Nov 8 Petrified Forest

 

Just outside Escalante is the Petrified Forest State Park. We hiked a several mile route to view many specimens of petrified wood. These specimens date to the Jurassic period, so later than the petrified wood we have in NC from the Triassic period. 

Some were in the form of logs like this piece. Others were just scattered about.

At the visitor center, there were displays of pieces which had been taken from the park and then returned, along with letters apologizing or explaining. We did note that m,any of the more colorful specimens in the park, had been chipped away.

Nov 7 Capitol Reef National Park

 

Huge Cottonwoods can be found here in Fruita. The town of Fruita date to 1880. A number of fruit trees were planted here at that time. The fertile valley supported a farming community. These Cottonwoods are huge but may not be terribly old.

The early settlers also brought Wisteria here. This vine is an original settler's decorative addition. That is a pretty big vine.

We saw many Cottonwoods on this trip. They line the banks of rivers and creeks. Everywhere else is pretty barran.

Capitol Reef is also a big place but for us folks that travel on paved roads, there is only a tiny spot that we can access the park. It is along Rt 12, a scenic and remote roadway into this part of Utah. This area was the last place to be mapped in the continental US. Until about 1870,  it was a blank spot on the map.

Nov 7 Goblin Valley

 

Hoodoos or goblins are rock formations found throughout Southern Utah. A great concentration of them occurs here in Goblin Valley. It is very remote. I was surprised to learn when we entered the state park that a race was occurring that day and we might not be able to park. We managed to park and walk among the goblins. The runners were out there somewhere. 

Sometimes this formation is called a mushroom but most of the time they are hoodoos.

Nov 4 & 6 Canyonlands National Park

 

A very interesting arch here. It looks like you can walk through it. You can but you'd fall forever into the canyon below. 

Ravens are very socialable here. There are one or two that work every picnic and parking area. I think there would be more but the dominant ones probably have territorial rights and keep the others out. They will come right up to you if they think you might feed them. 

Upheaval Dome is a pretty barren place. The green is from iron in the rock. It is hypothesed that a meteor hit here and caused the hole. 

Canyonlands is a big place. It is measured in square miles rather than acres. 527 of them. The park is divided into 4 districts - Island in the Sky, Needles, the Maze and the rivers. Looking out there, you can see the canyons of the Green and Colorado Rivers. There is a 100 mile road out there. A permit is required and it takes 3 days to drive. We could see portions of it. It looked like some parts were just huge puddles of water. There has been much rain lately. 

See the road in the bottom left corner?

This is inside a cave overhang in the Needles district. A crack in the rock has Southern Maidenhair ferns growing from it.

Tansyaster is common

Nov 3 & 4 Arches National Park

 

Landscape Arch

At 306 feet across, this is reported to be the longest in the world. It looks precarious. I'm glad I got to see it. 

Park Avenue

The scenery here is spectacular. The drive is loaded with views in any direction at any point.

Windows

Double Windows

Double Arch

Delicate Arch

The trail to Delicate Arch is a real treat. Difficult too. You get all the way almost to the end and then have to walk a couple of ledges. Of course you run into someone coming the other direction.

Sand Dune Arch

Skyline Arch

There was someone in this arch when we hiked out to it. I can't figure out how they got there.

Double O Arch

Hiking on a fin with drop offs on either side.

This may not look like a difficult climb but it is. It is right at the beginning of the trail out to Double O Arch. Many people turn back at this spot. It is the most difficult spot to negotiate on the trail. The rest of the trail had its moments as well. If you have acrophobia, don't even think about this hike.