Trip Report: Colorado & Utah
Sep 9th, 2004, 10:39 AM
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Trip Report: Colorado & Utah
We visited the last 2 weeks of August. The trip report is in outline form because that is the way I prepared it as an itinerary to take with me on the trip.
My family consists of 2 adults and one eight year old child. This trip was absolutely fantastic and (unbelievably) there were no memorable glitches to report. A truly spectacular portion of the US.
Some abbreviations I used: NP (National Park), SP (State Park), VC (Visitors Center), NF (National Forest)
Day 1:
Denver-bound Flight
Accomodations at Howard Johnson Motel Pikes Peak
Day 2:
COLORADO SPRINGS
Pikes Peak
Western Museum of Mining & Industry
World Figure Skating Hall of Fame & Museum
U.S. Olympic Training Center & Hall of Fame
Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame
Monarch Pass
Accomodations at Ramada Limited, Gunnison, CO
Day 3:
Gunnison River Rafting with Scenic River Tours
BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON NP
South Rim Drive:
Tomichi Point, Gunnison Point, Pulpit Rock, & Chasm View
CURECANTI NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
SAN JUAN SKYWAY/MILLION DOLLAR HIGHWAY
US550, Montrose To Ouray To Durango To Cortez (via US160)
Uncompahgre National Forest
Bachelor Syracuse Mine Tour/Gold Panning
San Juan Mountain Pass & National Forest
Accomodations at Comfort Inn, Cortez, CO/Dinner at Gold Belt Bar & Grill, Ouray, CO
Day 4:
MESA VERDE NP
FAR VIEW AREA
Far View VC
Far View Sites Complex (Far View House, Pipe Shrine House)
CHAPIN MESA
Cliff Palace Tour
Balcony House Tour
HEADQUARTERS & MUSEUM AREA
Spruce Tree House
Chapin Mesa Museum
TRAIL OF THE ANCIENTS/4 CORNERS MONUMENT
KAYENTA, AZ
At Burger King on US160, is the "Navajo Code Talkers" exhibit set up by a Navajo man in memory of his father
Accomodations at the Anasazi Inn, Kayenta, AZ/Dinner at Anasazi Inn Restaurant
Day 5:
MONUMENT VALLEY
Simpson?s Trailhandlers Tour (Richard)
N FROM MONUMENT VALLEY/MEXICAN HAT
Goosenecks SP
Muley Point
Moki Dugway
Valley of the Gods
Accomodations at Best Western Lake Powell Inn, Page/Dinner at Bella Napoli
Days 6 & 7:
PAGE, AZ/LAKE POWELL
Rainbow Bridge NM by boat
Wahweap Marina/Covered Fishing Pier
Upper Antelope Slot/Corkscrew Canyon with Grand Circle Adventures (Jessie)
John Wesley Powell Memorial Museum
Glen Canyon Dam Tours/Carl Hayden VC
Glen Canyon Dam Overlook
Horseshoe Bend Overlook
Accomodations at Best Western Lake Powell Inn/Dinner at Bella Napoli Restaurant
En route from Page: US89 between Big Water & Kanab = views of Vermillion Cliffs (to the S) & Kaiparowits Plateau (to the N)
CORAL PINK SAND DUNES STATE PARK (Viewing Boardwalk)
Accomodations at Terrace Brook Motel, Springdale, UT/Dinner at Panda Garden
Day 8:
ZION NP
Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway leads to Checkerboard Mesa, Canyon Overlook Trail, & the Tunnels
Zion Canyon VC
Zion Human History Museum
Zion Canyon Scenic Drive (via Park Shuttle)
HIKES/OVERLOOKS
Riverside Walk/Gateway to the Narrows
Temple of Sinawava
Lower Emerald Pool
Zion Lodge
Weeping Rock
Watchman
Big Bend
The Grotto
Court of the Patriarchs
Kolob Canyons Section
CEDAR BREAKS NM (5 mile scenic drive with 4 viewpoints)
Accomodations at Bryce Canyon Pines Motel/Dinner at Bryce Canyon Pines Restaurant
Day 9:
BRYCE CANYON NP
HIKES
Down Navajo (Sunset Point) & Up Queens Garden (Sunrise Point) (3 mile loop)
