Day FIVE of Five

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Wednesday, August 29

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We checked out of our ranch cabin a day early-- not because it wasn't wonderful-- but because we wanted to explore a few more National Parks. We visited Bryce Canyon NP on Monday and then Kodachrome State Park and another local waterfall on Tuesday. Kodachrome and the waterfall were beautiful, but we felt a bit spoiled by Bryce Canyon and Tuesday was just not quite as majestic as we had hoped. Our National Park system is amazing, and there is a reason that National Parks are National Parks...it's because they are the most incredible places in our nation.

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Although our points of interest were not very far apart as the crow flies, the switchback one lane roads meant that a 30 mile drive could take well over an hour. So after we checked out of our cabin, we headed north to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. These were on our way to Salt Lake City where we were to depart, so it ended up working out quite well.

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Arches National Park

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 There are over 2,000 natural arches in this Park.

 

Sometimes you need a little point of reference to appreciate the size of the arches.

 

Our visit to Arches reminded us that we were in the desert and that even relatively small changes in elevation make a big difference in temperature. It was arid and HOT. And we went through quite a bit of water staying hydrated.

 

 

Arches was beautiful, but the heat and a tired toddler may have distracted a little bit from our surroundings. And Adam was convinced that a team of park rangers chipped away those arches to attract the toursits. :) But overall a very cool Park.

Next stop...

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Canyonlands National Park

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Is there any word other than WOW?

 

This is where the Green River and the mighty Colorado River meet, and these canyons are the work of those rivers. Although I have been to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, this was even more incredible. I think this view of the canyons is a higher point of view (compared to the Grand Canyon), so the expanse and depth of the canyons can be appreciated even more.

 

My two favorite people.

 

I hope Eleanor develops an appreciation for the beauty of our planet.

 



Is this the same picture from above? No...but this Park was so majestic, so beautiful, that every few steps there was a new picture to be taken. I will always regret the picture not taken!

 



 

Our trip to Utah was so much fun.

I was so surprised by the beauty and varied terrain that Utah had to offer, and I am so thankful that Adam, Eleanor, and I were able to explore it together. 

 

I have a new appreciation for our National Park system as well. They are organized, well-staffed, accessible to any level of ability, and they house the most amazing treasures.

 

Mostly, I hope you were able to appreciate the beauty of our journey. Photographs-- and my photographs in particular-- could never do it justice. I love to take pictures and I learned a lot about photography on this trip, but I fear that you just could not perceive the complete majesty of this place through my camera lens.

 

There were so many days on our vacation that I didn't think about work or any other stuff. There was no cell service, no TV, no internet. Sometimes you just need to disconnect.

It was perfect.

 

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THE END.

 

Part FOUR of FIVE

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Tuesday, August 28

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Our first stop of the morning was Upper Calf Creek falls. We hiked the Lower falls on Saturday, which was 6 miles round trip but relatively flat. The Upper falls were only 2 miles round trip, but very, very steep. You essentially walk straight down into a rock canyon and then straight back up. Adam and I had to walk in switchback patterns because we were hiking on smooth, slippery rock. We found the top pool quite easily...
 

 

 ...but Adam knew there had to be more.

So further down the steep, slippery rock canyon we went. We reached a river and then waded for a few hundred yards. 

But we finally found the water fall! And it was beautiful.
 

 

We had a private waterfall for the afternoon and enjoyed our lunch and the water. Eleanor waded around (that child loves ice cold water so long as she can swim in it!) and Adam also went for a frigid swim.
 

The rock around the falls was so interesting.

 

And then we hiked back out to our car...or up. I should say we hiked up to our car.

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On the road again, back towards Bryce Canyon.

 

Next stop: Kodachrome State Park.

 

This park was named for its colorful rocks-- you guessed it, from Kodak film.

When you stand there, overlooking the glory of God's creation...



...you just wonder how this amazing geography was formed.



 

See the red cliff in the background below that looks like there is a bite out of it?

That is Powell Point, which reveals the topmost layer of the Colorado Plateau's Grand Staircase. In 1871, this region was the last uncharted territory in the continental United States. The Powell Second Expedition explored this area. When we drove on the perilous roads around this area, it was not hard to imagine how inaccessible this area was to outsiders.

 

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We returned to our little ranch cabin rather early to enjoy the evening. This cabin was just perfect for us. We have had a bit of difficulty staying in hotel rooms because Eleanor goes to bed around 7:30 and understandably sleeps best in a dark room. So then Adam and I sit in the dark too while she sleeps. But this cabin had an upstairs loft. We brought our pack-and-play and put it in the loft so Eleanor had her own dark, quiet space and Adam and I could putter around downstairs or on the porch outside. It reminded me of Grandma and Bob's cabin in Colorado (hmmm...next vacation maybe??)!
 

