We arrived at Cadillac Ranch RV Park in Bluff Utah on 6 October 2024 for 7 nights. It was a short drive from Moab, just 100 miles south on Rt 191. Bluff was our base camp to see the Needles portion of Canyonlands, Valley of the Gods and Monument Valley. We also saw Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado and four Corners Monument in Arizona from Bluff. It was quite a bit of driving on our days of site seeing, but we saw the highlights we wanted to see. We ventured out every other day and stayed around the campground on the days we rested.
Our first day of site seeing was on the Monday (7 Oct). We drove to Monument Valley and Goosenecks State Park and did a couple of hikes along the way. We got up at 5am to be out the door by 6am. We were trying to get our hikes in before it got too hot. The temperatures in Bluff went down to the low 50's at night, but close to 90 by the end of each day so even though we were bundled up when we left in the morning, the race was on to beat the heat. In our drive that day we came across Forest Gump Hill, the spot where Tom Hanks turned around and went home after running for "three years, two months, 14 days and 16 hours" in the movie "Forest Gump". There was a wedding party (Bride, groom and 3 couples serving) taking pictures at the site the day we were there. I guess if you live in Utah near that site, it's a popular destination.
We also visited Goosenecks State Park on Monday. Anita thought it was a stretch to call it a state park, but the Internet description says: This small park affords impressive views of one of the most striking examples of an entrenched river meander on the North American continent.
Our campsite at Cadillac Ranch Bluff Utah
Monument Valley on Utah side 7 October 2024
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park 7 October 2024
Alhambra Rock (volcanic)
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park 7 October 2024
Side view of Alhambra Rock
Monument Valley on Utah side 7 October 2024
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Visitor Center
Mexican Hat Rock - Mexican Hat Utah 7 October 2024
The Mexican Hat is upside down and smaller than we were looking for...
Wild horses we saw 7 October 2024
Goosenecks State Park 7 October 2024
Goosenecks State Park - Mexican Hat Utah 7 October 2024
Goosenecks State Park - Mexican Hat Utah 7 October 2024
Goosenecks State Park - Mexican Hat Utah 7 October 2024
San Juan River meanders around creating these striking features in the rock below.
Goosenecks State Park - Mexican Hat Utah 7 October 2024
San Juan River meandering
Goosenecks State Park 7 October 2024
Mexican Hat Utah 7 October 2024
Forest Gump Hill - Mexican Hat Utah 7 October 2024
On Tuesday we hung around the campground in the morning and did laundry. We also walked the Bluff River trail from the campground. That afternoon, we drove into the town of Bluff Utah. The population is 300 and it's somewhat of a ghost town. Granted, we were there in early October so maybe it's a happening place in the summertime. There is one historic place called Bluff Fort which is all about the grit of the Mormon pioneers who traveled through the mountains (literally) to settle in Bluff in 1880. 236 men, women and children traveled 260 miles and it took them six months, but they all made it and even had two babies born during the trip. They thought the trip would take six weeks when they began in October, but with having to build roads for their wagons and dealing with the harsh winter, they got to Bluff in April of 1880. They were proud of their Sticky-ta-tudy which makes a molehill out of a mountain. Sticky-ta-tudy whittles an elephant down to bites that you can chew.
Other than Bluff Fort, there is one resort that seemed to be a little busy, and a historic cemetery. We don't usually visit cemeteries, but Bluff is hard pressed to offer much more to see. When we gave up on finding anything more to see in Bluff, it was a hot day and we decided we wanted ice cream. We had a hard time finding ice cream, but remembered that the Bluff Fort place served ice cream in the cafe. We got there just in time to be ahead of a tour bus full of tourists. We've seen many tour buses in our travels out west in this Fall 2024.
We had a campfire that night after dinner. A camper van pulled in next door to us while we were out at the campfire and they ended up joining us! We love the serendipitous encounters like that that happen to us. Rene and Cynthia are from Arizona and were just there for the night but we enjoyed sharing stories and might see them when we're in Arizona this winter.
Bluff River Trail at San Juan River 8 October 2024
This trail was accessed from the campground (San Juan River in background)
Bluff Utah - 8 October 2024
This was across the highway from our campground
Bluff Utah - 8 October 2024
Bluff Fort Visitor Center
Bluff Utah - 8 October 2024
Bluff Fort Visitor Center
Bluff Utah - 8 October 2024
Bluff Fort Visitor Center
Bluff Utah - 8 October 2024
Bluff Fort Visitor Center - Talking Wall
Bluff Utah - 8 October 2024
Bluff Fort Visitor Center
Bluff Utah - 8 October 2024
Bluff Fort Visitor Center
Bluff Utah - 8 October 2024
Bluff Fort Visitor Center
Bluff Utah - 8 October 2024
Anasazi Ruin site dated to 1200
Bluff Utah - 8 October 2024
University of Colorado Excavation Site
Bluff Utah - 8 October 2024
University of Colorado Excavation Site
Bluff Utah - 8 October 2024
Bluff Historic Cemetery
Bluff Utah - 8 October 2024
Bluff Historic Cemetery
Bluff Utah - 8 October 2024
Bluff Utah - 8 October 2024
Twin Rocks
On Wednesday we got on the road early again to beat the heat. We went into the Needles entrance of Canyonlands National Park. We found a few "easy" hikes to do, but "easy" was more "moderate" to Anita. Some of the rocks to climb are not for short legs. We enjoyed the hikes nonetheless.
