Travel from Monument Valley, UT to Mancos, CO

We drove our coach 149 miles, about 3 hours, from Monument Valley, Utah to Mancos, Colorado. Another new state!

The map route, heading east — through four states:

Map route

Leaving Monument Valley:

Rocks

Horse riders:

Horses

Rocks:

Rocks

Dusty road into the distance:

Rocks

Rocks:

Rocks

Rocks

Another straight road over the horizon:

Road

Having gone from Utah through Arizona, we briefly crossed into New Mexico near Four Corners, the only place where four states meet:

New Mexico

Then a minute later into Colorado:

Colorado

We stopped on the side of the road for a lunch break:

Break

Mesa Verde:

Rocks

Cinema in Cortez, Colorado:

Cinema

Liquor store in Cortez:

Liquor store

Mesa Verde:

Mesa

Our destination:

Destination

Moki Dugway switchbacks

On a road trip to Bears Ears and Natural Bridges National Monuments (a post about them tomorrow), we drove our truck up Utah State Route 261, which includes the Moki Dugway dirt switchback road carved into the cliff face of Cedar Mesa in Utah.

Here’s a map:

Moki Dugway map

The mesa from the bottom:

Mesa

A warning sign:

Sign

Heading up the road:

Road

Twisty GPS route:

Twisty GPS

Road

Road

Monuments:

Monuments

Don’t look down:

Switchbacks

Switchbacks

Switchbacks

Switchbacks

Switchbacks

Switchbacks

A road at the top and bottom:

Switchbacks

Monuments again:

Monuments

View from near the top:

Switchbacks

Stay tuned for a timelapse video of this drive.

Monument Valley sunset tour

We did a Monument Valley tribal tour; a Navajo guided tour in an open truck through Monument Valley tribal park, including parts that are only available via such tours.

Here’s the brochure with the map and description:

Brochure

Lots of iconic rocks:

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Jenn & David

Rocks

Our tour vehicle:

Tour vehicle

Other tour vehicles:

Other tour vehicles

Rocks

Sisters

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Jenn & David

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Our Navajo tour guide:

Our Navajo tour guide

One of the stops was a hogan:

Hogan

Hogan

Hogan

Navajo hair tie:

Navajo hair tie

Navajo hair tie

Driving over sand:

Driving over sand

Rocks

Big Hogan:

Big Hogan

Big Hogan

Big Hogan

Big Hogan

David & Jenn

Big Hogan

Vertical panorama:

Vertical panorama

Jenn & David

Ear of the Wind:

Ear of the Wind

Ear of the Wind

Ear of the Wind

Petroglyphs

Vertical panorama

Suns Eye:

Suns Eye

Suns Eye

Suns Eye

Suns Eye

Glowy rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Jenn & David

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Sunset

Rocks

Rocks

Monument Valley KOA Journey

We stayed at Monument Valley KOA Journey in Monument Valley, Utah. (Campground Reviews listing.)

Dates:

  • Check in: 2022-05-22
  • Check out: 2022-05-29
  • 7 nights

Weather:

  • A mix of sunny and cloudy
  • High temps ranging between 73-89°F, lows around 46-60°F
  • Some afternoon wind, with 45 MPH gusts on the last day

Noise:

  • Negligible road noise, no train noise
  • Frequently changing neighbors, mostly quiet

Site:

  • #6, pull-through, gravel
  • Needed to disconnect toad; parked beside coach
  • Smallish site: about 40 feet long by about 35 feet wide
  • Full hookups:
    • 50 amp power somewhat conveniently located; running ACs on a hot day overloaded the circuit a few times
    • Good water pressure, 65 PSI, conveniently located
    • Good sewer connection, conveniently located
  • Picnic table; fire pit; charcoal grill

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • Starlink: 31 Mbps down, 6-11 Mbps up, 45 ms ping
  • AT&T: 8 Mbps down, 6 Mbps up, 59 ms ping
  • Verizon: 1 Mbps down, 0.5 Mbps up, 70 ms ping
  • T-Mobile: no service
  • Campground Wi-Fi: apparently slow; not used

Amenities:

  • Garbage dumpster
  • No pool
  • Package delivery to our site

Here’s the review Jenn wrote on Campground Reviews:

The view you imagine when you imagine a Western

A bit overpriced for what it is, but you can’t beat the panoramic views of one of the most iconic landscapes in America. We had a 50amp pull-through site, which was just long enough for our 40′ motorhome and we parked our tow vehicle alongside, with plenty of room left over for outdoor living space. The sites and roads could use another layer of gravel to keep the dust down. It’s a fairly basic park, but very convenient for visiting Monument Valley, Goosenecks State Park, Bears Ears National Monument, etc. We camped at Monument Valley KOA Journey in a Motorhome.

