We visited Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area near Las Vegas, Nevada.
Entrance station; timed-entry reservations required:
Visitor Center:
Gift store:
Exhibits:
Tortoise:
Jackson the burro:
Picnic:
We did a hike to a waterfall:
hike
Hovenweep National Monument
Hovenweep National Monument has multiple units in Utah and Colorado. We visited the main one, site of Hovenweep Castle and several other ruins:
A sign with a map of the various units:
We hiked along a canyon-edge path, with a view of several structures on both sides of the canyon:
Hovenweep Castle:
The Windows in Arches National Park
Once again we went back to Arches National Park, for one last time (for now). This time, we headed to The Windows, a part we quickly visited on the first day. But this time we did some hiking to the various arches.
The entrance sign again:
Animal sculptures by the visitor center:
Info signs for The Windows:
The Windows from the start of the trail:
Heading towards an arch:
A small arch off to the side:
An interesting tree:
North Window arch:
View through the arch:
Under the arch:
Turret Arch:
South Window Arch:
North and South Window Arches:
Turret Arch:
Wedding couple:
A parking lot sign caught my eye:
A fun closer view of it:
North and South Window Arches:
Double Arch trail:
Landscape Arch in Arches National Park
We went back to Arches National Park the next day, driving straight to the end of the park, to do the Landscape Arch hike. This is a fairly easy 1.9 mile (3.1 km) stroll along a mostly flat gravel and sand path, though there were some short steep hills.
The line of cars to get through the entrance station; we continue to believe that all parks should have an express line for people with park passes; most of the holdup is due to people paying and/or asking questions:
Looking downhill at the entrance station and switchbacks:
Rocks:
The parking area for the Landscape Arch and Devils Garden hikes:
Info on the trail, and also how the fins are formed:
Start of the hike:
A first look at the Landscape Arch; a little hard to see against the backdrop of rocks:
Info:
Closer:
Easier to see with sky behind it:
Another nearby arch:
Jenn taking a picture of me:
The path used to go under the arch, but that is closed since part of it collapsed:
On the way back, we took a half-mile side path to Pine Tree arch:
And the Tunnel arches:
Back at the start of the trail:
Afterwards, we had a picnic dinner at a nice spot:
We were rather hot, but had come prepared with cooling headbands; I kinda look like a hippie:
Finally, some fins:
Sand Dune Arch, picnic, secret back road for Arches National Park
We had an afternoon timed-entry ticket for Arches National Park, so went there a second time, this time going to the visitor center:
Some animal sculptures outside:
Relief map:
Visitor center:
Rocks:
A short hike to Sand Dune Arch, nestled amongst rock fins:
Arch:
Skyline Arch:
We stopped in a nice picnic area:
And had a picnic dinner at a very secluded table:
On a whim, we decided to head down a dirt road (I had previously checked it on the map):
It led to the Tower Arch trailhead:
We then continued along the road, leaving the park via the “secret” back entrance to the park:
Salt Valley Road, via public BLM land; you could avoid the timed entry requirement by coming in this way, though it is several miles of rough dirt road, so not for the faint of heart or non-4WD vehicles:
Back to the highway:
Hickman Bridge Trail hike in Capitol Reef
We again went to Capitol Reef National Park, this time to the Goosenecks Point overlook and a hike on the Hickman Bridge trail.
Some pics of Torrey, Utah on the way through:
An old house:
We really like the look of this stone building:
There’s a police car parked by the side of the road, with a mannequin inside:
The road to Goosenecks Point:
A bunch of pics from Goosenecks Point:
Then we proceeded to the Hickman Bridge trail, for a two-mile hike to a natural bridge arch:
We went to Slacker’s Burger Joint in Torrey for dinner after the hike:
And shared an indulgence for dessert:
Finally, a screenshot from the AllTrails app of the trail map:
Capitol Reef National Park
We visited Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. It is a long skinny park, encompassing the Waterpocket Fold, “a geologic wrinkle on earth” (quoting from the NPS site; really should be “in earth”).