After Canyonlands, we drove to Natural Bridges National Monument. There are four pullouts to see natural bridges, but we missed the first one. We did see the three named bridges, though. Honestly, we both thought the "bridges" were like what we saw in Arches National Park.
Next, we tried to see more of Valley of the Gods from UT-261 without going into the valley of gravel roads. Well, we ended up on about 3 miles of steep gravel roads on UT-261 anyway. We had turned around when we got to the gravel on Monday, but on Wednesday we were feeling more adventurous, we guess. There were a couple of spots we had to stop in the road to take pictures because it was so breath taking.
Church Rock - Monticello Utah 9 October 2024
Newspaper Rock - Monticello Utah 9 October 2024
Newspaper Rock - Monticello Utah 9 October 2024
Newspaper Rock - Monticello Utah 9 October 2024
From Newspaper Rock - Monticello Utah 9 October 2024
Fall colors of Bears Ears National Monument
Wooden Shoe Arch - Canyonlands National Park Needles Section 9 Utah 2024
Cave Spring Trail Map 9 October 2024
Canyonlands Needles Section
Cave Spring Trail - Cowboy Camp 9 October 2024
Canyonlands Needles Section
Cave Spring Trail - Rock Markings - 9 October 2024
Canyonlands Needles Section
Big Spring Canyon Overlook - 9 October 2024
Canyonlands Needles Section
Big Spring Canyon Overlook - 9 October 2024
Canyonlands Needles Section
Big Spring Canyon Overlook - 9 October 2024
Canyonlands Needles Section
Big Spring Canyon Overlook - 9 October 2024
Canyonlands Needles Section
Rocks that look like mushrooms to us - 9 October 2024
Canyonlands Needles Section
Slickrock Trail - 9 October 2024
Canyonlands Needles Section
Slickrock Trail - 9 October 2024
Canyonlands Needles Section
Pothole Point Trail - 9 October 2024
Canyonlands Needles Section
Pothole Point Trail - 9 October 2024
Canyonlands Needles Section
Pothole Point Trail - 9 October 2024
Canyonlands Needles Section
Natural Bridges National Monument 9 October 2024
Natural Bridges National Monument 9 October 2024
Sipapu Bridge
Natural Bridges National Monument 9 October 2024
Sipapu Bridge
Natural Bridges National Monument 9 October 2024
Sipapu Bridge
Natural Bridges National Monument 9 October 2024
Kachina Bridge
Natural Bridges National Monument 9 October 2024
Kachina Bridge
Natural Bridges National Monument 9 October 2024
Owachomo Bridge
Natural Bridges National Monument 9 October 2024
Owachomo Bridge
Natural Bridges National Monument 9 October 2024
Owachomo Bridge
UT-261 - Trail of the Ancients - Moki Dugway - 9 October 2024
This is where we had turned around on Monday...
From the Internet: The Moki Dugway Scenic Backway, located in Southeastern Utah in the United States, is a remarkable and dramatic stretch of road that runs along Utah Highway 261.
This unique stretch of road–which has literally been carved from steep cliff walls–connects Utah Highway 95 with US Highway 163. The dirt road forms part of the “Trail of the Ancients,” a national scenic byway where travelers can see multiple archeological sites and unique geological formations that played a role in the history of the southwest Native American people who inhabited this area.
The Moki Dugway is famous for its steep, unpaved, but sharp switchbacks, which descend 1,200 feet from the top of Cedar Mesa. The relatively easy gravel road extends for about three miles and has a gradient of up to 10%.
The panoramic views from the top are breathtaking, giving travelers a bird's-eye view of the Valley of the Gods, Monument Valley, and the surrounding desert landscape. This is not merely a drive but an adventure – a test of nerve and a feast for the senses. For those seeking scenic drives that are out of the ordinary, the Moki Dugway is one of a kind!
Driving the Moki Dugway in southeast Utah is not for the faint of heart.
Dugways are roads chiseled into steep slopes. This three-mile stretch of gravel switchbacks 1,200 feet up a nearly vertical cliffside topped by Cedar Mesa sandstone. The few guardrails don’t hide the wreckage of the occasional vehicle that went over the edge.
More from the Internet about building the Moki Dugway:
Though daunting today, the Moki Dugway stretch of Hwy. 261 was surely more precarious for the uranium hauling trucks that inaugurated it 60 years ago.
