camping in capitol reef

We pulled in just before sunset and had nice afternoon sun to set up camp and walk around these colorful trees that were part of an orchard that the campground sits near.
[ capitol reef camping ]

sweet campsite...

We drove into town to grab some food and drink, and spotted some classic scenery.

One of my favorite formations in the area, I call it "the castle."

There were deer everywhere. I felt rather touristy stalking the deer for a good pic, but I was good and didn't bother him too much. He never got up and moved. He was used to the dorks with cameras.

We drove a scenic road for a quick out and back ten mile jaunt and found neverending red rock.

We did spot this unusually striped rock...

My '95Toyota. Been to AK and back, and many times to UT and all around CO and KS.

Dina took over the camera for these next few pics. She's a great photographer... when I let go of the camera.

We decided to go up this steep trail for a while.

I make myself turn around and look where I came from, to remember the way back, and another way to take a moment to realize where I'm at and take it all in.

We stopped off at this little store, where they had fresh made pie and ice cream. A perfect post-hike snack before hitting the road again.

moqui marbles around escalante

Iron oxide concretions (Moqui marbles)

Allysia took us a bend in the road, got out and started hiking. We did follow a road for a bit of a sand slog, but then came out onto some nice hard rock to explore around. The Moqui marbles were everywhere.

Softer layers were eroding, exposing the moqui marbles. These look like they were washed into this crease.

Cool stripes...

Amazing terrain of the Grand Staircase National Monument


Jake had found this waterhole and had gotten himself out and rejoined us. We later came across it, and he was then having problems getting out. Lizzie didn't want to get in because Jake was whimpering. Allysia had to finally help pull him out. The sides were slick from the water. We don't know how deep it was.

Trying to bushwack down a tight spot... We ended up turning around here. I stepped on a small section and broke off, making a lot of noise and reminding us that this rock is very fragile.

Cool shadows and textures in the sand... we also saw tiny footprints from some lizards or something all over as well.

red canyon mountain biking

Dina takes a moment to catch her breath after starting her longest mountain bike of the summer. We took it easy, but I didn't bring out the camera nearly as much as in Bryce.

We parked and rode the bike path up to a dirt road. After a few miles the epic singletrack heads west.

[ red canyon // thunder mountain ]

Dina happy to be out on the trail

We were looking at a great view and then realized our track went down some very steep, twisting sections with nice cliffs below you.

After dropping down a bit, you climb back up among the hoodoos.

Some sections were too steep to ride and we pushed up. Maybe Lance could've ridden it. Now that we know the trail, we'd go back and do it again. And we'll probably get this section next time... maybe.

We spotted this fin and wondered how thin it really was.

Dina ready to ride the fin! It ended up being pretty wide, and not a big deal. We came down a few steep switchbacks again and then a super fast gradual downhill that took us right to where we parked. We had awesome weather and even had cell reception at one point. It's a 15 mile loop, and one ride that you have to check out if you make it this way.

exploration in coyote buttes south

After camping out just down the road from the trailhead for coyote buttes south, we woke up to get an early start because one of the guys had to get back to Salt Lake City that night, and we were actually just over the border into Arizona at this point.

There is a parking spot just off the road for low-clearance and two wheel drive vehicles. Do it. We were sandwiched between two cars as we switched to four wheel drive. It was slow going, but the fun was just getting started. I definitely felt the soft sand making the tires spin in some gnarly spots and that I was used to driving in mountain conditions. This was different though. Deep sand desert driving. It would've sucked to have gotten stuck here. None of us got stuck and we made it out safe too. Adventure before the adventure.

We marched through a bit of sand to reach this area.

I followed after he went. The girls went around right before even seeing this. She just did her longest day, 5 - 6 hours in Bryce Canyon, and then this long day hike. This is one of my favorite pics from this hike though.

You can double click on the pics to enlarge them a bit. I had to resize them for this blog, but have much better detailed pics if I want to try to put a few to print for our shop's cards (I've printed a small selection that's taken a LONG time to sell, but they look good. At least I think so).

Some of these fins were so delicate that they would break off if you stepped too close to the edge of one. A fragile area that is hikable by permit only. I've provided a link if you're interested.

[ coyote buttes south ]

We spotted this area and decided to hike in closer, as we thought we saw some cool stripes in the rock.

I followed that stripe just below my feet extending to the lower center. It was big enough for literally one foot in front of the other. I climbed up and over right looking for a possible way up and over the ridge top.

Jay taking some pics for the BLM. Yep, he was gettin' paid to do this, and we were on vacation.

We ended up going down and found a much easier way to travel along the ridge.

lunch break

Hiking up to the edge of a small canyon that two of the group dropped into. We opted to backtrack.

Another warm, beautiful day.

This coyote buttes local was so relaxed he let me lean in for a good shot of him. I kept quiet and left him alone.

Interesting shapes and textures were everywhere.

Dina, Allysia, Lizzie and Jake's off somewhere out front. I'm in my usual spot, pulling sweep, making sure everybody's accounted for. And of course, much slower than everybody because I'm always stopping to take pictures of rocks and lizards.