Capitol Reef

 We arrived in Capitol Reef National Park in the afternoon stopped to look at some of the sights. As you come into Capitol Reef there is a small cabin that was built in 1882 by a pioneer family named the Behunins. They were a family of 10 that lived in this tiny one room home with a dirt floor. The mother and father and two youngest kids slept in the cabin and the other kids slept in a dugout in the cliff behind the cabin.
 As you drive into the park there are some great petroglyphs all along the walls so make sure you stop and check them out. The park has some great apple orchards in it and there are large herds of mule deer that live here all year. The park has some great camp grounds in the orchards that would be beautiful to stay in during the spring or summer. The deer are always there and it ads to the scenery.
 After spending the rest of the day looking all around and getting some great pictures of the park we headed to the town of Torrey to find a place to stay for the night and to get a bite to eat. Since it was the off season most of the motels were closed and only two restaraunts were open. We found a small pizza place that had great food and after some good food we got us a room and called it a day. The next morning we found that it had snowed which made for a scenic drive home through Escalante and Bryce National Park. We had covered quite a bit of territory in the last week and had the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful places that our country has to see. I cant wait for the next adventure!

Goblin Valley

March 15-After grabbing some breakfast we left Moab with great reluctance. We were allready making plans for a return trip.
 One thing to remember if you decide to make this trip in the off season is that in the towns such as Moab, most of the restaraunts and businesses are open but when you get out to the smaller towns along the way most of the businesses are closed in the off season. I would recommend stopping for fuel and  to eat when you have the chance as you dont want to get stranded with the large distances in between the larger towns. The flip side to that is the temperatures are cooler and the crowds are smaller
. We followed highway 191 north and took the Dead Horse Point overlook turnoff. After a short drive we got to the overlook that sits over the Colorado river. Another amazing view from a place with a dark history. As the story goes. Cowboys would drive wild horses up to this point that was fenced off at the overlook point as there was no way for the horses to escape.  The point recieved its name after a group of horses was driven to the point where they were coralled and then left. They died from lack of food and water.
 After taking some pictures and looking around we headed north again on highway 191 to our next stop Goblin Valley.
The trip to Goblin Valley took about three hours from the time we left Dead Horse Point. I had never been to Goblin Valley but I had always wanted to see it. When we got there I was not disappointed. The area is covered in thousands of sandstone formations that leave you with the feeling that you are on an alien planet. The formations are so interesting, I could see why I had been told that the evenings here could play tricks on your senses with the shadows created by all the strange formations.
When we got there it was cloud covered and the wind was beginning to blow. It was blowing sand around and creating a small sand storm but that did not stop us from getting out and hiking around for some camera shots and investigating this amazing landscape. After spending several hours exploring this lunar landscape we headed out for our next stop Capitol Reef National Park.

Arches National Park

March 14-We got an early start and headed into Arches National Park. If you have never been here and you get to this part of Utah this is a must see! There is so much to see that its almost sensory overload with all the amazing rock formations and panoramic views. We made the rounds through the park taking in all the sights and taking pictures. If you have the chance to come here make sure to plan a few days here as there is so much to see. After stopping and having lunch while watching the rock climbers climb some of the rock formations we headed for the Delicate Arch. There are two places to see the Delicate Arch. The first point is a view point that allows you to see the arch from a distance after a short hike. I would recommend the lower access trail that takes you right to the Delicate Arch. It took us about three hours to hike to it but as everyone that was coming down told us. "It is well worth the hike."
 I was concerned my daughter Shelly wouldnt be able to make the hike but she was a trooper and had no problems making it. When we reached the arch I was amazed at the beauty of this sight. The arch is truly amazing with the snow covered LaSalle mountains as a backdrop.
 We learned that this area was first discovered by the Spaniards who named the LaSalle mountains after viewing them and believing that it was to warm for snow to exist on the nearby mountains so they must be covered by salt. LaSalle mountains means the salt covered mountains. We  found the early spring a perfect time for this hike as the temperatures were in the seventies and made the hike more comfortable.
 We ended the day with a great dinner at one of the local mexican restaraunts in Moab and headed back to our room for some well deserved sleep.