The RV park map:

Park map

Here’s the weather for our time here. Two screenshots; the first is using the GPS location, which for some reason lists us as Moab, even though it’s over 100 miles from Moab. And the second searching for Monument Valley. Close enough, regardless:

Weather

Weather

Our site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Since there was no T-Mobile connectivity, which is our preference for unlimited internet, I set up the Starlink dish:

Starlink dish

Electrical and water utilities; the electrical pedestal is in a strange place, but the water and sewer are conveniently placed:

Utilities

65 PSI water pressure (I have a regulator to limit it to 60 PSI):

65 PSI water pressure

Table, fire pit, and charcoal grill, with our rug and chairs:

Table, fire pit, etc

This is a very scenic location, with several buttes nearby:

Buttes

Sunset every night saw several people lined up along the fence, taking pictures:

Sunset

Sunset

Sunset

Another sunset:

Sunset

Sunset

Let’s walk around. Here’s the entrance, with another butte beyond:

Entrance

Buttes

Buttes

The office, and Jeep rentals:

Office and Jeep rentals

Other RVs:

Other RVs

Bathroom:

Bathroom

Playground:

Playground

Dog park:

Dog park

More RVs and views:

Other RVs

Other RVs

View

A nice-looking skoolie — a retired school bus, converted into an RV. Many RV parks don’t allow skoolies, or other custom or older RVs, but this KOA obviously doesn’t have that rule:

Skoolie

Our coach, with the skoolie beyond:

Our coach and skoolie

Skoolie

Our coach:

Our coach

Our coach

Another skoolie, not so nice looking:

Skoolie

There are horse tours available next to the RV park (we did such a tour; stay tuned for that):

Horse tours

Horse tours

Horse tours

Horse tours

Horse tours

This being a KOA Journey park, it tends to have a high turnover of occupants; it can empty out during the day, then fill up again by the evening:

Empty

Empty

Watching the sunset:

Watching the sunset

Sunset

Sunset

Sunset

Sunset

Jenn playing a videogame outside:

Playing videogame outside

Sunset between the truck and coach:

Sunset between truck and coach

On the day before we left, there was a lot of wind (with 45 MPH gusts), kicking up a lot of dust:

Dust

Dust

We pulled in our front passenger slide-out to reduce the rocking and rattling of the slide topper.

Travel from Green River to Monument Valley, UT

We drove our coach 195 miles, about 4 hours, from Green River, Utah to Monument Valley, Utah.

If you’ve ever seen a Western movie, you’ve seen Monument Valley.

Here’s the map, heading south:

Map route

Green River is proud of their melons:

Green River melons

Green River melons

An interesting church:

Interesting church

We stopped at Love’s to top up the diesel, since fuel stops are few and far between for the next few legs of our journey:

Love's fuel stop

Only about 40 gallons (our tank is 150 gallons), though still rather expensive with current fuel prices:

Love's fuel stop

Back under the lowish rail bridge:

Rail bridge

Mesa:

Mesa

Rocks:

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Moab:

Moab

Moab

Rocks

Rocks

We stopped for lunch at the rest area by Hole N the Rock:

Hole N the Rock

Rest stop

Lunch

Onward:

Rocks

An arch:

Arch

Rocks

Rocks

Trading post:

Trading post

Water

Rocks

Rocks and buildings

Rocks

Rocks

First sight of some iconic Monument Valley rocks:

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Bridge:

Bridge

The bridge was a little narrow for our coach, so we treated it as a one-way bridge:

Narrow bridge

Rocks

Several people stopped at Forrest Gump point; an iconic location from the movie:

Forrest Gump point

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Our destination:

Rocks

Green River KOA Journey

We stayed at Green River KOA Journey in Green River, Utah. (Campground Reviews listing.)

