Canyonlands

Today we went on an adventure to the north. We decided to check out Canyonlands National Park. If you look on the map you will notice that it covers a lot of territory and most of it is without roads. It is a VAST area of canyons, arroyos, needles, mushroom rocks, and indescribable beauty. But I am getting ahead of myself.

We started our trip by heading north on good old Hwy 191. US Route 191 traverses the country from north to south, through diverse country. It would be fun to someday drive the entire length. From our campsite it was only about 15 miles to Monticello, UT which is a small town of a couple of thousand. Stopping at the visitors center was a good idea because the friendly folks there were both fun to talk to and informative. They steered us to a great road that went straight west from the visitor center and went up and NE over the mountains through the Manta-LaSal National Forest. After a very pleasant 25 mile drive, we came to Hwy 211 and turned west. The canyon walls came up around us as the road curved this way and that. Soon we found Newspaper Rock State Park. This park is basically a rest area that has a large overhung rock panel that is filled with petroglyphs. A fence protects the art but allows you to get within 20 feet of the carvings. Many of the figures were new to us in subject and style which was fun to see. We saw several figures that resembled bison, also several of the people were mounted on horses which put the drawings later in time than those in the Petrified Forest area.

After Newspaper Rock SP it was more turns and twists, more scenic vistas, more stops for Kodak moments. After about 25 more miles we came to Canyonlands National Park, or at least one arm of it. About 2 miles past the entrance gate is the visitor center where we got some information, bought some postcards and had our packed picnic lunch. Food always tastes best when eaten outside and in scenic locations. While at the VC, I met the ranger who is in charge of interpretation and volunteer activities. We chatted about the volunteer opportunities that the park offers. I left with her card so that I can send her an email to get on her mailing list.

After lunch it was time to explore the area. How can I describe this place? You just have to go there and experience it for yourself. My photos will never do it justice. One can stand at a lookout, or climb atop a rock and gaze in all directions and see incredible beauty in every direction and then drive a mile or two and do it again. The opportunities for outdoor adventure are amazing. It surely made me wish I was young again so that I could hike more, ride more, get a jeep, etc. If I lived in this area, I would have a jeep. Utah is criss-crossed with four wheel drive roads going to some awesome sounding places. Even CNP has jeep roads that cross it. Evidently they are rated based on the Moab difficulty scale of 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, all the way up to 5. A “5” can have some nearly vertical portions. Hmmmm, can’t wait to do one of those. The one that we saw had a difficulty scale of 3.5 which is substantial, I think. I talked to a guide from “Moab Adventures” who told me about the road and the grading system. He had just come off the road with a jacked up fairly beat up Ford Excursion and had stopped to turn the front hubs back to free-wheeling.

Hovenweep

After leaving Mesa Verde, we headed basically west, through Cortez, CO and then over to Hovenweep National Monument. Another wonderful spot. It was occupied during the same time period as the other dwellings in the area, ie. Mesa Verde, Aztec, but the inhabitants were Puebloans who were masons who built some marvelous towers and built them on boulders on the edge of an isolated canyon. The built them well because they still stand today. There is a small but nice campground there that can accommodate large rigs but there are no hookups. A two mile round-trip trail allows you to get fairly close to several of the structures. It is a “must visit” place when you are in the four corners area. The night sky is amazing there as the nearest town is 45 miles away

Aztec and Mesa Verde

Monday morning, we left our friend’s house in Aztec, NM and drove the short distance to Aztec National Monument. Most national parks and monuments are “out in the country”. Not this one; it is about a half mile off the highway in a residential area. However, don’t let that fool you into thinking that it is not worth seeing. It is definitely a must see. The buildings and walls are well preserved and there are lots of them. The self-guiding trail brochure leads you thru and around most of one part of the structure and there are many doorways to go through and rooms to enter and pictures to take. The frosting on the cake, however is the recreated giant Kiva. The path leads you right into the Kiva. It was a sunny day so the light coming through the hole in the ceiling, plus the windows, gave the interior a peaceful, special feeling. It was like being in an ancient cathedral all by your self. Hushed. Sacred. We left silently and returned to the visitor center.

After leaving Aztec, we headed north on Hwy 550 which follows the Animas River as it comes from Colorado. In 15 miles we were in Colorado and in another 20 miles, Durango. It was amazing how the land changed as we drove north. We went from dry to moderate moisture, brown to green, poverty to prosperity in a manner of 30 miles. At Durango the road we wanted 160, turned west before we entered old Durango so we didn’t get to see the “real” part of the town.

Heading west it was about 40 miles to the turn for Mesa Verde. As we turned off and headed up the mountain, there was a sign the stated the campground in the NP was closed and towed vehicles were not allowed past this spot. We turned into the parking lot for turning around and drove back out to the highway and drove ½ mile to an RV park and set up there.

The next morning, bright and early for us, we headed up the mountain again, sans trailer and dogs. (at the rv park) As we drove the 15 miles to the visitor center on the curvy and steep road, I was glad that we could not bring the trailer along on this part of our adventure. The truck would not have enjoyed the pull. The campground is done to be open again in a few weeks and for those in tents, etc. it will be fine.

After stopping at the visitor center and buying ticket for two tours ( yes you need tickets and yes you buy them for $3.00 each) we drove the 5 miles to Cliff House for our first tour. It was I remembered it. Wonderful!!! The heavy crowds have not hit yet so although the tours are full, they are not squeezed together like they will be after Memorial Day. Yuck. MV must be like a zoo in the summer. It’s a wonderful place but try to go in the “off season”.

Then it was Balcony House with a ranger led tour, followed by a short drive to the museum with great displays, and a self-guided tour of Spruce Tree House. Had a fun walk back up the trail with a couple from CO. He had been a summer ranger at MV 50 years ago and is thinking about coming back to work this summer. It is very possible. The parks have volunteers and employees of all ages.

Then it was back to the trailer for supper and rest. Did I dream of cliff dwellings? What do you think?