Pipe Spring National Monument and Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

A day trip to Pipe Spring National Monument and Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, amongst other places.

Pipe Spring National Monument sign:

Pipe Spring National Monument

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Diorama:

Diorama

Exhibit:

Exhibit

Outside, behind the visitor center:

Mountain

Sign

Old cart

Bridge

Display

Display

Display

Display

Building

Inside

Inside

One chicken wandering around:

Chicken

Longhorn bull:

Bull

Building

Roof:

Building roof

Cart

The main building:

Building

The building was closed, but I peeked through the gate:

Inside

The spring goes through that building, and out the side:

Spring

Into a pond:

Pond

Pond

Pond

Wagon:

Wagon

Some interesting rocks on the drive to the sand dunes:

Mesa

Interesting rocks

Tourist trap cave:

Tourist trap cave

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park:

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

David

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

We stopped for some food at Thunderbird Restaurant, “Home of the Ho-Made Pies”:

Thunderbird Restaurant

Info:

Info

Dessert menu:

Menu

Restaurant decor:

Restaurant

BLTs:

BLTs

We had pie slices for dessert, and got a whole pie to go:

Pies

Pie

We went back there another day for dinner:

Chicken Alfredo

Chicken cordon bleu burger

More interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Rock shop:

Rock shop

Rock shop

You guessed it, more interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Interesting rocks

Bryce Canyon National Park

We visited Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah:

Bryce Canyon

The entrance station:

Bryce Canyon entrance station

Bryce Canyon visitor center:

Bryce Canyon visitor center

Bryce Canyon visitor center

A map and model:

Bryce Canyon visitor center

An interesting idea: donation boxes by state and country:

Donations by state and country

We drove to the far end of the park, and used an audio tour feature in the NPS app (though it didn’t work reliably, so we missed some of the snippets):

Audio tour in NPS app

A bunch of photos of Bryce Canyon from various viewpoints:

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Selfie

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bird

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

A long trail into the canyon (we didn’t partake of it):

Trail into canyon

Trail

Trail

A balcony at the end of the trail:

Trail

The other side of the balcony:

Window

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

More National Park stickers on our coach:

National Park stickers

Red Canyon

We passed through Red Canyon in the Dixie National Forest in Utah several times.

It has some impressive rock formations:

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

A couple of drive-through arches:

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

The Red Canyon Visitor Center (which was closed when we stopped by, but we got selfies with Smokey anyway):

Red Canyon

Jenn and David

Red Canyon

Another day, driving towards the canyon again; a sign for “Scenic Byway 12, All-American Road”:

Scenic Byway 12, All-American Road

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Driving back the other way at sunset:

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Red Canyon

Zion National Park

We visited Zion National Park in Utah. A couple of times, actually. For this first visit, we drove through the park, then took shuttle buses along the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive (cars are not allowed along that road most of the year).

The road changes color as you enter the park:

The road changes color in the park

Zion sign:

Zion sign

Interesting rock patterns:

Interesting rock patterns

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

A short tunnel:

Small tunnel

Tunnel exit

Rocks

Rocks

The second tunnel is 1.1 miles long, with no lights inside, other than a few windows into the canyon:

Long tunnel

Long tunnel

Long tunnel

Long tunnel

A glimpse of the canyon out one of the windows as we pass by:

View from long tunnel window

Long tunnel

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

We stopped for lunch just outside the park:

Lunch

Then walked to the visitor center:

Walking to visitor center

Unusual to have a walk-through entrance station (in addition to the usual drive-through one):

Walking to visitor center

The visitor center:

Walking to visitor center

We don’t have to pay to enter each of the parks, thanks to our America the Beautiful annual pass, but we more than make up for that in buying postcards and other goodies at the park stores:

Park store

Park store

On the shuttle bus:

On the shuttle bus

Hey look, more rocks:

Rocks

Rocks

Shuttle buses

Rocks

River:

River

Rocks and river

Jenn & David

Rocks and river

Jenn

Rocks

Rocks and river

Posing rock squirrel:

Rock squirrel

Rocks and river

Jenn

Rocks

We took shuttle buses back down the canyon, getting off several times:

On the shuttle bus

On the shuttle bus

Rocks

Rocks

Bridge

Rocks

We opted to walk along a trail between two shuttle stops:

Trail

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Shuttle bus

There is a second part of Zion National Park: Kolob Canyons. We drove up there:

Kolob Canyons

Kolob Canyons

Kolob Canyons

Kolob Canyons

Kolob Canyons

Kolob Canyons

Kolob Canyons

Kolob Canyons

Jenn & David

We enjoyed our visit to Zion, and as mentioned, we went back a second time. Stay tuned for another post about that.

Yellowstone National Park bonus pictures

Last September we visited Yellowstone National Park in a rental travel trailer, shortly after buying our coach (as our 40 foot motorhome was too big to fit in Yellowstone). I did several blog posts about our trip, but Jenn recently processed the photos she took with her big camera, a Nikon D7200. So here’s a bonus post with some really nice pics of a very special place. (The photos are also on her Flickr page.) Enjoy!

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

DSC 1513

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

Great Basin National Park

We visited Great Basin National Park in Nevada, and did a Lehman Caves tour.