Dates:

  • Check in: 2022-05-11
  • Check out: 2022-05-22
  • 11 nights

Weather:

  • Mostly sunny
  • High temps ranging between 69-94°F, lows around 39-58°F
  • Windy several afternoons, with gusts up to 40 MPH on a couple of days

Noise:

  • Negligible road noise, occasional distant train noise
  • Quiet neighbors

Site:

  • #50, pull-through, gravel
  • Didn’t need to disconnect toad; parked behind coach
  • Large site: about 100 feet long by about 40 feet wide
  • Full hookups:
    • 50 amp power somewhat conveniently located
    • Good water pressure, 60 PSI, somewhat conveniently located
    • Good sewer connection, conveniently located
  • Picnic table on cement pad; fire pit
  • Nice new landscaping

Internet:

  • Campground Ethernet: 97 Mbps down, 45 Mbps up, 6 ms ping (first time we’ve had an Ethernet option)
  • T-Mobile: 62-71 Mbps down, 38-45 Mbps up, 45 ms ping
  • AT&T: 6 Mbps down, 6 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
  • Verizon: 34-62 Mbps down, 28-43 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
  • Starlink: not used, since Ethernet was so fast

Amenities:

  • Garbage dumpster
  • Pool, still closed for the season (preparing to open soon after we left)
  • Package delivery available (sometimes collected from office, sometimes hand-delivered to our site)

Here’s the review Jenn wrote on Campground Reviews:

Good base camp for all the area has to offer.

We stayed in the newly renovated section of the park, each with very young trees and brand new patios and picnic tables. The staff were very friendly and helpful, even bringing our packages to the site. They do an excellent job keeping the sites raked and tidied up after every departure and the whole park is very well kept up. Sadly, they were just starting to get the pool ready for the season (it opens on Memorial Day) so we were unable to use it, despite several days being over 90 degrees. They recently upgraded their WiFi and even had ethernet ports on the pedestals, which we were able to plug our router right into for the fastest internet we’ve had in ages. If you need to work while on the road, this is the place to do it! In the late afternoons after work, there’s still plenty of time to venture out and explore Canyonlands and Arches National Parks, Moab, and several state parks before returning to this nice, quiet spot away from the touristy confines of Moab. We camped at Green River KOA Journey in a Motorhome.

The RV park map:

Park map

The satellite map is a bit out-of-date, since they’ve made recent renovations:

Satellite map

Screenshot of the weather for our stay:

Weather

Our site:

Out site

Our site

Out site

Out site

Out site

Out site

Out site

Working outside:

Jenn & David

Out site

Cooking burgers on the griddle:

Griddle dinner

This is the first time we’ve had an Ethernet jack available at a site:

Ethernet jack

I fed the Ethernet cable through the front passenger window:

Ethernet cable through window

Into the modem:

Ethernet into modem

Utilities:

Utilities

We visited Canyonlands and Arches National Parks while here, so added their stickers (stay tuned for posts about those visits):

More park stickers

A dust devil:

Dust devil

Dust devil

Dust devil

A lunar eclipse:

Lunar eclipse

Lunar eclipse

Lunar eclipse

Let’s explore:

Entrance sign

The office:

Office

Camp store:

Camp store

Camp registration:

Camp registration

The swimming pool was being cleaned, for opening on Memorial Day at the end of the month. We could have used it on some of the hot days, though we were out exploring parks most of the time:

Pool being cleaned

Playground:

Playground

Dog park, with a shade and seating area, and agility course:

Dog park

Patio sites:

Patio site

Cabin:

Cabin

Other RVs:

Other RVs

A field behind the park (and dumpster):

Field behind park

One of the many occupants of the site next to us was a U-Haul and tent; rather unusual:

U-Haul and tent

Two trailers:

Two trailers

One of the first nights here we went to Ray’s Tavern in downtown Green River:

Ray's Tavern

They had the menu on a white board above the bar:

Ray's Tavern menu

Ray's Tavern

Ray's Tavern

Then we went to the grocery store (yes, the only one; it’s a very small town). A well-stocked family-run store (the two cashiers were father and daughter):

