For this trip, our goal was to see the remaining national parks we had not yet visited. There were four of them, all in Nevada and Utah. We planned to fly into Las Vegas, rent a car, and drive to the parks, staying in nearby hotels. The government shutdown could have had other plans for us, however. Would the parks be open? With the air traffic control problems, would we even be able to get there?
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| The plan |
It turned out that the parks were open, although some areas and visitor centers were closed. And we did manage to arrive in Vegas as planned.
Great Basin National Park
Lady Adventurer: "How is Great Basin National Park going to be different from the rest of the Great Basin that we've been driving through for four hours?"
Dan: "It will be the same, but there will be more of it."
Such is the conversation as we travel North from Las Vegas to Great Basin National Park. The Great Basin is a large, arid region in western North America, characterized by being the continent's largest landmass with no outlet to the ocean. It spans nearly all of Nevada, much of Utah, and parts of California, Idaho, Oregon, and Wyoming. It is defined by a Basin and Range topography, with alternating mountain ranges and flat valleys. The climate is dry and desert-like. Great Basin National Park hosts a sample of the incredible diversity of the larger Great Basin region.
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| Great Basin, near the closed visitor center |
The two visitor centers were closed; we ventured into a mostly-empty park that we had nearly all to ourselves. The famous Lehman Caves were closed. The scenic drive up to Wheeler Peak lived up to its name, but it was closed for the season near the top. At an elevation above 9,000 feet, we were able to walk among Bristlecone Pines, some of the planet's oldest living organisms. We took a short nature hike to enjoy the outstanding scenery, and called it a day. And a visit.
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| Next to a Bristlecone Pine |
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| Nice mountain views |
We stayed in the Gateway village of Baker, NV, which was nearly as empty as the park itself.
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| In the desert near Baker |
Capitol Reef National Park
It was another four-hour drive to Torrey, UT, and Capitol Reef National Park. Nothing prepared us for the beauty and grandeur of the place. It's absolutely stunning. Capitol Reef's name comes from its unique geological features: the "Capitol" refers to the white sandstone domes that resemble the dome of the U.S. Capitol building. At the same time, "Reef" describes the rugged, barrier-like cliffs of the Waterpocket Fold. The "Waterpocket Fold" is a 100-mile-long warp in the Earth's crust, and the name was given by early settlers and prospectors who saw the similarities to the Capitol building and a coral reef. It didn't fool me at all. The long, skinny park runs North/South and is bisected by Utah State Route 24 near Torrey. Just that short section is fantastic. But we ventured in further at the (open!) visitor center.
Based on the Park Ranger's recommendation, we drove to the end of the 10+ mile paved portion of Scenic Drive, then continued on another 2.5 miles to the very end on the dirt portion. From there, we began our hike on the Capitol Gorge Trail. There are sheer cliffs all along the way, sometimes close-in enough to consider it a slot canyon. To say it was "gorgeous" is an understatement. This out-and-back hike ranks among our most scenic ever.
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| Capitol Gorge Trail Hike |
We also made stops at several other points throughout the park, but we didn't get to see good portions of it. Count Capitol Reef among the parks we'd love to return to.
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| Great scenery throughout the park |
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| Fruita Section |
Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park is big. The park preserves a colorful landscape eroded (like the Grand Canyon) into numerous canyons, mesas, and buttes by the Colorado River, the Green River, and their respective tributaries. We spent our day in the popular Island in the Sky District.
We drove the park road as far as it went, then hiked a couple of miles from there. Sound familiar? This time, it was called the Grand View Trail, and grand it was. There were incredible vistas on both sides of the ridge we went out on. Beyond all expectations, we, along with around ten other hikers, managed to get lost on the way back. The route was more difficult than expected, but we managed to get back without further incident. The views all along the way were great. We also walked around Mesa Arch, and this shorter hike was a tough one as well. Sound familiar?
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| Grand View Trail Hike |
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| Grand View Trail Hike |
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| Mesa Arch |
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| Looking through Mesa Arch |
After our adventures, we stayed in Moab, Utah, for the first of five nights.
Arches National Park
National Park number 63 of 63 was a doosie. Arches National Park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive rock fins, and giant balanced rocks. It's among the most appropriately named parks from the Institute of Appropriate Park Naming. Arches is one of the most congested parks, so we got an early start.
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| Early morning hike to one of the arches |
The early morning light was perfect on the red rocks and arches. Gobs oohs and ahhs were forthcoming. We drove all the major park roads and stopped at many pull-out viewpoints. In the Windows Section, we hiked the Windows trail (where we spotted several large arches) and then over to Double Arch. Further on, we spotted the famous Delicate Arch from a distance. It is the well-known symbol of the State of Utah. In the Devil's Garden, we hiked to see Landscape Arch, the longest such span on the planet. It was quite a day.
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| North Window Arch |
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| Double Arch (also appropriately named) |
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| Delicate Arch |
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| Landscape Arch |
And, it was quite a trip. We accomplished our primary goal, and now it was time for some relaxation and fun in Moab.
Goblin Valley State Park
Grappling with Goblins? Hiking among Hoodoos? That was us. The landscape, covered with sandstone goblins and formations, is often compared to Mars. There were no marked trails. You meander around the goblins, which are all over the place. It's easy to get lost, but you're never too far away from the parking lot. It's impossible to walk in a straight line; if the goblins don't get in your way, the dry riverbeds do. Goblin Valley State Park is most like Bryce Canyon, and it's a really nifty place.
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| Goblins Galore |
Dead Horse Point State Park
Located adjacent to Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point features some fantabulous views of the Colorado River Canyon. An immense desert landscape of canyons, high desert woodland, and miles of trails, the park did not disappoint.
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| Dead Horse Point |
We hiked some trails near the visitor center, where the views of the canyon were spectacular. Then, we drove to Dead Horse Point (as far as you can go by car), where the views were even more amazing. Here, you can see the Colorado River winding and making a big U-turn. Our hike at this location involved taking the West Rim Trail back towards the visitor center, then crossing the road at the "Neck", before heading back to Dead Horse Point on the East Rim Trail.
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| East Rim Trail (that's Lady A. up there) |
Las Vegas
All that other stuff done, we drove back to Las Vegas for one more night before heading home. We stayed at the Fontainebleau. It's over the top in every conceivable way, as well as a few inconceivable ones. It was an experience, but neither of us feel the need to spend any more time in Vegas.
A Few More Thoughts
Moab is a cool place. It's both artsy and outdoorsy. And there are so many parks and activities. I would come back, but not in the high season, when it becomes bustling and crowded.
We had perfect weather, with cool nights and daytime highs in the 60s. Some places were hazy, especially Dead Horse Point. We learned that, sadly, industrial air pollution was to blame. Dead Horse Point had another problem as well: the landscape is scarred by an industrial potash operation smack-dab in the middle of the canyon below.
Our biggest surprise was Capitol Reef National Park. In a (very) good way.
Our biggest letdown was... None of the above. We thoroughly enjoyed all of the parks and areas in between. We did have a problem with the car rental - they forced us to accept and pay for insurance that we didn't need or want. Oh, and as I write this, we are very concerned about getting home, considering the government shutdown.
It would have been nice to visit Bears Ears National Monument and Monument Valley. Maybe next time.
Best of all, we made it to all of our national parks! You will hear more from me about this. I promise!
