UYAH - Cedar Breaks & Zion Canyon

We rode about 300 miles on Monday. It was a very full day, getting home about 8 pm. When we arrived at Cedar Breaks it was 35 degrees at an elevation of 10,400 ft. The snow was still on the rocks and it made for interesting photos.



After we left Cedar Breaks we decended 5000 feet, it was quite a ride. Lunch was at Cedar City. I was determined to get to eat!

We took a side trip to the north rim of Zion, they used the local red rock for the pavement.

This was our 1st stop at Zion, we hiked about 100 yards to get this photo.

When we left the park we went through a tunnel, the two holes you see are light and air vents for the tunnel. One is at the extreme left side of the photo.

From May to Nov. everyone rides these buses through the park to help with traffic control.
This is Zion lodge, built in 1929. No vacancy this day.
We stopped at the lodge and had ice cream and enjoyed quite a view.
Many folks come here and hike and climb these rocks.
There are 4 people climbing this rock. You can see one of them in the lower right section of the photo.
This is the entrance to the tunnel.
It was very dark in the tunnel, we are approaching one of the window openings.

UTAH - ATV ride

It was a rainy and cold Saturday and we stayed at the campsite all day. Sunday we ventured out on our ATV's for some fresh air and a new adventure. The trip was 7 hours long and we went 87 miles! That's a record for us.

Snow fell on the mountain tops on Saturday.

We drove through a real pretty Aspen grove. Don't we look good in orange?


This is a reservoir is on the other side of the mountain we rode over. On Friday we motorcyled by it.

The signage is really good, this shows a trail that is medium difficulty.

We traveled through all kinds of terain.

1st snowfall in this region of the state.

There was still snow on the ground at 5 p.m.

We went back to town on this jeep road. We saw one truck all day on our ride.

UTAH - Motorcycle Ride

It was a cool morning, 45 degrees, and cloudy skies, but we ventured out on the bikes for a 300 mile ride. We went through Escalante on highway 12 and found the "Ribbon Highway" that we tried to find when we were here in 2002. That lead us to Capital Reef National Park where we saw more red rock formations.

Highway 12 weaving around the rocks high above the canyon floor.
It was pretty nerve wracking having no land on either side of the road.
More of the "Ribbon Highway".
Chimney Rock, going into Captial Reef Nat. Park.
There was red rock everywhere!
100 year old Gifford House which was located in the park. They served homemade pie and ice cream.Lloyd was leading the ride and did not stop for lunch. So by 2 pm we were ready to eat anything. Here we are enjoying our pie and ice cream.

The Fremont Indians drew these petroglyphs on the side of the canyon walls.

Rock wall where the petroglyphs are drawn.

Dome rock, named because it looks like the Capital Dome of Washington, DC.

UTAH - Bryce Canyon

It was perfect day to drive to Bryce Canyon. This area is called Red Canyon, you drive through it to get to Bryce.



Lee and JD going through a tunnel.

We had lunch at Bryce Canyon Lodge.
This is the dining room. The lodge was built between 1923-27. The wood is Douglas Fir.
Vista of the canyon.
Smoke is from a controled burn at the canyon.

Vista from the end of the canyon. On a clear day you can see for 90 miles. The controled burn affected our view.

Natural Arch

View from Sunset Point. There were many hikers down in the canyon. We would have gone if we had worn better shoes.

UTAH

We are RV'ing in Utah for a couple of weeks. The plan is to ATV and motorcycle with 4 of our friends.

Behind us is an old home of the owners of the Silver King Gold Mine.

Lloyd enjoying the ride.

The trails are very well maintained.

You can go about 900 miles on interconnected trails, some are on roads and this jeep road goes under I70.

Dinner at 4UR Ranch

The 4UR Ranch is a 4,000 acre dude ranch, where you can vacation, ride horses, fish in Goose Creek and hike. Since it is only about 10 miles from South Fork, we decided to drive over to it, look around and have dinner in the 4UR Ranch House. The link to learn more about it is http://www.4urranch.com/ .





Old mine in the distance.



One of the guest houses and view looking back at Wagon Wheel Gap.


Original hot springs bath house which made this place a popular vacation destination in the early 1900's. It is used for storage now.

4UR Ranch House where we ate dinner. We had time to sit in the rockers for a while waiting for the dinner bell to ring.

Dining room.

4UR Ranch photos

Entrance to 4UR Ranch. The ranch is 4,000 acres, not 40,000 acres.


View of "new" hot spring fed spa. It is located across from the ranch house.


Main room in Ranch House.

Dining room, we had a prime rib dinner and dessert buffet.

Map of 4UR Ranch. Goose Creek runs though it. It is approx. 15 miles long.