Peekaboo Loop (3.5 hour mule ride)
Rim Trail Overlooks: Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration, Bryce, Fairyland, Paria View
Accomodations at Bryce Canyon Pines/Dinner Ruby?s Restaurant
Day 10:
GRAND STAIRCASE ESCALANTE NM
HIGHWAY 12 BETWEEN BRYCE & TORREY:
Cottonwood Canyon Rd
Kodachrome Basin State Park/Grand Parade Road
"The Blues"/E of Henrieville
Escalante Petrified Forest State Park/Petrified Forest Trail/Trail of the Sleeping Rainbows
Escalante River/Slot Canyons Overlook
Hogsback ("Million Dollar Rd to Boulder")
Boulder Mountains
Burr Trail Scenic Backway/Notom Rd/Waterpocket Fold/Muley Twist (Capitol Reef NP)
Accomodations at Wonderland Inn/Dinner at Wonderland Inn Restaurant
Day 11:
CAPITOL REEF NP
Capitol Gorge/Pioneer Register Hiking Trail
Historic Fruita District/Petroglyphs/Pick Your Own Fruit Orchards
AFTER CAPITOL REEF EN ROUTE MOAB:
At the junction of UT24 & UT95, is the "Hollow Mountain Gas & Grocery." This small store is literally carved out of the mountain
GOBLIN VALLEY SP
Carmel Canyon Trail
SEGO CANYON
Pictographs & Petroglyphs
Ghost Town of Sego/Cemetery
Accomodations at Sleep Inn, Moab/Dinner at La Hacienda
Day 12:
MOAB
CANYONLANDS NP
Island in the Sky District/Potash Rd
SCENIC DRIVES/HIKES
S to Grand View Point & Trail & N to Green River & Upheaval Dome Overlooks
DEAD HORSE POINT STATE PARK & VC
High Point Hummer Tour of Hell?s Revenge slickrock trail
Accomodations at Sleep Inn, Moab/Dinner at Pasta Jay?s
Day 13:
ARCHES NP
WOLFE RANCH SECTION:
Panorama View Point
Delicate Arch/Wolfe Ranch Homestead
DEVILS GARDEN SECTION:
Sand Dune Arch
Skyline Arch
Landscape Arch
FIERY FURNACE OVERLOOK
THE WINDOWS SECTION
Balanced Rock
Double Arch
The Windows (North & South Windows & Turret Arch)
Garden of Eden
VC/COURTHOUSE TOWERS SECTION:
Park Ave View Point
Courthouse Towers View Point
La Sal Mountains
Colorado Riverway Scenic Byway 128: Castle Valley/Fisher Towers
Accomodations at Mesa Inn, Grand Junction, CO/Dinner at Red Lobster
Day 14:
COLORADO NM
Rim Rock Drive/Viewpoints
A 12-minute audiovisual program & exhibits are available at the VC
DINOSAUR DISCOVERY MUSEUM
Fruita, CO
robotic dinosaurs, hands-on exhibits, skeletons, & a working lab
DINOSAUR NM
Dinosaur, CO
10-minute orientation program & exhibits
UTAH FIELD HOUSE OF NATURAL HISTORY STATE PARK, MUSEUM & DINOSAUR GARDEN
Vernal, UT
Accomodations at Super 8, Vernal, UT/Dinner at JB?s
Day 15:
DINOSAUR NM
Jensen, UT
Fossil Bone Quarry/VC/Museum/Quarry Talks/Replicas of dinosaurs
Tour of the Tilted Rocks
STEAMBOAT HOT SPRINGS HEALTH & RECREATION CENTER
Routt NF
Rabbit Ears Pass
Accomodations at Homestead Motel (Granby, CO)/Dinner at Panda Garden (Steamboat Springs, CO)
Day 16:
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NP
Kawuneeche VC, Alpine VC, Fall River VC, Beaver Meadows/Estes Park VC, Moraine Park Museum, Holzwarth Historic Site
SCENIC DRIVES
Trail Ridge Rd
The Continental Divide/Milner Pass
Arapaho NF
Roosevelt NF
DENVER/GOLDEN
Lookout Mountain Park/Buffalo Bill Museum & Grave
Accomodations at Marriott Denver Tech Center/Dinner at Casa Bonita
Day 17:
Denver International Airport/"America: Why I Love Her" Art Murals
Homebound Flight
My family consists of 2 adults and one eight year old child. This trip was absolutely fantastic and (unbelievably) there were no memorable glitches to report. A truly spectacular portion of the US.
