November 10 - 13, 2009
CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK, Utah
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| 162 miles |
Bill’s solo trip to Canyonlands
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| Wooden Shoe Arch |
Sheila was working so Bill decided to make a solo trip to the Needles District of Canyonlands NP before the first snow and putting the Bambi in storage. Stopped at Newspaper Rock to check out all the inscriptions and petroglyphs. There are over 650 rock art designs. The drawings on the rock are of different animals, human figures, and symbols. These carvings include pictures of deer, buffalo, and pronghorn antelope. Some glyphs depict riders on horses, while other images depict past events like in newspaper. The reason for the large concentration of the petroglyphs is unclear, making the rock somewhat of a mystery.
Got to the Squaw Flat campground around 3 pm and found a nice sight with a view of Wooden Shoe Arch. Drove around the park and checked out the area. The Needles is more remote than the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands which is closer to Moab. Therefore, there are less visitors at the Needles.
Woke early the next morning and drove up to Elephant Hill to begin my hike to Chesler Park. Elephant Hill is the start of an off-road trail with a wicked 4x4 hill climb that I don't think I want to take the Touareg up. I'll do my sight seeing on foot. The hike was a 14-mile trip so I decided to forgo bringing the camera in lieu of taking more water and food. I'll bring Sheila back here someday and she can document the trail with pics. It was a great hike — the only way to really see Canyonlands is to get out and hike.
Got back to camp for a campfire dinner and bed. Felt like the weather was about to change so got up early to head back home. Had to stop and wait for the cowboys to round-up their herds as they start moving them out of the back country for the winter.
Got to the Squaw Flat campground around 3 pm and found a nice sight with a view of Wooden Shoe Arch. Drove around the park and checked out the area. The Needles is more remote than the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands which is closer to Moab. Therefore, there are less visitors at the Needles.
Woke early the next morning and drove up to Elephant Hill to begin my hike to Chesler Park. Elephant Hill is the start of an off-road trail with a wicked 4x4 hill climb that I don't think I want to take the Touareg up. I'll do my sight seeing on foot. The hike was a 14-mile trip so I decided to forgo bringing the camera in lieu of taking more water and food. I'll bring Sheila back here someday and she can document the trail with pics. It was a great hike — the only way to really see Canyonlands is to get out and hike.
Got back to camp for a campfire dinner and bed. Felt like the weather was about to change so got up early to head back home. Had to stop and wait for the cowboys to round-up their herds as they start moving them out of the back country for the winter.
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| Newspaper Rock |
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| Squaw Flat Campground |
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| Start of Elephant Hill |
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| Rawhide! |
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| Sunset scene from camp. |
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| Six Shooter Peak |
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| Just a man and his fire. |
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