Southeastern Utah, June 2011
Hi Everyone!
Today I thought I'd post a few pictures of the trip I went on with my dad a week or so ago. We were just gone for four days, as I had to be back for medical stuff, but it was wonderfully relaxing!
The pictures above are from the first day. Top: Sego Canyon pertroglyphs, just outside the town of Thompson Springs, Utah. These images were made by Indians a long time ago (hundreds of years ago? Thousands?). I'd never seen petroglyphs this color before. Bottom: Later we went to Canyonlands National Park outside of Moab, Utah (got the new Jeep out in its' natural habitat).
That night we had dinner at Milt's Stop and Eat. Really cool old diner (actually old, not new trying to look old), and best hamburger I've had in a long time.
The next day we went south from Moab, to Natural Bridges National Monument, where we did an incredibly long and tiring hike (top). On the way there we saw Newspaper Rock (more petroglyphs; bottom).
That night we had hamburgers again in Blanding, Utah at the Patio Drive-in. My dad said to the cook, "That's the best hamburger I've had in a long time. It's even better than Milt's up in Moab." And the cook laughed and said with a smile, "Well, I KNOW that."
This night and the next we stayed at one of my favorite places in the world, Recapture Lodge, in Bluff, Utah. It's not fancy, but it's so laid back and it's right on the river and everyone there is soooooo nice (lots of European tourists). And there's noting better than their hot tub under the stars after a long day of hiking...
Day 3 clockwise from top: (1) One of the bridges in Natural Bridges National Monument. If you ever get a chance to go, I would highly recommend it...lots of great (though somewhat tough) hiking and the rock bridges are amazing. (2) Anasazi (Indian) ruins in the rock cliffs at Natural Bridges. (3) Valley of the Gods. This is a drive you can do not far from Monument Valley, with the same type of incredible rock monoliths, minus the busloads of tourists. I'd never been here and it was amazing. (4) My dad hiking outside of Bluff. This was one of the first things we did this day...we were in search of a place called Monarch Cave, but ended up on these enormous slabs of rock above it. Still an awesome hike.
And then the last day, before heading home, we went to Hovenweep National Monument, which has incredible Pueblo Indian ruins. Had always wanted to come here and it did not disappoint.
Would highly recommend a trip like this to anyone who's interested...we had the best time.
XO