CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK

We left Capitol Reef on Monday, June 16 and headed for Bullfrog, stopping in Hanksville on our way to do grocery shopping. Bullfrog is located on Bullfrog Bay of Lake Powell in the Glen Canyon National Recreation area. We were originally going to cross Bullfrog Bay on the ferry to continue our trip on SR-276; however, after going down to the loading docks and finding out it would cost around $35 for the trip, we decided we wouldn't go that way.

We decided to camp the night at either Bullfrog Bay North or Bullfrog Bay South, but those two campground were closed. Therefore, we continued up Notom-Bullfrog Road and camped at the Bullfrog Creek Overlook. We were the only ones there and had a great view of the Waterpocket Fold, the Henry Mountains, and, of course, Bullfrog Creek.

The next day, we back tracked on SR-276 to its junction with SR-95, then continued south on SR-95. We ended up at Kampark in Blanding where we spent a couple of days so that we could catch up on laundry and grocery shopping. Earl also washed the truck while we were in Blanding.

On Thursday, we left Blanding and drove to the Dalton Spring Campground in the Manti-La Sal National Forest west of Monticello -- $4 per day with our Golden Age Passport. No hookups, but water is available. There were deer which were around, and came very close to the RV. In fact, Maxx and one deer came almost nose to nose!













The next day, we drove to Canyonlands National Park, stopping at Newspaper Rock State Historical Monument on our way. Newspaper Rock has over 300 petroglyphs made by peoples of several different tribes including Anasazi, Fremont, Paiute, and Ute.














Canyonlands consists of 527 miles of wilderness in the Colorado Plateau. The Green and Colorado Rivers have carved flat layers of sedimentary rock into hundreds of canyons, mesas, buttes, fins, arches, and spires. The park is divided into 3 distinct districts: Island in the Sky, The Maze, and The Needles (there is a smaller Horseshoe Canyon Unit which is disconnected from the Park and to its west). The Maze District is west of the Colorado and Green Rivers and is ranked as one of the most remote and inaccessible sections in the U.S. It takes a 4-wheel drive vehicle to visit most parts of this district, so we did not visit this part of the park.

The Needles District is located east of the Colorado River, and consists of a landscape of rock spires, arches, canyons, grabens, and potholes. The dominant land form are The Needles themselves -- rock pinnacles banded in red and white. Like Arches National Park, The Needles District has a large collection of natural rock spans, many of which can be seen only if you take some of the 4-wheel drive roads. We, of course, stayed on the main, paved road through the park. We were, however, able to see the Wooden Shoe Arch (pictured below).

On Saturday, we drove into Monticello so that Earl could go golfing at the Hideout Golf Club. I went along, taking my computer, so that I could get online and do some surfing while Earl was golfing (didn't have a signal on our cell phone up at the campground).

The Needles District:


















We left Monticello on Sunday, June 22, and drove to Goose Island, a BLM campground east of Moab on SR-128 ($5 per day with the Golden Age Passport. No hookups, but drinking water is available about a mile from the campground). We backed into a spot overlooking the Colorado River. On the far side of the river were tall cliffs that are part of Arches National Park -- which was nice, because it was hot while we were in Moab (90s - 100s), but we were in the shade of the cliffs by 5 or 5:30 each day, which cooled things off quite a bit. We did run our generator during the afternoon, however, so that we could turn on the A/C for awhile.

Before arriving at the campground, we stopped to view Wilson Arch and Lopez Arch. Lopez Arch isn't actually an arch (yet); rather, it's what's referred to as a "window." We also stopped at Hole 'n the Rock House, a house carved out of the cliffs.

Wilson Arch:

Lopez Arch:











Hole 'n the Rock House:











That evening, we went out to dinner at La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant.

While we were in Moab, we did laundry and grocery shopping, bought a GPS unit, had breakfast at Breakfast at Tiffiny's, lunch at Poplar Place, and Earl went golfing at Moab Golf Club.

