Day 16 – Canyonlands National Park

The wind howled all night and morning was overcast and cool – about 54 degrees.  I remember looking at the weather app on my phone and it said Fenton was 34 and Moab was 54.  The picture below shows the wind blowing the flag at Dead Horse State Park.

We went to Canyonlands National Park via the north entrance and drove towards the Upheaval Dome.  We stopped at a few viewpoints after driving onto the Island in the Sky area.  You enter the Island in the Sky by driving over an area they call The Neck – a narrow strip of land just wide enough for two cars to cross with a small shoulder on each side.

The Neck

We walked back to Mesa Arch – an impressive arch with the view of the Washer Woman Arch through the Mesa Arch.  The walk was .6 mile long at around 6,000 feet above sea level, with the  wind blowing up the red sand that is all over the area.

Mesa Arch

Washer Woman Arch seen thru Mesa Arch

Close up go Washer Woman Arch

Next stop was Upheaval Dome, reached by a .3 mile walk one way.  Dorrie had it with the wind and sandblasting, so Rick and I set out to see the Upheaval Dome.  The path was straight up, or so it seemed.  The park service placed stones to create steps, but at times the steps were 15 to 18 inches high.  By the time we got to the first viewing point I was huffing and puffing like a steam engine.  And did we see?

 

I don’t think it was worth the climb.  And going down was just as hard as going up.  Next we drove to the Green River Overlook – photos below.

 

Next stop was Grand View Overlook – more photos.

 

Leaving the park we went to Dead Horse Point State Park.  The park got its name when wranglers herded some wild horses onto the point of land that had a narrow land strip leading to the point.  They would block the narrow point to trap the horses so they were easier to capture.  At one time the wranglers forgot to return in time and there is no water on the point, so the horses died.  There are some great views of the Colorado River from the park as shown below.

Horse Shoe Bend in Colorado River