Miners first plied the uranium-rich deposits of southeast Utah in the late 1800s. A feverish boom hit the area in the 1950s with the Cold War. To fuel the nuclear arms race, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission paid a premium for uranium ore and subsidized roads and infrastructure needed to process it. Remote cattle and miner trails, like the Flint and Shafer Trails farther north, became roads that carried prospectors and ore-laden trucks.
Texas Zinc Minerals built the Moki Dugway in the late 1950s to connect the prosperous Happy Jack mine on Cedar Mesa to the Halchita uranium processing mill on the Navajo Nation near Mexican Hat by the San Juan River.
Today, Moki Dugway thrills a different crowd—tourists, hikers, and river runners driving along part of a National Scenic Byway connecting renowned archaeological areas and stunning Colorado Plateau landscapes.
UT-261 - Trail of the Ancients - 9 October 2024
UT-261 - Trail of the Ancients - 9 October 2024
UT-261 - Trail of the Ancients - Muley Point 9 October 2024
UT-261 - Trail of the Ancients - Muley Point 9 October 2024
UT-261 - Trail of the Ancients - 9 October 2024
Sunset Bluff Utah 10 October 2024
On our last day (11 October 2024) of site seeing from base camp Bluff Utah, we went to New Mexico to see the Four Corners Monument at Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation. We actually didn't realize it was on Navajo land, but we got our pictures and moved on to Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. Steve is our trip planner and he does a great job planning to see as much as we can for an area. That day we started in Utah, crossed in to New Mexico and after Mesa Verde NP, finished with fueling up and grocery shopping in Cortez Colorado. We had gotten a somewhat early start and got home around 6pm, so we were tired. The elevation (at some points 8,500 ft) made breathing a little difficult and it made the sun feel hotter. The sun is closer at those elevations, and it's very noticeable.
In Mesa Verde NP we met a couple from Arkansas, Charles and Ute. We were leap frogging with us getting ahead of them and vice versa as we stopped at overlooks. We got to talking to them and they're very nice. Ute is originally from Germany and Anita enjoyed her accent and talking about German dishes. We exchanged information and hope to be in touch with Charles and Ute next Spring when we're in Hot Springs Arkansas.
Many highways near us in Bluff Utah commemorate WWII Code Talkers
Four Corners Monument - New Mexico Navajo Nation 11 October 2024
Four Corners Monument - New Mexico Navajo Nation 11 October 2024
Four Corners Monument - New Mexico Navajo Nation 11 October 2024
Four Corners Monument - New Mexico Navajo Nation 11 October 2024
Four Corners Monument - New Mexico Navajo Nation 11 October 2024
Mesa Verde National Park - Montezuma County Colorado 11 October 2024
Mesa Verde National Park - Montezuma County Colorado 11 October 2024
Visitor Center
Mesa Verde National Park - Montezuma County Colorado 11 October 2024
Visitor Center
Mesa Verde National Park - Montezuma County Colorado 11 October 2024
Visitor Center
Mesa Verde National Park - Montezuma County Colorado 11 October 2024
Far View Community
Mesa Verde National Park - Montezuma County Colorado 11 October 2024
Far View Community
Mesa Verde National Park - Montezuma County Colorado 11 October 2024
Far View Community - Coyote Village
Mesa Verde National Park - Montezuma County Colorado 11 October 2024
Far View Community - Reservoir
Mesa Verde National Park - Montezuma County Colorado 11 October 2024
Museum
Mesa Verde National Park - Montezuma County Colorado 11 October 2024
Museum
Mesa Verde National Park - Montezuma County Colorado 11 October 2024
Museum
Mesa Verde National Park - Montezuma County Colorado 11 October 2024
Spruce Tree House
Mesa Verde National Park - Montezuma County Colorado 11 October 2024
Spruce Tree House
Mesa Verde National Park - Montezuma County Colorado 11 October 2024
Montezuma Valley
Mesa Verde National Park - Montezuma County Colorado 11 October 2024
Cliff Dwelling
From the NPS website: The cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde are some of the most notable and best preserved in North America. Sometime during the late 1190s, after primarily living on the mesa tops for 600 years, many Ancestral Pueblo people began moving into pueblos they built into natural cliff alcoves. The structures ranged in size from one-room granaries to villages of more than 150 rooms. While still farming the mesa tops, they lived in cliff dwellings, repairing, remodeling, and constructing new rooms for nearly a century. In the mid-1200s, the population began migrating to the south, into present-day New Mexico and Arizona. By the end of the 1200s, most everyone had migrated away.
Saturday morning we took a walk out to Cow Canyon Trading Post, about a half mile from our campground. It wasn't open, but we at least got a short walk in. We leave here Sunday 13 October. We'll be heading to Page Arizona for a week. Their time zone is Mountain Standard, so an hour earlier than Utah. Arizona doesn't observe Daylight Savings time, so when Utah switches back to MST in the Fall, there will be no difference.
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