Some abbreviations I used: NP (National Park), SP (State Park), VC (Visitors Center), NF (National Forest)
Day 1:
Denver-bound Flight
Accomodations at Howard Johnson Motel Pikes Peak
Day 2:
COLORADO SPRINGS
Pikes Peak
Western Museum of Mining & Industry
World Figure Skating Hall of Fame & Museum
U.S. Olympic Training Center & Hall of Fame
Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame
Monarch Pass
Accomodations at Ramada Limited, Gunnison, CO
Day 3:
Gunnison River Rafting with Scenic River Tours
BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON NP
South Rim Drive:
Tomichi Point, Gunnison Point, Pulpit Rock, & Chasm View
CURECANTI NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
SAN JUAN SKYWAY/MILLION DOLLAR HIGHWAY
US550, Montrose To Ouray To Durango To Cortez (via US160)
Uncompahgre National Forest
Bachelor Syracuse Mine Tour/Gold Panning
San Juan Mountain Pass & National Forest
Accomodations at Comfort Inn, Cortez, CO/Dinner at Gold Belt Bar & Grill, Ouray, CO
Day 4:
MESA VERDE NP
FAR VIEW AREA
Far View VC
Far View Sites Complex (Far View House, Pipe Shrine House)
CHAPIN MESA
Cliff Palace Tour
Balcony House Tour
HEADQUARTERS & MUSEUM AREA
Spruce Tree House
Chapin Mesa Museum
TRAIL OF THE ANCIENTS/4 CORNERS MONUMENT
KAYENTA, AZ
At Burger King on US160, is the "Navajo Code Talkers" exhibit set up by a Navajo man in memory of his father
Accomodations at the Anasazi Inn, Kayenta, AZ/Dinner at Anasazi Inn Restaurant
Day 5:
MONUMENT VALLEY
Simpson?s Trailhandlers Tour (Richard)
N FROM MONUMENT VALLEY/MEXICAN HAT
Goosenecks SP
Muley Point
Moki Dugway
Valley of the Gods
Accomodations at Best Western Lake Powell Inn, Page/Dinner at Bella Napoli
Days 6 & 7:
PAGE, AZ/LAKE POWELL
Rainbow Bridge NM by boat
Wahweap Marina/Covered Fishing Pier
Upper Antelope Slot/Corkscrew Canyon with Grand Circle Adventures (Jessie)
John Wesley Powell Memorial Museum
Glen Canyon Dam Tours/Carl Hayden VC
Glen Canyon Dam Overlook
Horseshoe Bend Overlook
Accomodations at Best Western Lake Powell Inn/Dinner at Bella Napoli Restaurant
En route from Page: US89 between Big Water & Kanab = views of Vermillion Cliffs (to the S) & Kaiparowits Plateau (to the N)
CORAL PINK SAND DUNES STATE PARK (Viewing Boardwalk)
Accomodations at Terrace Brook Motel, Springdale, UT/Dinner at Panda Garden
Day 8:
ZION NP
Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway leads to Checkerboard Mesa, Canyon Overlook Trail, & the Tunnels
Zion Canyon VC
Zion Human History Museum
Zion Canyon Scenic Drive (via Park Shuttle)
HIKES/OVERLOOKS
Riverside Walk/Gateway to the Narrows
Temple of Sinawava
Lower Emerald Pool
Zion Lodge
Weeping Rock
Watchman
Big Bend
The Grotto
Court of the Patriarchs
Kolob Canyons Section
CEDAR BREAKS NM (5 mile scenic drive with 4 viewpoints)
Accomodations at Bryce Canyon Pines Motel/Dinner at Bryce Canyon Pines Restaurant
Day 9:
BRYCE CANYON NP
HIKES
Down Navajo (Sunset Point) & Up Queens Garden (Sunrise Point) (3 mile loop)
Peekaboo Loop (3.5 hour mule ride)
Rim Trail Overlooks: Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration, Bryce, Fairyland, Paria View
Accomodations at Bryce Canyon Pines/Dinner Ruby?s Restaurant
Day 10:
GRAND STAIRCASE ESCALANTE NM
HIGHWAY 12 BETWEEN BRYCE & TORREY:
Cottonwood Canyon Rd
Kodachrome Basin State Park/Grand Parade Road
"The Blues"/E of Henrieville
Escalante Petrified Forest State Park/Petrified Forest Trail/Trail of the Sleeping Rainbows
Escalante River/Slot Canyons Overlook
Hogsback ("Million Dollar Rd to Boulder")
Boulder Mountains
Burr Trail Scenic Backway/Notom Rd/Waterpocket Fold/Muley Twist (Capitol Reef NP)
Accomodations at Wonderland Inn/Dinner at Wonderland Inn Restaurant
Day 11:
CAPITOL REEF NP
