Backtracking is the name of the game – for today anyway.

October 14, 2013

Backtracking is the name of the game – for today anyway.

With the national parks and monuments back open in Utah we find ourselves backtracking again just to see some sights we missed a few days ago north of our campsite at Sand Island.  We’re on our way to Natural Bridges National Monument for a day of hiking. 

We drive back up Highway 191 to Blanding and head west on Highway 95.  Along 95 we come upon Mule Canyon Indian Ruins – right along the road.  Very nice.

The visitor center has but a few cars in it.  We stop in, talk with the ranger, and purchase a National Parks Passport book so we can date stamp our "passport" at each park we visit.  The park road is one-way from this point, making a big loop around to overlooks and trails to the natural bridges.  We keep right and head down Bridge View Drive.

Sipapu, Kachina, and Owachomo.

The park has 3 of the largest natural bridges in the world, and all are visible from overlooks along the road.  Natural Bridges became a national monument in 1908, and after having a short series of names through the years, the Hopi names were finally settled on in 1909.

Sipapu Bridge.

The name means “the place of emergence”.  The Hopis believed this to be an entryway by which their ancestors came into this world.

We look down upon Sipapu Bridge.  What a dramatic view.

We definitely want to see this from the bottom looking up.  We hit the trail … and the ladders.

A respite from the trail, we wonder along this massive overhang and view the bridge of this perspective.

Back on the trail, the bridge becomes more defined as we trudge down the rocky path.

The last two ladders and we’re nearly there.

Directly beneath the arch, I stare upward.  Magnificent!

We walk down the canyon a little way to get a new angle.

Around a bend in the canyon there is standing water from the recent rain.

 A tangle of debris caught in this cottonwood tree from rushing water is far above our heads.  Perhaps 12’-15’ above the canyon floor.  Not the place to be during or after a rain.

Starting back up the trail, we see this elderly couple pecking their way down into the canyon.  I’m a little fearful for them, but they seem to be doing just fine.

They made it down … and there they go!  Whew!  Now they just have to get back out of here somehow!

It’s a cool day so the climb back out of the canyon is not too strenuous.

Back up the rocky trail, up the ladders, and back in the Jeep.

Kachina Bridge.

This bridge is named for rock art on the bridge that resembles symbols frequently used on kachina dolls.

It’s a short hike to the overlook where you can see not only the bridge, but also the Horsecollar Ruin sight tucked beneath the cliffs in the canyon.

Jack, always with a sharp eye out for danger, watches for lighting as we walk back to the Jeep.

Owachomo Bridge.

The Hopi meaning is "rock mound," a feature atop the bridge's east abutment.

We hike down the short 4/10 of a mile trail and take a few pictures.

Natural Bridges is a very nice park.  You can actually hike down into White Canyon and meander through the canyon trails, walking beneath all 3 bridges in a day’s time.  That would be a great plan for another day.  Today has been long enough.  We’re on our way back to Bluff for dinner at the Twin Rocks Café.  We hear it’s great. 

Goosenecks, Moki Dugway, and Valley of the Gods.

October 13, 2013

We have a big day planned with our route taking us to Goosenecks State Park, the Moki Dugway, and circling back through the Valley of the Gods.

We head west from Sand Island on Highway 163 then turn north onto 261 and follow the signs for Goosenecks State Park (Road 316).  What an amazing place! 

This is the longest entrenched river meander in North America.  The river weaves through the canyon for more than 6 miles, but advances toward Lake Powell only 1-1/2 miles.  I won’t bore you with the geological details, but their formation is fascinating.  Check it out online.  River runners take 5 – 6 day float trips from Mexican Hat to Lake Powell through this beautiful meander.  Can you imagine the view from down there?

What is a dugway, anyway?

Back on Highway 261 we drive north until we reach the Moki Dugway, an 11% grade gravel road.  A “dugway” is a road or trail along a hillside that is dug out to provide a path for transportation.  The Moki Dugway was built back in the 1950’s by Texas Zinc Minerals to provide a route for uranium ore to be hauled from Cedar Mesa to the mill near Mexican Hat.  For us, it’s an exciting drive up switchbacks.  Here we are starting up the dugway.  You can see Highway 261 in the distance.

The winding road far below goes through Valley of the Gods.

Looking out across Valley of the Gods.

Switchbacks below us.

At the top we enjoy the view, and then slowly make our way back down and turn left on to Road 202 into the Valley of the Gods.

Valley of the Gods – A miniature Monument Valley.

We drive through the towering sandstone formations all with fanciful names, but we don’t know what’s what.  Since there are no signs – it’s a guessing game.  They are still beautiful even though, for us, they shall remain nameless.

The “native surface road suitable for high clearance vehicles” is like a roller coaster, which is pretty fun until we top a blind hill to a stopped SUV barely over the crest of the hill.  The driver has a terrified look on his face and both his hands plastered up against the windshield with fingers splayed in a “stop” fashion.  I’m glad Jack’s behind the wheel today.  He gets stopped while we both gripe about dumb drivers.    

The other 3 SUV occupants come waddling over to the road.   The ladies say in unison, “We found a desert toad.  Can you believe it?  We found a desert toad.”

