Home! Traveled 3,192 miles, explored five states, hiked a gazillion miles, saw amazing geological and cultural sites, camped from luxury to rustic, bonded with Addie. GREAT TRIP!!!
After taking a look at Hoover Dam from the O’Callaghan-Tillman Bridge, I traveled to Red Rock Canyon and Spring Mountain Ranch State Park. Lots of rocky desert hikes, some surprising lush areas, and even a few burros! Ah…! 🙂
Hoover Dam from the O’Callaghan-Tillman Bridge
What a story these rocks tell!
Me and my red rocks!
I love the way colors and shadows add texture to photos.
Even I didn’t have trouble finding the trail with all of the cairns!
Top of the trail looking down on Las Vegas (to the left). These boots are doing a lot of work this trip!
Drew on the wall again…hahaha!
Greenery from Pine Creek Canyon trail!
Spring Mountain Ranch State Park – has a storied history with multiple owners, including Howard Hughes.
Burros!
Three days in Valley of Fire State Park. Again, the most difficult part is deciding which ten photos to share! 🙂
Final full day in Zion! Made it up to Angel’s Landing – did the first set of chains and then decided that was enough. If you look closely over my left shoulder in the first pic, you’ll see the line of people going up the mountain holding chains. That’s what I did! Afterward, hiked several trails and saw two waterfalls. Ready for my shower and nap!
Taylor Creek Trail, Kolob, Zion National Park. Ah…! 🙂
“Hiking” the Narrows in Zion National Park. Met my goals: slowest person hiking today and did not fall in. Only solo female I saw (and saw maybe three much younger solo men). What a day! Time for wine and ibuprofen!
Time to leave whimsical Bryce Canyon, seeing Mossy Cave and its waterfall, Red Canyon arch, and a buffalo herd on my way to Zion.
Curating my photos of Bryce Canyon National Park from over 150 to my ten favorites took almost as much time as hiking several of the park’s trails! These two-dimensional photos do not do justice, though, to the live three-dimensional experience of this hoodoo-rich delight.
Kodachrome sites: here are some of the AMAZING non-spire sites of MAGNIFICENT Kodachrome!
Kodachrome spires: these are only ten of the over 60 spires in Kodachrome State Park. Spending the past two days hiking and exploring this park has been one of the highlights of my trip so far!
Hiked along the Escalante River to see two natural bridges and a cliff dwelling. Ah…! 🙂
Windy with magnificent views: HWY 12 from Capitol Reef to Escalante, via Boulder Mountain, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and Anasazi State Park. Addie and I are having a great time!
Capitol Reef National Park: AMAZING!
Red rock formations
Capitol Dome: shaped like the Capitol building and the reason for the park’s name
Hickman Bridge with Capitol Dome in the background
My favorite of the many petroglyphs
Capitol Reef is a geological wonder!
Chimney Rock
A driving kind of day with many types of scenery. Stopped to see cliff dwelling at Butler Wash and ruins at Mule Canyon. Drove scenic HWY 95 and then through Capitol Reef on the way to my campsite-with-a-view. Now time for yoga and relaxation before hiking in Capitol Reef tomorrow!
Natural Bridges National Monument! Photos in age order: youngest Kachina Bridge, mature Sipapu Bridge, oldest Owachomo Bridge. Fabulous hike, amazing scenery, beautiful day!
Kachina Bridge
Sipapu Bridge