Grocery store

Grocery store

Towards the end of our stay, we walked from the KOA to the Tamarisk Restaurant next door (which offers a 10% discount for KOA guests, though we didn’t bother to ask for that):

Tamarisk Restaurant

We had to wait 20 minutes due to a bus-load of other guests:

Tamarisk Restaurant

Tamarisk Restaurant

Tamarisk Restaurant

River view:

Tamarisk Restaurant

Tamarisk Restaurant

Tamarisk Restaurant

Tamarisk Restaurant

Finally, the entry sign at night:

Entry sign

Travel from Torrey to Green River, UT

We drove our coach 107 miles, about 2.5 hours, from Torrey, Utah to Green River, Utah.

Here’s the map, heading northeast:

Map route

Leaving the RV park:

Leaving the park

Driving through Torrey:

Torrey

Some road works on the road to Capitol Reef National Park:

Road works

Road works

Road

Entering Capitol Reef National Park in our coach, as our route takes us through the park:

Capitol Reef National Park

More road works:

Road works

Heading through the park:

Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park

Road and river

A somewhat desolate area beyond the park:

Highway

Lots of interesting rocks, though:

Highway and rocks

Highway and rocks

Highway and rocks

Highway and rocks

Highway and rocks

Working on my laptop:

Laptop

Highway and rocks

Paladin sat on the back of Jenn’s chair for a bit:

Paladin and Jenn

Highway and river

Highway and rocks

Some dust storms in the distance:

View

Dusty

Exit towards Green River:

Exit to Green River

Paladin:

Paladin

Dusty:

Dusty

Dusty

Exit:

Exit

A somewhat low bridge; our coach is 12’ 7” high, so enough clearance:

Low bridge

Low bridge

Welcome to Green River:

Welcome to Green River

An interesting building façade:

Building

Green River would be more accurately called brown river:

Green River

Our destination, the Green River KOA Journey:

KOA Journey

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:

Torrey

An old house:

Old house

We really like the look of this stone building:

Nice stone building

There’s a police car parked by the side of the road, with a mannequin inside:

Police car with mannequin

The road to Goosenecks Point:

Rocks

A bunch of pics from Goosenecks Point:

Goosenecks Point

Goosenecks Point

Goosenecks Point

Goosenecks Point

Goosenecks Point

Goosenecks Point

Goosenecks Point

Goosenecks Point

Goosenecks Point

Goosenecks Point

Goosenecks Point

Goosenecks Point

Goosenecks Point

Then we proceeded to the Hickman Bridge trail, for a two-mile hike to a natural bridge arch:

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

Hickman Bridge trail

We went to Slacker’s Burger Joint in Torrey for dinner after the hike:

Slacker’s Burger Joint

Slacker’s Burger Joint

Slacker’s Burger Joint

Slacker’s Burger Joint

Slacker’s Burger Joint

And shared an indulgence for dessert:

Slacker’s Burger Joint

Finally, a screenshot from the AllTrails app of the trail map:

Trail map

“Loop the Fold” drive around Capitol Reef National Park

As a fun day trip, we did the “Loop the Fold” scenic drive, using a guide booklet we purchased at the Capitol Reef visitor center.

This 125 mile driving loop goes around the Waterpocket Fold, through the Capitol Reef park, along Burr Trail Road in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and through Dixie and Fishlake National Forests.

Here’s the “Loop the Fold” road guide:

Loop the Fold road guide

The included map, with stop markers:

Loop the Fold map

We started from the RV park in Torrey, and continued clockwise, through Capitol Reef:

Capitol Reef sign

Chimney Rock, stop number 37 in the guide (see the map above):

Rocks

Panorama Point (stop 38):

Sunset Point

Sunset Point

Jenn at Sunset Point

The guide is numbered from the Visitor Center, with total miles given from that point, so the Fruta schoolhouse is stop number 1 at mile 0.8:

Fruta schoolhouse (1)

At the petroglyphs (stop 2, mile 1.1), Jenn took a survey:

Jenn taking survey

Petroglyphs:

Petroglyphs (2)

Hickman Bridge Trailhead (stop 3, mile 1.9):

Hickman Bridge Trailhead (3)

Navajo Dome view (stop 4, mile 2.3):

