SOUTHEASTERN UTAH SUMMARY
Day 1 - I loaded up Gandalf and off we went. I broke up the long drive from Boulder to the Utah border with a hike at the Trail Through Time with its dinosaur fossils. I spent the night in the parking lot of the Utah Welcome Center just before Thompson Springs.
Day 2 - I drove down to Canyonlands National Park's Island in the Sky section. I did numerous overlooks and hikes including Whale Rock, Upheaval Dome, Grand View rim walk and Mesa Arch. Unfortunately heavy rains sent me back to the campground in the afternoon where I stayed warm and dry in the minivan. No wet tent for me!
Day 3 - Due to the continued rain, I switched my schedule around and spent the day doing indoor stuff. After a few final scenic views of Canyonlands, I continued south. I took a tour of the Hole N' The Rock home (a massive cave blasted into the rock in the 1930s), then in Blanding I visited the Edge of the Cedars Museum as well as The Dinosaur Museum (which had a small model of my most favorite dinosaur of all time... Macha from the movie "Caveman"). I parked overnight at the Devil's Canyon campground.
Day 4 - The rain finally stopped in the morning, so I headed over the mountains to the Needles section of Canyonlands. I marvelled at the amazing petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock, then did several gorgeous hikes... Big Spring Canyon, Slickrock trail, Pothole Point trail and Cave Spring trail. And let's not forget a view of Wooden Shoe arch! I stayed at a remote campground just outside the park and had my first shower in several days! I made sure to get up in the middle of the night to enjoy the magnificent Milky Way overhead!
Day 5 - I did a bigger hike in the morning to the Chesler Park Viewpoint before driving down to Bluff, where I visited the impressive fort, packed full of Mormon history. I parked in a campground along the river at Sand Island and also enjoyed the petroglyphs there.
Day 6 - I set out for Natural Bridges National Monument and hiked down to all three of the bridges (Sipapu... where I met a rattlesnake, Kachina and Owachomo) plus saw some old cliff dwellings. I then visited a few of the other sites in the Bears Ears National Monument area including a steep climb to the top of Salvation Knoll and seeing the Mule Canyon kiva. I spent the night off of an abandoned airstrip.
Day 7 - On my way out, I did a short walk to the Butler Wash Ruins. I then toured the extensive ruins at Hovenweep. In Dolores, I was hoping to visit the Canyon of Ancients museum but it was closed. I could still do the outside walk though, with yet more ruins. I spent the night at the Walmart parking lot in Cortez.
Day 8 - I returned to Dolores to do the museum, then set off on the long drive home over the mountains. The fall color was spectacular and I even saw a moose! I grabbed my first warm meal at the iconic Coney Island hot dog stand (which is shaped like an actual hot dog!) in Bailey. I had a scrumptious veggie dog. Total miles: 1,428.