Here’s a map; click it to explore the NPS map:
Capitol Reef signs:
Lots of interesting rocks:
Visitor center:
Jenn talking with someone else at the cancellation stamping station:
A large wall-mounted map:
We stopped by Gifford House, a historic Mormon homestead, which now contains a gift and pie shop:
We bought a couple of fruit pies as a snack:
We also got a jam sampler:
Outside:
Back on the scenic drive in the park:
Our drive led to the trailhead for a hike though a canyon, and on impulse we decided to do it (which was a bit silly, as we weren’t properly dressed for it, but oh well):
Petroglyphs:
Some names from 1911, halfway up a wall:
A painter:
The “pioneer register” rock etchings from the 1880’s:
A security camera to make sure nobody adds more markings (probably battery powered, recording for later review; or maybe a dummy):
Back in the truck:
Blowing dust:
A nice park. Stay tuned for more posts from here from subsequent days.
Mossy Cave Trail hike, Bryce Canyon
Within the Bryce Canyon National Park boundary, but separated from the main part of the park, is a short hike called Mossy Cave Trail. This hike is 0.8 miles (1.3 km) out-and-back, with an elevation change of 300 feet (91m).
Here’s the trailhead:
Jenn with hiking poles; the first time we used them, very useful on the steep and rough path:
Some nice views from the trail:
A waterfall:
Another path leads to the Mossy Cave:
Really more of an overhang than a cave:
Still some ice lingering in the shade:
A hike in Joshua Tree National Park
We visited Joshua Tree National Park when last in the Palm Springs area back in December, but decided to visit it a second time in early February, specifically to go for a short hike.
We went in the south entrance (where we exited last time), and stopped at the visitor center there. There was a singing park ranger:
After exploring a campground (too small for our coach), a picnic lunch, and considering a hike near the visitor center, we continued on towards the joshua tree part of the park. Passing some interesting rocks on the way:
Some joshua trees:
The parking areas were too full to do more popular hikes, so on a whim we turned down a dirt road:
Some interesting rocks by the road:
We stopped at an access point for rock climbers, and explored that area as an informal hike:
If you look closely, you may spot several rock climbers:
A selfie:
I’m valiantly holding up a rock:
A wave-shaped rock:
Young joshua tree:
Rocks:
Me taking a photo:
Of this:
Jenn and me:
Another rock climber:
More rocks:
A small cactus:
Joshua tree:
Rocks and joshua trees:
A bird:
I like the glowing effect of the sun behind the tip of the rock:
More lens flare with the sun touching the tip of the rock:
Joshua trees:
We’re liken the lichen:
Three colors:
Rocks and joshua trees:
Jenn on a rock:
Me joining her:
Jenn posing:
Me:
Shadows:
More interesting rocks:
Hike in Coachella Valley Preserve
While staying at Catalina Spa & RV Resort (look for a post about that later), we took a hike in the nearby Coachella Valley Preserve. We wanted to explore the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve within the Coachella Valley Preserve, but were misled by their map, and ended up doing a longer hike than planned.
The Coachella Valley Preserve sign:
Entrance to the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve:
The very inaccurate map; we thought the Hidden Palms Loop hike looked interesting, and allegedly fairly easy for us novice hikers at 1.75 miles roundtrip, according to the table in the map:
But it was full of lies; the Hidden Palms Loop was in fact more like five or six miles, and very badly marked. We went about halfway (mostly on loose sand) before we lost the trail, and turned back; a total of about three hours. Not a long hike for most people, but we’re not really in shape for such a journey, especially not in the heat of the desert. (Yes, we did have hiking boots, hats, suitable clothing, water, and snacks; we weren’t totally unprepared. But there’s definitely improvements we could make.)
We better know our limits now, that’s for sure:
Palm trees in the oasis at the start:
Following the trail; a nice path to start:
More palm trees:
The path crossed the road:
The trail continues:
Inside of a cactus:
Birds circling; we’re not dead yet:
The trail became soft sand, and less clearly defined:
A stream:
A wash from heavy rains:
Interesting texture:
Me with a trail marker, but not much of a trail:
So much desert:
The less-clearly-defined trail:
We saw several of the lizards that are a focus of the preserve:
More desert:
Not the most interesting hike, and the hidden palms were so well hidden that we didn’t find them. We looked at a better map when we got home (there wasn’t enough cell signal to see much while out there), and found where it went. But it definitely wasn’t what we were expecting.
We turned around once we lost the path, and got some tasty breakfast for dinner on the way home (i.e. back to our coach), then headed to the thermal pool for a couple hours soak for our tired muscles.
We also bought the AllTrails app, so will have better access to maps for our next hike.