Shakespeare Arch - Sentinel Trail - Hike

For our last hike in Kodachrome Basin we did the Shakespeare Arch and Sentinel Trail.  All of the trails in the park have been really different and this one certainly didn't disappoint.  I thought the arch would be the highlight of this hike but the part I liked the best was the expansive views into the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.  The views were just stunning.  We can't wait to do some more exploring in that part of the State. This hike is a 1.7 mile loop that took us about an hour to do.

Shakespeare Arch

The Sentinels

Stunning View into Grand Staircase-Escalante

Angel's Palace Trail - Hike

On Sunday morning we did the Angel's Palace Trail.  This is a short hike that starts on the basin floor and rises steadily to the top of the rock formations overlooking the campground.  It was an interesting hike to the top and then a scary hike out onto one of the fins -- similar to the Angel's Landing hike in Zion (but not quite as dangerous).  We kept the dogs on the leash and took turns heading out to the overlook.  The guide says this is a 1.5 mile hike, but it seemed more like 2 miles with all the turns and circuitous trails.  It took us about an hour to do the whole thing.

View of the Campground

Angel's Palace "Landing"

Panarama Trail - Hike

On Saturday we did a great hike on the west side of the park called Panorama Trail.  With all the spurs and detours, this is a 6 mile hike. It took us about 3 hours.  The trail starts from the road and works its way across the flats of the basin to some great rock formations and other interesting features.  It is definitely worth checking out the Secret Passage and the Cool Cave.



Panarama Point View

Kodachrome Basin Campground

After my conference in St. George, Mary drove down from SLC with the dogs and the trailer and we met up at Kodachrome Basin.  Neither of us had been here before and it was a great weekend of exploration. 

Kodachrome Basin is a Utah State Park located about 30 miles east of Bryce Canyon off of Highway 12.  Kodachrome is a small park but it has some really unique formations, colors and canyons.  The scenery was spectacular. 

We managed to hike all four designated hikes in the park.  Although the 20-site campground was full, we rarely saw anyone out on the trails.  It was another stolen weekend of hiking and exploring the desert in our own little "Private Idaho."

Snow Canyon

I had to go to a work conference in St. George for the week.  One evening I ventured out to Snow Canyon.  What a great little find.  I call Snow Canyon the "little sister" to Zion National Park.  While not as big or crowded as Zion, this little sister has some great colors and formations to share. 

I hiked the Hidden Ponds Trail and a portion of the Lava Flow Trail.  It was a great evening in the park and NO ONE was out here.  I love hidden secrets and this is one of them.  There is a campground here that I would love to try out.  Maybe we can come back in the fall.

View from the top of the Lava Flow Trail

Back Road to Arches - Bike Ride

Now this is a ride I would do again!  Before the high tech curving scenic paved road into Arches National Park was constructed, access to the park was through a rough 4WD road off of Highway 191.  This bike ride on the "old road" starts at the intersection of Highway 191 and Willow Springs Road.  It is a great ride on a mostly dirt road that winds its way up the backside of the park.  Some sections cross slickrock areas where they chiseled the road into the rock.  I'm not sure why they had to chisel the road in, but it did look cool.  

After climbing in a bit, the road levels out and you get a great view of the phenomenal rock formations of the park, and eventually you meet up with the paved tourist road in the park at Balanced Rock. 

The ride is described as a loop ride in the book, but I did it as a point to point to avoid biking on the narrow paved road in the park.  The ride from Highway191 to Balanced Rock was about 7.5 miles and took me a leisurely hour and a half. 

Yellow Jacket Canyon - Bike Ride

On Saturday, we biked the Yellow Jacket Canyon portion of the Kokopelli Trail.  We had done this ride back in 2007 and the notes in my book had the comment "Mary said we don't need to do this ride again." 

In mountain biking, one is always looking for that "next great ride."  I think part of it is the adrenaline of newness.  The adventure of the unknown.  Some rides are so great you go back to them again and again learning every curve of the trail and every line down the rocky slope.  Other trails you never want to see again.  

I guess this one falls into the latter category, and we should have heeded Mary's comment from the last time we did it.  It is not that bad of a ride, but it did seem uphill all the way (which I never understand on a loop trail).  And it was hot. And windy. With patches of interminable sand. Other than that, I didn't think it was bad. 

The road of sand.

Amazing prickly cactus flower (with bugs).

Great view of the Colorado River.

Dewey Bridge Campground, Moab

Moab was packed this weekend.  We got a late start on the weekend and found ourselves driving through campground after campground along Highway 128.  I think there are 7 campgrounds in all, and we drove through all of them...and they were all booked.  So, we boondocked it the first night and then got up early to snag one of the openings at the Dewey Bridge Campground. 

We weren't thrilled with this campground at first glance as it appeared to be too close to the road, but we got a great spot under a huge cottonwood tree with a nice gully between the campsite and the highway.  The campsites on the other side of the loop overlook the Colorado River.  They were a bit exposed and windy though, so we were happy to have the side by the trees. 

The campground is named after the famous Dewey Bridge that spans the Colorado River just up the road.  The Dewey Bridge was the largest suspension bridge west of the Mississippi when it was constructed in about 1913.  It was still the largest suspension bridge in Utah until it burned downed in 2000 -- from a kid playing with matches.  The dangling cables are an erie reminder of the devastation caused by carelessness.

We had a great weekend mountain biking and checking out the property in Castle Valley.  We biked a portion of the Kokopelli Trail through Yellow Jacket Canyon on Saturday.  And on Sunday, I road the backroad into Arches National Park along Willow Spring Road.  You can read about these rides on my other posts from the weekend.