Western CO & Eastern Utah 4/'16

4//11/16 - 4/17/16  Spring Camper Trip

Ready to roll

Springtime in the Rockies on the way to Hoosier Pass



Colorado National Monument

First stop, Colorado National Monument

An evening bike ride and a short hike to Otto's Trail Overlook where it seems like you could just reach out and touch that tower...

Or not.                                                                                                                                                                             Independence Monument    
 For a day hike, Shirley and I circumabulate the mesa to the left of the Monument, up Monumnet Canyon (on the "back" side and return through Wedding Canyon (5 miles).
John Otto dedicated (sacrificed?) his life to the establishment of Colorado National Monument.

John Otto married Boston artist Beatrice Farnham on June 20, 1911 at the base of Independence Monument. Unfortunately, John and Beatrice's marriage was short-lived. Beatrice found the reality of John's life to be far from her romantic ideal. A few weeks after the wedding, she left, never to return.
"I tried hard to live his way, but I could not do it, I could not live with a man to whom even a cabin was an encumbrance." Beatrice Farnham Otto

Other than this Puccoon nestled in a yucca there are, at least, 15 other flowers & shrubs in bloom during April.

Our best catch was this Collard Lizard which just comes right up to us to have a look.

And, this unnamed but scary creature.

At the junction of Monument and Wedding Canyons

View from our camp spot.  Including the aesthetically pleasing water fountain emerging from a rock

Zoomed in view across the valley.

Next stop, Goblin Valley SP, Utah

Crazy triplets and their nanny on the way to the Valley.

Our camping spot.  In the parking lot and lucky to get it.

There's a lot of hoodoos out there.

Infinite possibilities for exploration in a maze of gullies and small canyons

Retro travel

Little Wild Horse & Bell Canyon Loop (8 miles)

Little Wild Horse is well traveled

but still awesome

Including narrow and wet which thins the traffic.

There's always a balanced rock, here at the upper end of Wild Horse

The transition from Wild Horse to Bell is along the very primitive Behind the Reef Road.  The views of so much collapsing rock makes one wonder how these 2 slot canyons stay open.

At the apex of our canyon crossover we come upon this remarkable red flower.  Haven't been able to identify it--maybe a penstemon?

Bell Canyon is not so narrow and has very little water.

But we do have to negotiate through some rockfall.

Hite Marina

On our 30 year old map Hite Marina looks like an inviting access point to Lake Powell.  However, in the last few years, the Lake has abandoned ship.

We do have the campground to our selves and they still keep the restrooms open and clean--no fees collected.

Dumpster and all

The cliffs are still there.

Natural Bridges National Monument 
3 bridges in White Canyon

Sipapu--descend from an arid rim to a more deciduous canyon bottom

Kachina Bridge, cloudy but not rainy.

Another unidentified wildflower--maybe the Phlox family?

Down and back up to 3 bridges.  Wood ladders--yea!

There is a bit of a running creek at this time of year.

The big flower find was this Claret Cup Hedgehog

Evidence of habitation in this nice canyon.

 

Swirl grain?

Life in the tiny camper

Frisco, on the way back--we dodge the bullet once again.