Capitol Gorge/Pioneer Register Hiking Trail
Historic Fruita District/Petroglyphs/Pick Your Own Fruit Orchards
AFTER CAPITOL REEF EN ROUTE MOAB:
At the junction of UT24 & UT95, is the "Hollow Mountain Gas & Grocery." This small store is literally carved out of the mountain
GOBLIN VALLEY SP
Carmel Canyon Trail
SEGO CANYON
Pictographs & Petroglyphs
Ghost Town of Sego/Cemetery
Accomodations at Sleep Inn, Moab/Dinner at La Hacienda
Day 12:
MOAB
CANYONLANDS NP
Island in the Sky District/Potash Rd
SCENIC DRIVES/HIKES
S to Grand View Point & Trail & N to Green River & Upheaval Dome Overlooks
DEAD HORSE POINT STATE PARK & VC
High Point Hummer Tour of Hell?s Revenge slickrock trail
Accomodations at Sleep Inn, Moab/Dinner at Pasta Jay?s
Day 13:
ARCHES NP
WOLFE RANCH SECTION:
Panorama View Point
Delicate Arch/Wolfe Ranch Homestead
DEVILS GARDEN SECTION:
Sand Dune Arch
Skyline Arch
Landscape Arch
FIERY FURNACE OVERLOOK
THE WINDOWS SECTION
Balanced Rock
Double Arch
The Windows (North & South Windows & Turret Arch)
Garden of Eden
VC/COURTHOUSE TOWERS SECTION:
Park Ave View Point
Courthouse Towers View Point
La Sal Mountains
Colorado Riverway Scenic Byway 128: Castle Valley/Fisher Towers
Accomodations at Mesa Inn, Grand Junction, CO/Dinner at Red Lobster
Day 14:
COLORADO NM
Rim Rock Drive/Viewpoints
A 12-minute audiovisual program & exhibits are available at the VC
DINOSAUR DISCOVERY MUSEUM
Fruita, CO
robotic dinosaurs, hands-on exhibits, skeletons, & a working lab
DINOSAUR NM
Dinosaur, CO
10-minute orientation program & exhibits
UTAH FIELD HOUSE OF NATURAL HISTORY STATE PARK, MUSEUM & DINOSAUR GARDEN
Vernal, UT
Accomodations at Super 8, Vernal, UT/Dinner at JB?s
Day 15:
DINOSAUR NM
Jensen, UT
Fossil Bone Quarry/VC/Museum/Quarry Talks/Replicas of dinosaurs
Tour of the Tilted Rocks
STEAMBOAT HOT SPRINGS HEALTH & RECREATION CENTER
Routt NF
Rabbit Ears Pass
Accomodations at Homestead Motel (Granby, CO)/Dinner at Panda Garden (Steamboat Springs, CO)
Day 16:
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NP
Kawuneeche VC, Alpine VC, Fall River VC, Beaver Meadows/Estes Park VC, Moraine Park Museum, Holzwarth Historic Site
SCENIC DRIVES
Trail Ridge Rd
The Continental Divide/Milner Pass
Arapaho NF
Roosevelt NF
DENVER/GOLDEN
Lookout Mountain Park/Buffalo Bill Museum & Grave
Accomodations at Marriott Denver Tech Center/Dinner at Casa Bonita
Day 17:
Denver International Airport/"America: Why I Love Her" Art Murals
Homebound Flight
Sep 11th, 2004, 04:49 AM
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Nice trip report laurie! Sounds like you packed alot in, just our style! I'd be interested in hearing more about Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park...is it worth a stop on an already jam-packed itinerary? We've explored Sand Dunes Nat'l Park in se col - similar?
Sep 13th, 2004, 02:31 PM
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Hi Ellen & Utahtea -- you were 2 of my inspirations for this trip! It was awesome but now I need a vacation to recover from my vacation!
Coral Pink was interesting enough for us because we have never been to the NP site in CO & it was on the way to Zion from Lake Powell. I would recommend it in this regard for about an hour.
Happy Travels!
Coral Pink was interesting enough for us because we have never been to the NP site in CO & it was on the way to Zion from Lake Powell. I would recommend it in this regard for about an hour.
Happy Travels!
Sep 13th, 2004, 02:44 PM
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Ellen -- I wanted to add that originally I thought it would be fun to rent a dune buggy at CPSD as alot of locals were riding dune buggies there. I found out that it was not possible.
