunate enough to get one of the only 21 sites for our stay.

our first thoughts were - WOW!!!!

sights like this abound

There is no water up on the mesa, it has to be trucked in, so while our site had 50 AMP electric, no water. We made sure we had our tank full before coming in, along with our blue 5 gal can and a case of bottled water. A week is a long time.

our site at DHPSP - GREAT!

After setting up, including connecting the power, there was time and daylight to go see more of DHPSP. Everyone in the Jeep and off we went. The photos just don't do it justice.

lots of Jeep trails down there!!!

takes your breath away

The next morning we drove over the four -five miles to Canyonlands NP. Sharing the same gorge cut by the Colorado and Green rivers, CNP if also breathtaking. the Visitor Center offers maps, a movie worth seeing and a small museum. The movie points out that in the early 1960's the area was shown to Stewart Udall and proposed as a site for damming the  Colorado River. Udall got it set aside as a National Park!!!!

Arch at Canyonlands

view through the arch

Buttes and Mesas abound

glad this didn't get covered in water

Days were warmish and the nights cool. The sky in southern Utah is amazing for star gazing and most of the National Parks offer the occasional star party as did Dead Horse Point SP, which I attended. All good stuff. During the days we explored in the Jeep, worked on the blog at the Moab Library, while Cindy did the laundry and visited the last National Park on our list - Arches National Park.  Once again a trip to the Visitors Center, catch the great movie about the park and off to explore. This is a drive through and or hiking park. We did it fairly well ( considering it was off season) in about 3 hours. You could do 2 days there in season if you are fortunate enough to get in. Keep in mind these formations are hundreds of feet high!!

3 Gossips at Arches NP

balancing rock at Arches NP

Hundreds of arches to be seen

Turret Arch

Window Arch

That wraps up our stay in southern Utah. It was more that we had hoped for and we could easily see returning for more adventures in the future - perhaps some river rafting and more Jeeping???

Shaffer Trail- goes just below/beside Dead Horse Point State Park

Hundreds of miles of Jeep/ATV trails

Thelma and Louise Point, Moab Utah

take care

Cooper and CJ

Capitol Reef NP

Capitol Reef National Park Utah

As mentioned in the previous posting, there are 5 major national Parks in Southern Utah. Capitol Reef National Park may be the least known one of the group. We knew of it, but weren't planning on stopping by until I happened to talk to a couple our age while hiking at the Emerald Pool in Zion. It was directly on our way to our next stop, half way more or less and we could reserve a site!

Starting off in the late 1930's as a National Monument ( the president has the power to just create those, Congress has to create National Parks) Capitol Reef is a the name associated with a 100 mile long fold in the  earth that left a reef like rock barrier to early pioneers.

Capitol Reef Campsite - next to original orchards and general store from original settlers that sells pies!!

Like Zion, the area was settled in the second half of the 1800's by Mormon farmers and their orchards thrive to this day. We were able to book a site on line using Recreation.Gov and after driving the 150+ miles eastward from Zion, we arrived mid afternoon in time to check in, watch the 15 minute movie (they are all good folks!) setup camp for our 1 night stay and go explore!

The rock layers are dramatic

contrasts abound

many small roads lead back to  canyons where you can proceed on foot

Jeep was nice but not mandatory for access

water carved rock formations are a dominant feature

again , time to look skyward

Capitol Dome rock

After our afternoon trip and setting in for the night (a small herd of Mule Deer were doing the same across the road in the orchard) we anxiously awaited the Season opening of the general store at 8AM! The Park maintenance guy had told me the pies were excellent! I am always in search of good apple pie and at 8AM I was in line to get our pie and a cinnamon roll along with a cup of coffee. BREAKFAST! (my dad wouldn't not have approved, but what's the difference between pie and a Danish?) Most excellent and Cindy and I returned for two more pies and some Salsa. All good stuff. One guy was there and bought 27 pies at once - there is a surcharge after 3 pies!! A perfect way to wrap up our stay!

original building houses general store - just opened for 2018 the morning after we arrived

Apple pie, sourdough bread, salsa - yummy!

til next time, take care

Cooper and CJ

Zion National Park - Utah

Zion National Park -Utah

After leaving Page, Arizona, we headed West through some beautiful landscapes (and a stone chipped  RV windshield) to Springdale, Utah,  home of Watchman Campground in Zion National Park. Zion is a breathtaking rocky canyon carved by the Virgin River in southwest Utah and one of 5 major National Parks in Southern Utah. Approximately 4 million people visit Zion annually to hike its’ numerous trails (one of which- The Narrows, goes up the Virgin River stream bed in normal conditions) from the valley floor to the tops of the various named rock out croppings, an elevation change of 3000 to 4000’ is all around to enjoy and inspire. We arrived at the South entrance late in the afternoon, after swinging by Safelite Autoglass in St George to have the chip repaired, and using our Senior Lifetime National Parks pass, moved into site A3 in Watchman Campground for the next 5 days.  Setting up camp, putting out chairs, grill, dog bed (bought for Cooper, claimed by CJ) and we were ready to relax and take in the view.