The road to the park:

Road

Wheeler Peak:

Wheeler Peak

Great Basin National Park entrance:

Great Basin National Park entrance

The visitor center:

Visitor center

Visitor center

We had a picnic lunch behind the visitor center:

Picnic lunch

Rhodes Cabin:

Rhodes Cabin

Rhodes Cabin

Lehman Caves diagram:

Lehman Caves diagram

Lehman Caves 3D model:

Lehman Caves model

Info sign:

Info sign

Our ranger guide at the cave entrance. Actually, it’s the exit; they are still doing a COVID-era abbreviated tour, in and out the exit tunnel, a one hour tour instead of 1.5 hours:

Ranger at cave entrance

The tunnel, heading down into the caves:

Tunnel

A bunch of pictures within the caves:

Cave

Cave

Cave

Jenn

Cave

Cave

Cave

Cave

Cave

Cave

Cave

Cave

Cave

Cave

Cave

Cave

Cave

Cave

Cave

Jenn & David

Cave

Cave

Jenn & David

Channel Islands National Park bonus pictures

I posted in early March about our visit and cruise to Channel Islands National Park, off the coast of California.

Well, those photos were taken by my iPhone, but Jenn also took a bunch of photos with her big camera, a Nikon D7200. She has just gone through those photos, and shared her favorites with me, so I thought I’d do a followup post with her pictures. Enjoy!

Whale tail:

Channel Islands National Park

Channel Islands National Park

Oil rig:

Oil rig

Lioning about:

Lioning about

Dolphins:

Dolphins

Dolphins

Whale tail:

Whale tail

Whale tail

Whale tail

Whale tail

Dolphins:

Dolphins

Birds:

Birds

 Arch and island:

Arch and island

Building

Arch and island

Arch and island

Lighthouse

Arch

Arch

Arch and island

Arch and island

Arch and island

Sea lions

Arch

Arch

Las Vegas Fremont Street Experience

Our second trip to Las Vegas was to the Fremont Street Experience in downtown. It’s a couple blocks of that street, covered with a large curved screen, that displays light shows and music videos.

Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street Experience

The historic Vegas Vic:

Historic cowboy

Fremont Street Experience

We went to the Cadillac Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Bar for dinner:

Cadillac Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Bar

Margarita and corn chips:

Margarita and corn chips

Jenn’s combo dinner:

Jenn's dinner

My burrito dinner:

David's dinner

We’re not into gambling, but felt we should pay some tax to the gods of luck while in Vegas. Though as it turned out, Jenn walked away with almost double what she put in:

Slot machine

Back outside:

Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street Experience

Las Vegas strip

While staying at Lake Mead, we took a couple of daytrips to Las Vegas. The first one was to the Strip.

We had actually planned to stay overnight at the Mirage, and attend “The Beatles Love” Cirque du Soleil show, but had to bail on those reservations as Jenn was sick with food poisoning for several days. But once she was better, we made do with the daytrips.

Driving to the Strip, we snagged a picture of the famous “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada” sign:

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada sign

Driving down the Strip:

Driving down the strip

We parked, and went searching for lunch. We ended up at the Hard Rock Cafe, and walked across the road while waiting for a notification of our table being ready:

The strip

Hard Rock Cafe

Jenn:

Jenn

Lunch:

Lunch at Hard Rock Cafe

Some of the decorations in the Hard Rock Cafe:

Hard Rock Cafe

Hard Rock Cafe

Hard Rock Cafe

Hard Rock Cafe

Pretty sure those buildings weren’t there the last time we were in Vegas… which admittedly was 16 years ago:

Aria

Paris is still the same, though:

Paris

Eiffel Tower

The Bellagio fountains:

Bellagio fountains

Bellagio fountains

Definitely a sign of the times: the Museum of Selfies:

Museum of Selfies

Gordon Ramsay Fish and Chips:

Gordon Ramsay Fish and Chips

 We rode the High Roller ferris wheel:

High Roller ferris wheel

High Roller ferris wheel

High Roller ferris wheel

High Roller ferris wheel

The view:

High Roller ferris wheel

High Roller ferris wheel

High Roller ferris wheel

High Roller ferris wheel

High Roller ferris wheel

High Roller ferris wheel

High Roller ferris wheel

High Roller ferris wheel

Jenn & David

High Roller ferris wheel

High Roller ferris wheel

High Roller ferris wheel

The MSG Sphere under construction:

High Roller ferris wheel

High Roller ferris wheel

High Roller ferris wheel

The monorail from above:

High Roller ferris wheel

Bellagio fountains:

Bellagio fountains

Nearing the end of the circuit:

High Roller ferris wheel

High Roller ferris wheel

Then we headed over to The Forum Shops:

The Forum Shops

Fountain selfie:

Jenn & David

Curved escalator:

The Forum Shops

The Forum Shops:

The Forum Shops

The Forum Shops

We stopped by the Apple store for a couple of accessories:

The Forum Shops

The animatronic “Fall of Atlantis” show:

The Forum Shops

The Forum Shops

We had dinner at the Trevi restaurant within the Forum Shops:

Jenn

Dinner

Hey there Caesar:

Caesar's Palace

Finally, some High Roller greenscreen photos:

High Roller greenscreen photos

High Roller greenscreen photos

High Roller greenscreen photos

High Roller greenscreen photos

High Roller greenscreen photos