Utah- Incredible Natural Beauty- A Photo Essay

Thank you for reading this week’s post on Utah- Incredible Natural Beauty. The state has lots of prehistory in the form of Anasazi ruins, too. We could easily spend a month here and not see or do everything available. I still haven’t touched those fly rods, either, although I did see a few trout today, small ones, while hiking along the Escalante River.

Susan hikes through a slot on the way to the petroglyphs.

Mesa Verde National Park lies in Colorado, and our week started there with a scary drive to the top of the mesa. We went for a hike on the Petroglyph Point trail, a two-and-a-half-mile loop at 8000-plus feet elevation. I had to take it slooooow; these lungs have problems at sea level. It was a great hike and the petroglyphs were only a small part of it.

The petroglyph, a history of the antelope and raven clans.

Susan on the return trip.

The famous cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde NP.

The remains of a pueblo, with a kiva, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.

Another day, another archeological site. This one was Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, which sits on the state line. This monument was different than others in that the sites were fairly distantly spaced, with private lands in between. We got turned around and ended up at Hovenweep National Monument, lucking out to get the last campsite there. We were now in Utah.

Ruins at Hovenweep National Monument.

We went on a hike before dark, another incredible experience.

Ruins at Hovenweep National Monument.

A Susan and John selfie, at Hovenweep Monument.

The next day we drove on Utah 95 through Bears Ears National Monument to get to Natural Bridges Natural Monument. Everyone should experience both the road and the monuments!

Susan examines one of the bridges.

That tiny speck under this bridge is Susan!

The sun rose again. We went to the Needles Overlook in Bears Ears. What you look over is the canyon of the Colorado River, upstream of where it’s designated “Grand Canyon.” It’s still grand!

Susan on the edge at Needles Overlook, Bears Ears National Monument.

No arch in this shot at Arches National Park.

Then it was off to Arches National Park. We took a number of short hikes, none more than a mile, any of which could be life-changing in the right circumstance. The amazing thing about this trip is every day is better than the previous one, just cake-and-ice-cream scenery day after day!

Arch one and arch 2. This things are huge.

The famous double arch. Tiny specks at the bottom are people.

We had a travel day scheduled. We were passing Canyonlands National Park, where the Green and Colorado Rivers converge. We did it too fast, no hikes. Still amazing.

Petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock, Bears Ears NM.

We got on Utah 24 off I-70, headed to Capitol Reef National Park. Sadly, we only could get one night at the campground there. This place so warranted further exploration!

I heard something out the window at dawn. Twenty mule deer were just outside the van. Capitol Reef NP.

One of may incredible rock formations, Capitol Reef NP.

Continuing west on 24, we entered the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. I have traveled on mountains roads in Bolivia and Peru. Route 24 through here was the most terrified I’ve ever been on a road. Two narrow, swerving lanes, sheer drops of forever on either side, and no guard rails. YIKES!!!

Not at the terrifying spot, Grand Staircase-Escalnte NM.

We made it, somehow. Today we hiked in Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, seeing more petrified wood than I saw at Petrified Wood National Park.

This colorful fossil tree trunk is 300 million years old.

You can see the annual rings in this one.

Whew! That brings us up to date!

Thank you for reading this week’s post on Utah- Incredible Natural Beauty!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or take a trip!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.