We also ended up with a mouse in our fifth wheel -- the first one we've ever had! We figured it must have come up the electrical cord we had attached to the generator (the cord curls up in a box under the kitchen sink). The first thing we noticed was that the dog food bag, which we kept under the sink had a small hole in the bottom. The first day, I didn't really think anything about it. The next day, the hole was bigger, and there were small pieces of the bag on the floor. Earl bought a mouse trap which we at first baited with cheese. The mouse was able to eat the cheese without tripping the trap, so I jammed a piece of dry dog food into it (since the mouse apparently liked the dog food). The next morning, we had the mouse!

We also took a trip to the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park. Island in the Sky is a broad, level mesa which lies between the Colorado and the Green Rivers. Closest to the mesa's edge is the White Rim, a nearly continuous sandstone bench 1,200 feet below the Island. Another 1,000 feet beneath the White Rim are the rivers. The views were magnificent, but pictures don't do it justice.

Island in the Sky District:

CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK

We left Duck Creek Campground on Thursday, June 12, and drove 95 miles to the Broken Bow RV Camp in Escalante. This is a Good Sam park which cost $16.65 for a full hookup site after the GS discount. We did laundry at the laundromat in the park, and then went out to dinner at the Prospector Restaurant.

The next day we continued our trip on SR-12 (which starts at its junction with US-89 south of Panguitch and ends at its junction with SR-24 at Torrey). The part of SR-12 from Escalante to Torrey has some of most awesome scenery of almost any road we've driven! If you drive this road, be sure to stop at the viewpoints, particularly the Head of Rocks overlook, and the Homestead overlook. The pictures below simply do not do the views justice. From the Homestead overlook at an elevation of more than 9,400 feet, you can see the Waterpocket Fold of Capitol Reef and the northern part of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument -- fabulous! The Head of Rocks overlook is interesting for its stark, moonscape appearance.

Head of Rocks Overlook:

Another view along SR-12











Homestead Overlook:











We stopped to have lunch at the Burr Trail Grill in Boulder -- we would recommend this restaurant to anyone!

From Boulder, you can take the Burr Trail east to the Waterpocket Fold, descend the Fold, and either go north on the Notom-Bullfrog Road to Capitol Reef, or south to Bullfrog on Bullfrog Bay which is part of Lake Powell in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. DO NOT, however, take a trailer, fifth wheel, or large RV on this road, particularly if you are planning on descending the Waterpocket Fold -- an automobile or a SMALL Class B or Class C is the largest vehicle that should make this trip! We will describe the trip we made from Capitol Reef down the Notom-Bullfrog Road and up the Waterpocket fold below.

We spent the night at the Singletree Campground in the Dixie National Forest -- $5 per night with the Golden Age Passport. No hookups, but water is available. This campground is north of the Homestead Overlook, and also has a view of Capitol Reef and Grand Staircase Escalante.

The next day, we continued on to Capitol Reef, staying at the Fruita Campground within the park -- $5.00 per day with the Golden Age Passport. No hookups, but water and a dump are available. This campground is located in the Fruita Historic District. Fruita was a Mormon settlement dating from the 19th century. There are apple, peach, cherry, pear, and apricot trees growing in and around the campground which were planted by the original Mormon settlers. You may pick and eat the fruit at no charge while visiting; however, there is a fee for fruit you take with you. Of course, we weren't there at the right time for any fruit to be ripe. There were quite a few deer wandering in the park -- we had some that were right outside the RV, which kept Maxx entertained!

After setting up, we took the Scenic Drive, a 25-mile round trip which follows the west face of the Fold, and leads into Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge, two deep, twisting, water-carved, sheer-walled canyons.

The Waterpocket Fold is made of many layers of sedimentary rock formed over hundreds of millions of years from sediment in seas, tidal flats, deserts, and other ancient environments. Then it was uplifted by the same forces that later uplifted the Colorado Plateau. Many of the uppermost layers of the ancient fold have been completely eroded away, leaving only a hint of the enormity of the Waterpocket Fold in its earlier days.

Capitol Reef National Park:


















On Sunday, we drove the Notom-Bullfrog Road to, and up, the Burr Trail switchbacks. This is the portion of the road that you would not want to take anything larger than an automobile up or down (maybe a very small Class B or Class C). This portion of the road is steep and the switchbacks are about 180 degree turns -- plus its a gravel road. We had lunch at the top and then turned around and came back to the campground. The views on this road are spectacular!

Views along Notom-Bullfrog Road: