Nine days at Dead Horse State Park and “Island in the Sky” at Canyonlands National Park…
Campground…
Kayenta Campground in Dead Horse State Park only has 21 campsites. They all have electric, but that’s it. Limited water is available (not allowed to fill RV tanks) and there was a dump station near the entrance. The sites were large, had good privacy, and covered tables with a light and two cupboards. The bathrooms were nice and well maintained, but there were no showers. Most people only stayed a night or two so turnover was high. There were 15 miles of great hiking trails right from the campground…excellent! The visitor center had a good selection of touristy stuff, a few snacks, some nice exhibits, and a deck perfect for relaxing and appreciating the great view. The Canyonlands visitor center is a 15 mile drive to the west and the nearest supplies and services are in Moab, about 35 miles east. The campground was very peaceful and we really enjoyed it. Make sure to come to Dead Horse well supplied with a full tank of water in the RV and plenty of gas/diesel in the vehicle. And the place is popular, so make reservations well in advance.
Hikes in Dead Horse State Park…
Spectacular loop hike around Dead Horse Point Cool sandstone stripes
At Rim Overlook…where’s the river that carved this incredible canyon?
Shafer Canyon Overlook…First glimpse of the Colorado River (left side of picture)
Meander Overlook…Colorado River in the center
View east from Dead Horse Point A geocache at Basin Overlook
Evening walk to Pyramid Canyon Overlook and a Dead Horse Point sunset…
Watch your step! Sun is getting lower
Lower still… Good night!
Dead Horse Point sunrise
An incredible way to start the day!
Hikes in Canyonlands National Park…
Short hikes to Grandview Point, White Rim Overlook, Whale Rock, and Mesa Arch…
Ranger talk about geology at Grand View Point On Grand View Point
Monument Basin over 1,000 feet below Grand View Point
A little windy on the White Rim overlook It’s a long ways down!
Walking across the top of Whale Rock View northwest from the Whale Rock
Arleen at Mesa Arch
Controversy abounds about the origins of this strange feature! The symmetrical hole is 1,500 feet deep with a 3 mile diameter. First, a group of geologists “definitively” determined that it’s a salt dome. Shortly after, a different group of geologists “definitively” determined it’s a meteor crater. Rumor has it that recently more evidence proves it’s a salt dome. My take…we have a lot to learn about our planet! Until we know for sure, we think it’s either an alien landing site or an ancient dinosaur nest.
Green River Overlook…
The Green River canyon in early morning glow
Murphy Point…
The Needles in distant top center
The spectacular Green River canyon from Murphy Point
Visit from parents…
My parents were driving from Castle Rock, Colorado to Phoenix, Arizona and decided to take the scenic route west. They spent two nights in Moab, Utah, just 35 miles from our temporary home in Dead Horse State Park.
We met at their hotel and whisked them off to Arches National Park. They were blown away by “Park Avenue” and the “Double Arch”. To top off a very enjoyable afternoon, we had a good Tai food meal, and said good night.
The next day, my parents drove to our home and spent the afternoon with us. The weather was a bit crummy, but we took them out to Dead Horse Point and they enjoyed the incredible view. Then Arleen fed us an outstanding meal of feta stuffed burgers on big portabella mushrooms topped with sharp cheddar cheese and smothered in green chili with a side of fresh asparagus…yum yum! Finally, we gave my parents pinochle lessons which they always appreciate!
It was great that they detoured to spend a couple of days with us. We are blessed to have these opportunities and to make great new memories.
Returning from impressive Double Arch
Double Arch Cool sandstone features…sliver of Window Arch visible
Park Avenue in Arches National Park
Happy 18th Anniversary at Dead Horse Point!
Enjoying good company in our little home
My mom’s first geocache!
Next we go to Goblin Valley State Park for 4 days. With very little vegetation and strange rock formations all over the place, this spot is definitely out of this world. In fact, scenes from the goofy science fiction movie “Galaxy Quest”, were filmed there. It’s a very convincing alien world! We’ve got some cool hikes and geocaching planned…it will be an interesting adventure!
Parting shots…
Morning walk to Rim Overlook…our back yard
Thunderstorms at Dead Horse Point
BOOM!
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Great trip and beautiful pictures. Have to say you're doing a great job with the blog!
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