Navajo Dome view (4)

Historic cabin (stop 6, mile 6.0):

Historic cabin (6)

Historic cabin

Rocks:

Rocks

We left the Capitol Reef park at the east entrance (stop 7, mile 9.1):

Capitol Reef sign (7)

A historical marker for the settlement of Notom (stop 8, mile 14.0):

Notom (8)

Notom

View:

View

Hoodoos (stop 10, mile 17.6):

Hoodoos (10)

We had a picnic lunch in our truck at that stop:

Picnic lunch

Views:

Views

The pavement ends at mile 19.3:

Pavement ends

Driving across a wash:

Wash

Washboarded road:

Washboarded road

Rough road:

Rough road

The Summerville Formation (stop 15, mile 28.1):

The Summerville Formation (15)

Re-entering the park (mile 28.4):

Re-entering the park

Ridge:

Ridge

View

Ridge

Our truck parked on the side of the road:

Truck

Oyster Shell Reef (stop 17, mile 32.3):

Oyster Shell Reef (17)

Oyster fossils:

Oyster fossils

Oyster fossils

Oyster fossils

View:

View

View

Selfie:

Jenn & David

Dirt road:

Dirt road

View

The road changes color:

The road changes color

Spike:

Spike

Smooth

Morrison Formation (stop 18, mile 39); 150-million-year-old Brushy Basin layer of soft claystone on the left, and Salt Wash layer of coarse sandstone on the right:

Morrison Formation (18)

Rocks:

Rocks

Rocks

Junction (stop 20, mile 42.1):

Junction (20)

We took a detour off the route:

Ridges

Ridges

Driving across a wash:

Wash

The post horse corral:

Horse corral

Horse corral

Horse corral

Horse corral

Horse corral

View

Back across the wash:

Wash

View

The Burr Trail Switchbacks (stop 22, mile 42.9):

Burr Trail Switchbacks (22)

Burr Trail Switchbacks

Don’t look down:

Burr Trail Switchbacks

Burr Trail Switchbacks

At the top:

Top of Burr Trail Switchbacks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

We stopped for a pie snack:

Pie

Pavement resumes when leaving the park (stop 24, mile 45.3):

Pavement resumes (24)

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument:

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Views:

Views

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Singing Canyon (stop 26, mile 66.9):

Singing Canyon (26)

Long Canyon viewpoint (stop 28, mile 68.7):

Long Canyon viewpoint (28)

Navajo sandstone (stop 29, mile 76.5):

Navajo sandstone (28)

Sub-alpine trees:

Sub-alpine trees

Homestead Overlook (stop 32, mile 90.4):

Homestead Overloop (32)

Homestead Overlook

Sub-alpine trees

Larb Hollow Overlook (stop 34, mile 101.4):

Larb Hollow Overlook (34)

Overlook

Overlook

View

View

View

A fun day trip.

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:

Map

Capitol Reef signs:

Capitol Reef sign

Capitol Reef sign

Lots of interesting rocks:

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Jenn talking with someone else at the cancellation stamping station:

Jenn stamping

Visitor center

Visitor center

Visitor center

A large wall-mounted map:

Map

Rocks

Marmot crossing

We stopped by Gifford House, a historic Mormon homestead, which now contains a gift and pie shop:

Gifford House

Gifford House

Gifford House

Gifford House

Gifford House

We bought a couple of fruit pies as a snack:

Pies

We also got a jam sampler:

Jams

Outside:

Cart

Horse

Back on the scenic drive in the park:

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

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):

Hike trailhead

Rocks

Flowers

Rocks

Petroglyphs:

Petroglyphs

Petroglyphs

Petroglyphs

Some names from 1911, halfway up a wall:

Names

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

A painter:

Painter

Painter

Rocks

The “pioneer register” rock etchings from the 1880’s:

Rock etching

Rock etching

Rock etching

Rock etching

Rock etching

Rock etching

Rock etching

A security camera to make sure nobody adds more markings (probably battery powered, recording for later review; or maybe a dummy):

Camera

Rocks

Jenn & David

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Back in the truck:

Rocks

IMG 5216

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Blowing dust:

Dust

Dust

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

A nice park. Stay tuned for more posts from here from subsequent days.