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Southwest National Parks - 2018
Grand Canyon to
Canyonlands & Arches
Day 6 - April 25
Highway 64 from Grand Canyon to Cameron -
Humphrey's Peak
Indian roadside markets - we saw many of these
Little Colorado River canyon
Lizard
The Navajo American flag
The famous Cameron Trading Post
You can find anything Indian here
Including delicious Navajo Fry Bread - with honey, cinammon and powdered sugar!
The trail to Horseshoe Bend, near Page
Lake Powell
Horsheoe Bend, Colorado River
Boat on the Bend
Near Kayenta, Arizona
In Utah the rest of the trip!
Bluff, Utah - pretty little town
Mushroom Rock, near Moab
Wilson Arch, near Moab
Canyonlands & Arches
Day 7 - April 26
Colorado River in Moab
Entering Canyonlands, Islands in the Sky District
The Monitor & The Merrimac
The Mesa Arch Trailhead
Views from the Mesa Arch Trail
Mesa Arch
No filming the other side of Mesa Arch - it sits on the precipice
The view through the arch is spectacular
Beyond the arch
Notice the morning lighting under the arch
It's prohibited, but you could easily climb on top of the arch and walk across. Pass
Can't stop looking
Candlestick Tower Overlook
Looking down at a canyon that has another canyon in it
It's fascinating how quickly the landscape changes
Grand View Trail, at the end of the 18-mile scenic drive
The trail is almost all rock, and follows the cliffside 3 miles around the corner on the left
Islands in the Sky is a narrow plateau, sitting high above the plateau below, which then has deep canyons carved into it
The end of Grand View Trail is the end of the Islands in the Sky plateau. There are views in many directions
Looking back toward the Grand View Trailhead
Lone tree
Close to the Edge
White Rim Road winds through much of the lower plateau. It is easily accessible by 4x4 vehicles, but no off-road vehicles are allowed
Grand View Trail is truly grand
Green River Overlook
Is that Half Dome?
Remarkable
Upheaval Dome Trail
Upheaval Dome - the land has been turned inside out
Whale Rock
Shafer Canyon Overlook. Shafer Canyon Road hooks up with White Rim Road
Mushroom rock on Shafer Canyon Overlook
Shafer Canyon
SUV on Shafer Canyon Road
Shafer Canyon Overlook
La Sal Mountains in the background
Outside the park - on the way to Dead Horse Point State Park
Dead Horse Point State Park, with a view of the La Sal Mountains
Dead Horse Point, and the meandering Colorado River
Canyonlands & Arches
Colorado River Rafting
Day 8 - April 27
Today we float down the Colorado River!
Taken from the van on our way to the drop-in point. A taste of the countryside we will pass through
Hittle Bottom Campground, where our float begins
Christy, our guide and pilot, giving us safety instructions
The only two floaters for the first half of the day. There are two kayakers who are with us
Off we go! The float will take about 7 hours; we'll travel about 25 miles, heading west toward Moab
The flow this year is very low, about a quarter of average for late April.
We will traverse 4 or 5 rapids, but they are all quite tame
Beautiful red rock formations
Blue heron
I think she likes it!
Approaching the rapids
Our kayaking friends hit the rapids
The large rocks here came from a major rockslide that occurred just a few years ago
The kayakers want a second rapids ride; back they go!
Christy & Kathy
So red...
Our lunch spot
Arches National Park is on the right
One last rapids before our trip concludes - highly recommended!!
Canyonlands & Arches
Day 9 - April 28
Let's see some arches today!
The 18-mile scenic drive leading into Arches National Park
First stop is Delicate Arch, the signature arch in the park. There is a trail to the base of the arch, but it is long, difficult, and can get crowded. We decided to see it from the lower viewpoints and use our zoom lens
It's pretty early in the morning, so not too many people
I suppose it is "delicate" because it sits on the side of a hill
Devil's Garden Trail - a beautiful trail with amazing arches and other landscape. We'll be on this trail for awhile
A sandy beach tucked between two big sandstone rocks
Tunnel Arch
The trail between Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch
Pine Tree Arch
The pine trees of Pine Tree Arch
Back on the main trail
Landscape Arch. You're going to see a few pictures of this guy
Back on 18-Mile Drive. Skyline Arch
The trail to Sand Dune Arch is narrow and sandy
Sand Dune Arch
On the trail to Broken Arch
Broken Arch
Hi Ric!
Fiery Furnace
Panorama Point - La Sal Mountains in the distance
North Windows Arch
Unknown arch, just next to the Windows Arches
Turret Arch
Hi Ric!
Looking through Turret Arch to the two Windows Arches
North Windows Arch, South Windows Arch & Turret Arch
Windows Arches
South Windows Arch
South Windows Arch
North Windows Arch
Hi Kathy!
Windblown pompadour
Hi Ric & Kathy!!
Double Arch
Balanced Rock
Petrified Dunes
Courthouse Towers Viewpoint
Courthouse Towers
La Sal Mountains Viewpoint
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