 

We also visited the farm animals at the ranch. Eleanor loves horses. She had been pointing to them out the car window for several days but was so excited to finally see them in person.

 

And, thanks to the Peekaboo Barn iPad game, she also loves roosters!

 

Stayed tuned for Part FIVE!

 

Part THREE of FIVE

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Monday, August 27

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Bryce Canyon National Park is the most amazing and unique landscape I have ever seen.

Period.

If you haven't been there, you must go.

 

 

 

Colors at Bryce are the result of oxidized mineral - red, pink, and orange from iron; purple from manganese, whites are purer limestone. The tall pinnacles are called hoodoos.

 

Hoodoo: a pinnacle or other odd-shaped rock left standing by the forces of erosion.

 

Freezing temperatures more than 200 days per year at Bryce means an ongoing freeze-thaw cycle causes small cracks filled with water to freeze and widen until the pinnacle is isolated.

 

This overlook was appropriately titled Inspiration Point.

 

We enjoyed several overlooks like Inspiration Point and then did a 3.5 mile hike down into the hoodoos on Navajo Loop and Queens Garden trails. Just like watching for shapes in the clouds on a summer day, the hoodoos take on shapes of their own. 

 

 

You will notice that in certain areas between the hoodoos there were many trees. Once again, I was surprised by the varied terrain. You would have expected sand, no vegetation down there. But instead we found ourselves in a cool, shady forest. And once again the peesaw drew quite a response from fellow hikers on the trails.

 

Adam and Eleanor made quite a sight together with her in the backpack and that bright yellow parasol bobbing up and down to the rhythm of Adam's gait.

 

This tree was so courageous. I wish you could comprehend just how tall this tree was...hundreds of feet. But you just can't fully appreciate its courageous life trying to reach the sun from my picture.

 

And just like the tree, I wish I could also convey the height of the hoodoos. Our hike led us to the bottom of the canyon - can you see Adam in Eleanor in the picture below?

 

 

Our last stop on our way out of Bryce Canyon was to Fairyland. See the white stone castles in the side of the mountain? That's where the fairies live. Magical.

 

 

An aside: Utah prairie dog are an endangered species. In the welcome center to Bryce Canyon National Park there was a display of stuffed prairie dogs who came with adoption certificates and whose proceeds went to protecting the species. Conveniently the display was a toddler-size height, and Eleanor fell in love with two prairie dogs immediately and toted them around the building for about 15 minutes. She got to go home with one of them....$30 later. :)

 

 Stay tuned for Day FOUR...

Part TWO of FIVE

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When I planned this five-part blog series, I anticipated choosing my favorite 5-10 pictures from every day of our travels to post here. And although I held myself to that in Part ONE, that will just not be possible here in Part TWO. So begins our next day:

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Sunday, August 26

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Slot canyons at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

I went through a no-people-picture-phase for a while many years ago where I didn't photograph any people in my pictures. It seems like the beautiful landscape of Utah would mandate a return of that phase...but I don't think you can appreciate the depth, breadth, width, height of these slot canyons without Adam and Eleanor in there.

You might see this one again when you get our Christmas card. 



 

Beth, this one is for you:

 

We parted ways with Beth and Jon at the slot canyons and continued down this road:

 

The road kept going, but we turned around here, where the road looked over these amazing multi-colored hills and valleys. The beautiful color is caused by iron and mineral deposits.

 

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Our next stop was Capitol Reef National Park.

Eleanor the rock collector was in rock-collecting heaven.

 

Petroglyphs from Native Americans were in several places.

 

 

More slot canyons!

 

Eleanor refused to wear her sun hats. Thankfully, Margaret had these parasols available for her wedding ceremony ("Shade thineself"). Eleanor adored them and we took two. She called it her "pee-saw." And we took that pee-saw everywhere. It was the only way to get her any sun protection. Sunscreen worked for her skin, but she has fine hair that doesn't protect her scalp...nor does the hair hold sunscreen well.

 

One of my favorite pictures:

 



Our last stop in Capitol Reef was Sunset Trail.

The beautiful red rocks are illuminated by the setting sun.

 



 

And while I won't dispute the majesty of the illuminated cliffs, while every one was photographing that, I turned around and saw this:

 

 

Wow.

 

 

Stay tuned for Part THREE...