Once showered and packed back up we headed off towards Moab. We decided to take a more scenic route than the long, barren drive we had taken on I-70 on the way out. By taking side roads, we we would be able to drive through much of the Grand Escalante Staircase National Monument, and some of Capitol Reef National Park.
The route did not disappoint. The road climbed relentlessly through bizarre rock formations as we drove east then climbed to over 10,000 feet of elevation in places. The astounding views seemed to stretch to the ends of the earth. It was hard not to be impressed with the civil engineers that designed and built these roads- roads which were in far better shape than Michigan's highway system. Considering the brutal landscape that had to be tamed in the construction of this path, it must have been quite a feat.
Approaching Boulder, Utah, the road made a dizzying descent down the face of rock walls. Sheer drop-offs on either side of the road made for white knuckle driving. Just past Boulder we found a great place for lunch.
The Hell's Backbone Grill was like an oasis in the desert for us. Located right off of the highway on the outskirts of Boulder, the grill served eclectic and delicious fare in a beautiful setting. We enjoyed a very late breakfast (always the best meal of the day) with organic eggs, fair trade coffee, potato pancakes and homemade bread and jams. We were completely stuffed by the time we got back on the road.
Past Boulder, the road cut a beautiful path through groves of cottonwood trees with scatterings of free-range cattle on green hillsides. The weather was cool and breezy, with dark clouds brewing on the horizon. It was weather more fit for Michigan, and made us feel at home while driving.
The drive through Capitol Reef National Park was reminiscent of our time in Zion, but on a smaller scale. Red rock formations towered over the road in places, and groves of cottonwood trees and a lush, green landscape adorned the small stream that flowed along the road. We stopped for a few photos along the highway and to stretch our legs.
Beyond Capitol Reef, the terrain became truly bizarre. Eventually, there were no trees to be seen, and towering, gray rock formations stood sentinel on both sides of the road. After we made the turn north for I-70, the terrain opened up and became flat and barren. Red mesas shimmered in the distance, and the road stretched into the horizon. Even the 65 mph limit seemed inadequate while cruising the flat terrain.
The skies continued to darken while we drove, and we wondered if taking the top off of the Jeep was going to be a mistake. Luckily, the weather forecast proved accurate, and we never saw the precipitation held by the dark skies.
We arrived in Moab in the evening. The air was thick and heavy as we drove through down Main Street. Moab looked to be a very fun town, with eclectic eateries, coffee shops, outfitters, gear shops, art galleries and a brewery. Thanks to the advice of a Moosejaw employee back home we had a campsite in mind for the night. We headed out of town on a side road, but before the directions could take us to our destination we spotted a different BLM (Bureau of Land Management) campground on the side of the road. This campground had ten sites situated right on the shores of the massive Colorado River. We couldn't resist camping on water for the night.
After setting up camp, we headed back into town for some dinner at Miguel's. Miguel's is a well-known mexican establishment. They had nothing but glowing reviews online, and there fish tacos were voted number one by Outdoors Magazine, so we figured we couldn't go wrong. The reviews were right. We had a delicious dinner of potato flautas and mahi mahi tacos.
By the time we returned to camp, the skies had cleared some, and we crashed in our tent under the canopy of stars and black canyon walls. The campsite next to us was staying up late drinking and listening to music. We fell asleep to the hits of the 80's.
In the morning we grabbed a light breakfast and did some grocery shopping in town before heading for Canyonlands National Park. Canyonlands is a massive park, with three distinct areas, or districts. Our first destination was the Island in the Sky District, to the north of Moab.
Island in the Sky is aptly named, as the bulk of the park sits on a large mesa. This relatively flat piece of land is bordered by the Green River on one side and the Colorado River on the other. The rivers meet to the south of the park, trapping the landmass high above it. To the north, a tiny isthmus of land, called the neck, connects the mesa to the surrounding land. Ranchers once used this area to hold cattle, as only the tiny neck needed to be secured in order to trap large herds of cattle on the island.
Willow Campground is the only campground in the park. We arrived to find it already full for the night, so we headed back out of the park in search of a place to camp. About ten miles past the park boundary, we found a BLM campground called Cowboy Camp with space.
Cowboy Camp turned out to be much more impressive than Willow. With only 7 isolated sites situated on an open ridge overlooking miles of open desert, the campground was the perfect place for solitude near a national park. We set up our campsite and changed into hiking clothes.
It was late afternoon by the time we reached the trailhead for our hike. I was hoping to hike in the cooler part of the day, but it was still in the 90's when we stepped off down the trail for the Neck Spring Loop.
The Neck Spring Trail is a 6 mile loop that traverses the arid terrain of Island in the Sky, while passing by a couple of springs. The hike left the parking lot, crossing the park road before beginning its descent into a small canyon. Rock cairns, or piled up rocks left by rangers to indicate the path, allowed us to find our way through the desert scrubland.
As we hiked, the sun bore down with surprising intensity for so late in the day. The trail was mostly an easy-to-follow dirt path along the side of a canyon. Occasionally, it would need to cross a wash and climb up the other side. In these places, we would have to climb down large rocks steps or scurry over stretches of slick rock. At the bottom of the canyons, we found dried-out washes and lush, green evidence of water everywhere. The shade of the small trees was more than welcome in the afternoon heat.
Gradually, the trail made its way around the loop. As it began to climb up the canyon wall towards the road we slowly acquired more and more shade. A relatively easy hike suddenly turned difficult, as the trail turned left and up. A ten minute stretch climbed almost vertically up large stretches of slick rock towards the rim of the canyon. A few sections required using hands and feet to climb.
The view on the rim was more than worth the effort, however. We were back in the sun, but it was setting quickly, and the air was becoming cooler as we hiked. The setting sun bathed the mesas and canyons in a golden hue while we hiked back towards the parking area. Two huge jackrabbits ran across the trail. They seemed to be enjoying the evening shade on the rim.
Eventually the trail crossed the road and made its way north to the parking lot. The views into the canyons was astounding, awash in light and shadows of a setting sun. We stopped to sit on a large rock outcrop for a while in order to take in the grandness of the terrain. It was impossible not to feel small in such a vast landscape.
We drove back to camp just in time to watch the last shreds of sunlight melt into the horizon. We cooked dinner in the now cool air while the skies grew dark. A steady breeze blew across the desert. They were dream-like conditions for camping.
After dinner, we sat around camp and watched the stars come out. It was one of the best night skies of our trip. Stars stretched almost from one horizon to the other.
We are just getting acquainted with Canyonlands National Park, but already I can tell that I am going to remember this vast and remarkable landscape.