Moab

We got into Moab later in the day and checked into our room. After dinner we drove around to take in some sights before it got dark. There are so many things to see here. A person could literally spend months here and never see it all! A true paradise for photographers, artists and anyone who likes the outdoors. We followed the Colorado River from town and stopped to check out the river and take some photos. I was surprised to find some new resorts built along the river that would be great to stay at that offer horseback riding and their own vineyards with private cabins. We will have to try that next trip.

Four Corners

March 13th~ We left Monument Valley and headed toward the Four Corners Monument. As you head east from Monument Valley on Highway 163 make sure you stop and get some pictures of the valley from the east. The view of the highway with Monument Valley in the background has been used in movies and the most recent one I can recall is Forest Gump. It is an amazing scene. On our way out we came up on a herd of wild horses grazing on the east side of the valley. On the way to the Four Corners monument there are many things to see and you could spend a day or two sightseeing. We were anxious to get to the Four Corners so we didnt have time to stop to many times. We did stop at an area called Valley of the Gods. There are some amazing sandstone formations and the view is worth the sidetrip. It took a couple of hours to make it to the Four Corners. There isnt much of a view in the Four Corners but the kids loved the idea of being able to stand in four states at once and to be honest I thought it was pretty neat too. The monument has had a lot of work done to it over the years and there are stands all around where the local tribe members sell their wares. I've talked to people that had been to the monument before the current one was built and they said it was just a marker in the dirt. Its come a long way since then. Make sure while your in this area that you try a Navajo taco.  After a lot of pictures and some Navajo fry bread we were on our way. Next stop Moab.

Monument Valley

March 12th~ After a quick breakfast we headed out to take the 17 mile trip through the valley below the hotel. On this route you can see the mittens, John Ford point, the Three sisters, Elephant Butte, Camel Butte and more. If you just drive this route you can cover it in 1 1/2 hours but plan on spending most of the day if you like to stop and take in the sights. There are locals who offer horseback rides and tours and stands to sell their wares. We stopped at one site below the Three sisters formation. A local family had horses and sheep here and we got there just in time to see the birth of a brand new baby lamb. My daughter Shelly wanted to take a horseback tour but we didnt have time this trip so she had to settle for a picture on a indian pony.  It was amazing to see a life brought into this world in such a desolate place. The Navajo people are very resourcefull and tough to survive in such a beautiful but equally harsh environment.
Each turn opened up to a new and amazing scene and the anticipation that drives you on to see what is around the next corner or over the next hill. The scenes change from minute to minute with the movement of the sun. The weather was perfect for this trip. The temperatures were in the upper 50s and was great for hiking. I was told by one of the locals that the best time to visit is spring or fall. I guess it gets pretty busy during the summer as well as 100 degree  temps. We spent the whole day sight seeing and then headed back to the town of Kayenta for a bite to eat. One thing to remember if planning a trip here in the off season is there are a lot of restaraunts and businesses that close in the off season so it limits your choices of places to eat. Back to the hotel for some night shots of the valley.

Spring Break

The kids were out of school for spring break so it gave us an opportunity for a much needed trip. We decided to book a room at the View Hotel in Monument Valley. We arrived at our motel on Saturday March 11th after a four and a half hour drive from St George. The view from our room was amazing. The balcony on each room faces out over the very popular and amazing view of the left and right mittens rock formations. If you book a room at the View I would recommend the top floors which give you a star view at night. Monument Valley is recognized as one of the top sights in the US to star gaze. There isnt a bad room in the entire hotel as each rooms balcony opens out to the spectacular view of the valley below. We ventured out the first afternoon into the valley to look around and take pictures. Pictures just dont do this area justice. After all the years of looking at movies and photos of Monument Valley I have to say, you have to see it in person! Its amazing to stand in the middle of a desert with these sandstone giants all around you. After watching the sun go down we headed back to the hotel for dinner at the restaraunt and then back to our room for some stargazing.

Nature

"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."
William Shakespear