Last days in Utah

Sept 14     Devil's Canyon Campground - Blanding, Ut     11 miles     20 min

We drove a few miles down the road to Blanding. We're staying at the Blue Mountain RV Park. We got full hookups here for $36.16 per nite.  This park is really nice. We'll stay here for 2 nites, do some cleaning, wash some laundry, and watch football. Seems like we've been on the go for 10 days straight, so it's nice to do nothing.

Sept 16   Blanding - Sand Island Campground      32 miles     1 hour

Sand Island Campground is located right outside of Bluff. It's another forest service campground, dry camping for $10 per nite. Can't beat that price. We got a pretty good spot right along the San Juan River.

Enjoying my dinner

Sunset at our camp

This campground has petroglyphs on the side of the mountain

After setting up our site, we went exploring. First stop was Gooseneck State Park. An astonishing view of the great Goosenecks of the San Juan River. The river flows 1,000 feet below the overlook.

Then we went up the Moki Dugway. Stunning views open from the Dugway as it winds its way 1,200 feet from the valley floor to Cedar Mesa.The Dugway - a three mile graded and graveled section of Utah Hwy 261 - descends a steep slope (11%). The road twists and turns in what are called switchbacks allowing views to the north and the south.

We had a good view of Valley of the Gods which lies below the Moki Dugway.

On the Mesa top, a road leads west five miles across the mesa. At the end of this road lies Muley Point. It was a dirt road, so had to go kind of slow. The views were great but the road sucked.

Then we had to go back down the Moki Dugway. Lots of switchbacks but the views were great.

We've spent the last 14 days exploring Southern Utah. We did a lot of hikes, sightseeing, and really enjoyed ourselves. Tomorrow we say goodbye to Utah and drive to Colorado. We're kind of anxious, this is our first RV trip to Colorado.

Devil's Canyon Campground

Sept 11   Moab - Devil's Canyon Campground     65 miles     1 1/2 hours

Wilson Arch on Hwy 191

We left Moab this morning and headed south on Hwy 191. We're staying at a National Forest Campground called Devil's Canyon Campground. It's absolutely beautiful and quiet up here. It's cooler because it's higher up so when we got here at 11 am, it was only 76 degrees.  It's dry camping  $10 per nite and we plan to stay 3 nites. Devil's Canyon is located between Monticello and Blanding.

Our site #12

 









After setting up our camp, we drove into Blanding and went to the visitor's center. The lady working there gave us a tip on where to find 5 Kiva Ruins located right in Blanding so off we went. We found it and was admiring the views when another car pulled up and said they were going to hike to the ruins. We were kind of hesitant because it was on the other side of the valley. We decided to follow behind them and I'm glad we did. So amazing to be among ruins where people actually lived, probably 800 to 1,000 years old.

5 Kiva ruins from the other side of the valley

The hike took us across a creek

Had to squeeze thru some tight places

Almost there

Worth the hike

 Sept 12

This morning we went to Edge of the Cedars State Park and Museum.  It offers a glimpse into the past, with ancient artifacts, and a tour through ruins right behind the museum, including a 1,000-year-old Kiva. Joe enjoyed this museum, we spent a lot of time there.

Next we went to find Butler Wash Ruins. It was supposed to be a half mile hike to the viewpoint, but it seemed longer. Plus it was the middle of the day, very hot! We finally arrived and saw cliff dwellings that were built and occupied by the Anasazi Indians approximately 700 years ago. We had to view the ruins from across the valley.

Trail was rocky

and sandy

 Sept 13

We did a lot today. We got up early and drove out to Mule Canyon. We did the hike to House of Fire. About 1.25 miles one way. When we got there, no one was around so we were kind of hesitant because its kind of a long hike into a canyon. But I really wanted to see the ruins and believe me, it was worth it. House of Fire is absolutely awesome. 

Lucky we got an early start

House of Fire

Next we drove to Mule Canyon Ruins. The ruins here is an open Anasazi habitation site consisting of both above and below ground structures.

Finally, we drove to Natural Bridges National Park which features three bridges that have been formed by millions of years of water and wind erosion. We did the Bridge View Drive thru the park that leads to overlooks for all three natural bridges and Horse Collar Ruin archeological site, another cliff dwelling. The paved loop was nine miles long. We thought we could drive right up to the overlooks but each one had a short hike.

Sipapu Bridge

Horsecollar Ruin

Kachina Bridge

Owachomo Bridge

Moab, Goose Island Campground

Sept 10

We got lucky this morning and scored a campsite at Goose Island Campground. This is a BLM Park and cost $15 per night for dry camping. Very popular camping park because of the location and amazing scenery. We got the last campsite available. Surprising because we got here pretty early, about 9am. The only negative was our site was close to the dumpster and vault toilet. We would sometimes catch a whiff of unpleasant honey. It bothered Joe more than me. I told him,
 "just close the damn window!" 

Located right next to the Colorado River

Our site....vault toilet on the right

This afternoon we went back to Arches National Park. We didn't get to see Delicate Arch, the road was closed because of recent rain in the area. We drove to the end of the park and hiked to Landscape Arch. It was about 2 miles and took us about 1 hour. The span of Landscape Arch is more than a football field. 

Pretty easy hike

On the way out of the park we stopped at Park Avenue. Joe was tired so he waited by the car while I hiked a little of Park Avenue. The trail descends steeply into a spectacular canyon.

The sheer walls of the canyon reminded early visitors of buildings lining a big city.

I counted 123 steps into the canyon

From the bottom of the canyon

             

Joe grilled our dinner tonight. Chicken,
 asparagus, and corn on the cob....delicious.