I’m thinking, “Are you crazy?  We nearly smashed the living daylights out of your husband!  What are you talking about a toad for?”

All I can manage to muster is, “Okay, well that’s good.”

We move past them, look at each other, and just roll our eyes.  Jack has a little "i-phone quotation book" we have fun with.  This quote kind of sums up our thoughts of these folks.

Quote: “It may be that your sole purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others.”

More nameless formations.  This one from the west, and then the north.

These next 2 pictures are of the same formation.  Most women understand about "Fat Days" and "Skinny Days".  This is what we're talking about. 

More lovely formations.

That takes care of our long day on the road.  Until next time - be safe.

The Utah national parks and monuments are open. Hovenweep – here we come.

October 12, 2013

A morning at Sand Island Campground.

Early morning steam rises off the San Juan River.

And our camp neighbors are having breakfast and preparing for their float trip down to Mexican Hat.

Before making the trip to Hovenweep, we walk over to the Sand Island Petroglyphs which are right next to the campground.

Back at our campsite, more “river runners” float by.  Lots of Dads with their little ones.

This Dad is letting his young son row the boat – all by himself.

Off they go on their adventure.

What fun!

Utah opens their national parks and monuments – and Utah pays the bill.

Last night people at the visitor center told us that all the national parks and monuments in Utah would be open today.  We pack a lunch and get on our way for a great day at Hovenweep National Monument.   

                                                   

Wild things.

Today I drive – Jack rides.  He keeps a lookout for wildlife. 

He glances back where we came from and says, “I think I saw some wild goats!”

I find a place to turn around, drive back, pull off as best as I can on the narrow shoulder, and get out with my camera.  We spot the goats and slowly approach for a good picture.  Suddenly, up leaps a dog – their protector – and starts barking as us!

Wild goats?  Not this time.  Now that’s embarrassing.  We scurry back to the Jeep hoping no one sees a couple of silly Texans taking pictures of domestic goats.  I swing onto the highway and race away. 

We turn off Highway 162 onto Road 5066/402, then onto Road 401where we are forced to stop for wild horses.

This is open range country, so I suppose they’re not wild, but belong to someone who lives out here in the absolute middle of nowhere.

We continue down Road 401 until we get to Route 2422/N5069/413/213, which is also, Hovenweep Road.  I think this has to be the right way.  Thank goodness for our Utah Benchmark map or we would surely be lost by now.

A few miles later we reach the entrance to Hovenweep – CLOSED!  We’ve driven 50 miles to a closed national monument.  

When life gives you lemons …

As the saying goes, “When life gives you lemons – make lemonade.”  Well, we packed a lunch.  This looks like as good a place as any to have a picnic.

While we are picnicking against the bumper of the Jeep, a ranger comes driving down the road from inside the park.  She’s very pleasant, apologizing for the inconvenience, “But Hovenweep was not on the list of parks and monuments to open today.”  She is one of the “essential Federal employees” required to show up for work during the shutdown.  She’s on her way to pick up mail some 10 miles away – now that’s essential.  And of course, to protect the monument from people like Jack and me.  Really – although she didn’t mention us by name.

She drives over the cattle guard and locks the gate.  We help her reposition the barricade that is meant to keep us out.  She tells us there are other access points into Hovenweep that are not blocked off.  We get directions.  She heads south to the post office – we head to north to the ruins.

Horseshoe, Hackberry, and Holly.

The narrow dirt access road is easy to find.  We turn right and start down the road leading to the Horseshoe, Hackberry, and Holly ruins. 

We follow the trodden path, and when that runs out we follow the cairns across the solid rock surface.

Horseshoe Tower – Our first ruin overlooking the canyon below.

Horseshoe House is perched on the edge of a cliff.

Hackberry Pueblo – the sign says 500 yards beyond Horseshoe House.  That's the equivalent of 5 football fields out – and another 5 football fields back.  Then the hike back to the Jeep – in the heat.  We make the trek, but are unimpressed with the ruins.  What can I say?

We walk the 5 football fields back to Horseshoe House ... and the distance back to the road.  Bummer!

Then we reach Holly Ruins - JACKPOT!

Farther down the single lane road we come to the Holly ruins.  Now this was worth the trip.  These ruins are dramatic.  Our initial view from the east.

The following picture is the ruin in the foreground of the preceding picture looking down through the canyon.  It looks like it could have been a lookout tower with access up the rock and through the door in the back side. This is the north view.

Tower from the west view.  Notice the sheer rock walls it’s been built on.

Another building on the west side of the ruins, viewed first from the north and then the south.  The roof timbers are still in place.

Notice the ruin on the right side built upright on a tipping boulder.

All I can say is, "Simply amazing!"

 

I check our Benchmark looking for a short cut back to Sand Island.  Got it!

Back down Route 2422/N5069/413/213, turn right instead of left onto 401, take a quick left onto the Old Aneth Cutoff, wind around, up, and down until you come to the 4-way intersection of this gravel road, continue straight ahead onto Road 405 and wind through the Aneth Oil Field (really, it’s an oil field) until you finally come out again on Highway 162.  Turn west and head back to Bluff.  Short cut?  Ah, no!  But what a fantastic day.