Tag: national-parks

After 32 years, Jerry & I returned to Wyoming’s Grand Tetons National Park. We camped at Gros Ventre, situated amid a sagebrush prairie, beneath the cottonwoods. With almost 400 sites, the park provided opportunities to cycle and hike while moose grazed among the campsites.

Plans for kayaking Jenny Lake were exchanged for a hike after we found out the cost of permits—$80 for 2 kayaks. We parked at the Lupine Meadows trailhead and tramped to the lake , then followed the forested, rocky path, up and down, for 3 hours. A welcome lunch break was taken atop a large boulder with soothing sounds of a rushing river with small waterfall. Coming across a shuttle-boat landing further down the trail, the vote was unanimous to enjoy a relaxing 10 minute ride back to the south end of the lake.

We resumed our journey south after a hearty breakfast at the Virginian in Jackson. Following Hwy 89 we wound alongside the Snake River among mountains and valleys. An interesting evening was spent feeding alpacas, goats, chickens, and other critters at Harland Homestead. On 9/11 we contemplated that tragic day of 2001 and all who perished while rolling down the road to Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. Found an isolated spot to boondock off Notom-Bullfrog Rd, and then miraculously met up with our CA sailing friends near the closed visitor center without the assist of cell phones. Service is extremely limited here.

The highlight of our 3 days here was the partially paved Loop the Fold Rd. The all-day adventure in our jeep began on a dirt road leading across sandy gulches and through the Waterpocket Fold—a 100 mile wrinkle in the earth’s crust. Forces of erosion have sculpted the towering sandstone into wondrous shapes in vibrant shades of red, brown, ochre, and purple. We were addicted to discovering the surprise around each curve and didn’t stop until we’d completed the 115 mile scenic road at dusk.

The following day we’d planned to hike Grand Wash Trail. Sign at the trailhead: Dangerous flash floods can occur. If caught, climb to high ground.

That’s fine if you’re a mountain goat I thought as we trudged the narrow slot canyon with the sun beating down. After several rest stops in skimpy patches of shade, Jerry and I turned back while Steve and Susan proceeded a bit further. Thankfully all four of us chose to end the trek before conditions deteriorated. Back at the visitor center a crazy storm hit. I’m talking hail and torrential rain. When the squall subsided for enough visibility to drive back to camp, we encountered road conditions like the pictures above. Dry riverbeds became raging rivers, overflowing their banks and burnt sienna waterfalls poured over cliffs. What would our dirt road into our campsite be like? It turned out we were gratefully blessed 3 times: 1) The storm veered away from camp and our area was dry. 2) We had ended hiking early or might have become trapped or worse. 3) The Fruita Campground where we’d originally planned to camp had encountered major flooding.

So many trails were left to tramp, petroglyphs to contemplate, and vistas to admire, but we needed to move on to Horse Thief Campground, a US Forest Service area nestled between Arches and Canyonlands NPs. Our super-friendly camp host instructed us on how to obtain the necessary timed pass for the very popular Arches. We found the amount of people to be the only downside to this magical realm of arches, windows, and monolithic formations created from layers of sandstone.

Among our exploits: Hiking the Windows trail; a scenic drive past the Garden of Eden, Balanced Rock, and Elephant Butte to Delicate Arch viewpoint. Parking was a challenge at busy Devil’s Garden, but eventually found one and wandered a less populated passageway between fins, boulders, and hoodoos.

Escapades continued at the first of Canyonland’s first park—Islands in the Sky, a wide mesa sandwiched between the Green and Colorado Rivers. Its panoramic views offered glimpses of deep gorges and canyon walls reminiscent of the Grand Canyon. Ambled a couple of paths, not venturing too close to sharp vertical drop-offs. The night sky panoramas proved just as spectacular with a Milky Way glowing amid a lavish display of constellations, interrupted only by the occasional streak of a shooting star.

It was a shock to return to civilization, but drove into Moab for laundry duty, stocking up on supplies, and filling gas and water tanks. Steve forced us to stop at McDonalds for yummy mocha frappes, which I didn’t mind too much, before continuing on Hwy 191S to Hwy 211. Nine miles in, we paused at Canyonland’s Needles boundary to read the info signs. A local couple gave us directions to a nearby boondocking spot off the main road. With 30 miles to the park campground and being late afternoon, it sounded ideal. But 10 miles of weaving up Bear Ear mountain, we weren’t so sure as we parked on a large paved viewpoint. However, it did gift us with a beautiful sunset and rainbow the next morning. When we discovered one of the inner tires on our RV was almost flat, the obscure road turned out to be a real blessing. It led into the small town of Monticello. If we’d continued into the national park we would have been stranded without any facilities. By pure intuition (and guidance from above), we stopped at the Welcome Center/Frontier museum, which I highly recommend. The cheerful manager pointed us to Dependable Automotive, a couple of blocks away where the honest and experienced owner had us back on the road quickly. 

Whew—Made it to the Needles campground and obtained one of the last available campsites. Beneath sunny skies, surrounded by a red rock wilderness and vast sage-scented prairie, we admired the perfect view of Wooden Shoe Arch in the distance. Lively conversation accompanied taco salad and fresh melon slices our 1st evening.

The following morning we meandered the Slick Rock Canyon Trail, basically a walk on rock that’s marked by stone cairns. Atop this surreal landscape our attention drifted from potholes to sculptured pinnacles and a distant “hoodoo city.” The 2 hour hike turned into 4 with several breaks due to rising temps and lowering energy. We hadn’t brought enough water or food, but the thirst and low blood sugar we suffered was totally worth the experience. On our final evening, after a supper of broccoli casserole and the last of our garden tomatoes, we reclined beneath a blanket of stars in the dark Utah desert. We were privileged to witness the most amazing sight—Starlink’s satellite train, with at least 20 glowing orbs gliding across the sky. What a grand finale to our adventures in 3 of Utah’s captivating parks. We were disappointed not to have time to explore Canyonland’s 3rd and wildest region, The Maze. More remote and only accessible by 2-and-4-wheel drive, its canyons plunge 600 feet to trails that wander into a strange and quiet world of fins, grottoes, minarets and more. Hopefully we ‘ll be back to explore all of these areas and new ones. 

The final week of our journey included long drives, a couple of days with family in TN, and a half-day investigating portions of Mesa Verde NP, definitely not enough time. With binoculars we scrutinized extraordinary cliff dwellings, strolled some short paths, and studied museum artifacts plus early style homes dug into the ground. 

There’s just too much to see and do in our wonderful country and throughout the world. Even being retired doesn’t allow enough time. However, I’m grateful for each experience along life’s highways, byways, and off its beaten track.