Still Gravity

The Mesa Arch.  The only arch we saw in Canyonlands National Park is pretty accessible, around a mile roundtrip.  This is a popular place.  As expected the arch and the trailhead parking lot were full, but the views were good.  Wide view of the Mesa Arch.  The three mile roundtrip of Murphy Trail, also as expected, attracted less folks.  C hiking the sandy Murphy Trail.  It was a quiet and relaxed walk.  Close to the trailhead we reached the remains of a historic corral built on the mesa top.  Old corral built against the rocks.  The trail ends over boulders with wide views of the Green River and on a corner the Candlestick Tower.   The Green River.  The Candlestick Tower.  We also saw the formation across Grand View Point - the spot where we enjoyed an wonderful sunset (check previous posts).  Farther away, the remote and mysterious Maze.  The Maze of Canyonlands.  On the way, we saw a fox that quickly dropped under the canyon rim.  (Posted from the phone.) Check this page  to license

Aztec Butte in Canyonlands.  Climbing up the Aztec Butte was all fine until we reached the last edge.  The final section of the climb.  The incline there was steep, no good grabbing points, and the cliff was too close for comfort.  C hiking the sloped trail  C played chicken this time, but the truth is that 15 feet more in elevation didn't make a big difference in the views. The way down - she ended the hike with knee pain. Then we went to the smaller butte.  The butte with the ancient structures.  There I dropped from the top to the two small ancient indigenous structures built in a sheltered alcove.  The dropping point from the top of the mesa. The sloped access to the granaries.  The first granary. These granaries are over 900 years old. The small door was closed with a slab and sealed with clay and mud.  The second structure. The access point  They were well hidden and looked to me like a safe cache of food protected by a hard access.  Not many things in the world last a millen

The Grand View of Canyonlands.  This is the southern end of the paved road of Island in the Sky, one of the sections of Canyonlands National Park.  The hike is 1.8 miles roundtrip. It follows the canyon rim to a big boulder with a magnificent view of this brutal wilderness.  We took snacks, water, and the flashlights and went there to catch the sunset.  The trail to the sunset.  The end of the trail, now to wait for the sunset.  We got a companion.  And to wait for the sunset  The sky became orange, the canyons blue, and a chilly wind began to blow.  The last sight of the sun  Moments before all became blue. Silence and not a sign of civilization in all this wilderness. The planet at its wildness, as it's supposed to be.  Back to the trailhead.  (Posted from the phone.)  Check this page  to license our photos.

The some that looks like a crater.  We hiked to the first and second overlook of this gigantic hole two miles wide in Canyonlands National Park.  The trail to the second overlook  C climbing the slope.  There are two theories about this landscape feature. The oldest is related to an outburst of salts, the latest cause was a meteor impact.  We got a better view from the strange dome from this angle.  The center looks like an impact. It would vote for the second. Especially after seen the central point of this crater.  (Posted from the phone.) Check this page  to license our photos.

Park entrance.  This national park is divided into three unconnected areas: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze - discounting the rivers. They are somehow different. View from the Green River Overlook.  Island in the Sky is the most visited and accessible. It's a big mesa surrounded by the Colorado and the Green River - they join and become one river inside this park.  The Colorado River before joining the Green River.  The Green River through Canyonlands. We got four days in the campground of Island in the Sky to explore this section.  We got a nice site.  The camp is small with only 12 sites. No water or trash dumpster, but nice covered picnic tables.  Time for some planning.  Daily visitor.  In the afternoon, we went to the visitor center.  There we watched a short video about the Canyonlands and refilled our portable tanks with potable water.  Shaffer Canyon across the visitor center.  Off-road trail - No, thank you! Sheeps being moved through this dangerous trail in t

Sunrise in the Delicate Arch. This is the most famous arch in the world.  The reason to go is that this is the place with more density of natural arches on the planet.  The reason to hike is because you need to walk a little to get close to the arches.  A good reason for not going to Arches is how crowded this national park is.  We woke up at 5 am and hit the road to avoid the need of a permit - required from 7 to 4 pm.  Early morning hike.  We reached the park at 6 am and drove in the darkness all the way to the trailhead of the famous Delicate Arch.  Surprise! There were a lot of folks already there. The same huge amount of folks we found later at the base of the arch.  In this place, we also took a look at the old Wolfe Ranch and the rock art from old American Indians.  Wolfe Ranch or Turnbow Cabin. John Wesley Wolfe moved to this remote place in 1898. Ancient Native American rock art. People on horses and longhorn sheep - the horses indicate that this was made after the arrival of