Watchman Campground, ZNP - electric only. 

like Yosemite NP, Zion is very vertical!!

the main canyon goes back for miles!

Our first full day was filled by driving to the far end of the park and hiking The Riverwalk trail, 2.2 miles along the Virgin river. Beautiful. (Btw, we could drive out there as this was the last day the park shuttles were not running). The temps were in the low 40’s which made for great hiking. Then we hopped in the Jeep and drove to Zion Lodge to check it out and buy a snack.

the Virgin River did the carving of this canyon!

We planned to incorporate the drive to nearby Bryce Canyon National Park in our Zion stay, and this was the day to fit it in. (Bryce was forecasted to receive snow starting Sunday!) The drive took us out Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, Utah Rt 9, up the canyon walls on a cut into the hillside and through a mile long tunnel and through some more beautiful scenery.

dusting of snow brings out the  checkerboard pattern on rock face

lots of interesting red rock formations to behold!

The trip over Rt 9 to Rt 89 to Rt 12 took us through varied landscapes , any number of which we would be happy to call home. 90 miles later we were checking in at BCNP and beginning the 15+ mile drive to Rainbow Point at 9115 ft!

get ready for what is just behind the trees!

Again, as you gain elevation, you change environments and once again , as we had first experienced down in Texas at Big Bend NP, we went from brush to full conifer and deciduous forests. This time in several inches of snow. The road was in great condition and we parked the Jeep, cracked the windows for Cooper and CJ and walked 50 yards to be amazed!!!

this arch presented a nice photo op

Bryce has thousands of these Hoodoos!

Bryce is breathtaking - plan for 1 day-(2 days if hiking)

Millions of years of erosion have created a most dramatic landscape of Hoodoos, colors and arches,

harder rock layer on top helps create Hoodoos!

On the way back from Rainbow Point, we pulled in a most of the scenic overlooks and did The short hike at Bryce Point. All views are on the same side of the road, so as you drive out to Rainbow point they are on your left. We hit them on the return to the visitor center- no traffic to cross!

Driving back to camp the same route and stopping for gas at Mount Carmel, saw us arrive just before 5pm and with the  temps in the upper 60’s we again sat outdoors and enjoyed the remaining sunlight before dinner.  Of course, Cooper and CJ got their regular rounds through the campground and even across the bridge to the small cluster of shops and outfitters. I was asked by a young man what kind of dog Cooper is (we get that alot) and then he asked where we were from. I said Pennsylvania and he replied my buddy is from Pa. where in Pa? Lancaster County. He’s from Lancaster County. He steered me over to one of the Outfitter Shops, went in got his buddy, who graduated from Manheim Township H S. Again a small world.

We heard from Cindy’s neice Candy, that they had arrived at their hotel at the edge of the park and we  would be seeing them late in the day Saturday after the hiking was done.

Saturday was again a sunny day. Starting out shortly after 8am, we walked over and caught the park shuttle (first day of operation for the new year) out to The Grotto. There we begain our 3 miles of hiking to the Zion Lodge and Emerald Pool. All of the trails in Zion are sans pets save one, so Cooper and CJ got to chill out during our outings.  We would save the pet friendly Pa'rus trail for later on.

small waterfall at Lower Emerald Pool

We kept taking the  easier hikes, including the Weeping Rock. Rode there on the  free Park Shuttle, toke the short hike. to where the  rock appears to be weeping due to the moistures seeping down through the layers hits a denser layer and forces the water out.

Weeping Rock - water seeping year round, a short hike form the  shuttle

On the way back to the campground, we hopped off the shuttle at the Park Museum and viewed the 15 minute movie on the Park. We try to see all the movies at the parks as they have all been extremely well done and informative. Zion was relatively well know by man for some time, with the earlier native peoples , then Piute's, then Mormons taking turns farming the area. Zion became nationally know in the early 1900s after an artist painted the canyon and displayed his works at a big art show back East. People couldn't believe such a place actually existed and started visiting Zion to see for themselves. National Park status came shortly afterwards.

There is a small commercial area springing up just outside the Park entrance and only a few hundred yards form the campground. Here you can get all the gear needed for your hiking adventures, a Latte, basic groceries, take showers and do the laundry. There is also a Brew Pub!

Great place to be on a beautiful day!

All good things must come to an end and we had one more item on our list. To take CJ on the  1.5 mile dog friendly Pa'rus Trail. Cindy drove out to the far end and dropped us off (she surprised us later near the beginning along with Cooper). CJ and I had our water, a must in the dessert! and off we went!

Pa'rus trail goes through the valley beside Virgin River

Cindy and Cooper met us along the way!

some things can't be improved upon

Our stay here at Zion NP was terrific and offered plenty of sights and hiking of all levels to be enjoyed. A stay here off season such as we experienced was tremendous as we did not have to experience waiting for anything and yet the weather was most enjoyable in the  60's and low 70's and plenty of sunshine! A 5 day stay would be nice, a four day stay OK and you can still fit in a visit to Bryce Canyon NP during that time. 

There are more National Parks to come but til then take care!

Cooper and CJ