We had a great time, met a lot of people from all over the world and saw some amazingly beautiful geography. We have a ton of pictures, but I will just highlight a few from each NP as to not bore you too much!
Our first stop was Great Basin located in Nevada near the Utah Boarder off Hwy 50. We had plans to tour the Lehman caves and do a hike at Wheeler Peak ( elevation 10,000 ft). We were only able to do the cave tour, as a big storm moved in our third day there, so we left a day early and headed for Moab. (this was the only place we had bad weather on the entire trip).
Looking down at the White Rim Trail
The Famous Mesa Arch. It is shear cliff on the other side of the Arch.
This is Philip standing under one of the arches at Cove of Caves and Double Arches. We also saw the famous Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch.
Negro Bill Canyon
(I don't have any pictures of Philip's Slickrock rides as they are all on his phone, but I can tell you he had a blast riding there!)
Our next stop was Capitol Reef NP. We stayed in the Fruita Campground. Capitol Reef is a little oasis in the high desert and the town of Fruita was established by Mormon's in the late 1800's. They planted orchards, which are still there and looked after by the NP. Visitors are welcome to pick the fruit. We did 3 interesting hikes here. One, the Cohab Canyon, started right across the street from our campsite. After some steep switchbacks up you came to a beautiful canyon. We also did the Capitol Gorge trail. This was a major thru-fare for the pioneers during the dry seasons. There is a wall in the gorge called The Pioneer Register where the pioneers wrote their names and the dates on the wall when they passed through.
One of the names on the Pioneer Register in Capitol Gorge
Beautiful Scenery in Captiol Gorge
Our next stop was Bryce Canyon. This was the coolest place, weather wise, as we were at 8000 ft. But it warmed up into the 70's during the day. Aaron and Daniel met us here for a couple of nights. This place is so amazingly beautiful. The "Hoodoo's are a natural wonder here. Bryce is not really a canyon, as no water flows through it. 50 million years ago it was a couple of lakes. Scientist aren't too sure what happened to the water, but the limestone sediments (Hoodoo's) were carved by millions of years of freezing and thawing of the rocks it created millions of years ago. We hiked the Queens Garden. Daniel was a little skeptical being up high in the pack at the beginning (looking down was daunting up that high) but once we got to the bottom, he was able to walk that part until we started climbing back out. Daniel also got to experience S'mores for the first time too!
Queen's Garden Trail
At the bottom of the Queen's Garden. Daniel wanted a group picture!
Switchbacks coming back up from the Queen's Garden
Grandpa and Daniel at one of the overlooks
Bryce Point Overlook
Like father like son.....they both smile alike!
Daniel's first taste of yummy s'mores!
The aftermath of s'mores....I was laughing so hard I could hardly hold the camera still!
All clean and ready for bed in Grandma and Grandpa's trailer
Our final NP was Zion. We had been there about 1 1/2 years ago and hiked Angel's landing and a few others. We were not able to do the Narrows on that trip as the water was too high, too cold and too fast. This time we were able to do it. I think it was my favorite hike of all. We hiked the one mile riverwalk to enter the river. It was in the morning, so in the gorge there was not a lot of sun. The water was 56 degrees and started out about ankle deep. Within 10 minutes it was chest deep. That was as deep as it got for the rest of the way. Most of it was hip deep. We went about 3 miles upriver (2.5 hours) most of the time we were in the water crossing back and forth to a little dry land. Several long spots of wall to wall water, but it was so beautiful you didn't think about the cold water. We spent 4.5 hours in the water and dried off pretty good on the one mile hike back to the shuttle, this time in the sun! The next day, Stacy and Logan joined us. We did the Riverwalk trail at the Temple of Sinawava. When we got to the river, all Logan wanted was to get in the water.He didn't care how cold it was, but it is not a very safe place for an 18 month old child to play. We let him play in the same river back in our campground. It was a little warmer there and safer too. We also hiked the Lower Emerald Pools, but Logan missed it all, as he slept through the whole hike!
The Beginning of The Narrows Hike
Where we turned around to head back. It was so much easier going back...downstream!
One of the areas that was wall to wall water....Beautiful!
Crossing in the Narrows. The water is moving faster than it looks and if I didn't have trekking poles I would never have made it past the first crossing!
Logan helping Grandpa with the campfire.
Logan's first shuttle ride to the Riverwalk trailhead.
He doesn't care how cold it is. He was eventually into it up to his chest!
After Zion, we headed to Bouder City and set our 5th wheel up in Aaron and Lindsay's driveway. We went to Boulder City's annual Art in The Park, put on by Boulder City Hospital (Aaron's new employer). Philip went mt. bike riding at Bootleg twice. We went to the water park, out to dinner and visited with Aaron, Lindsay, Stacy, Ben and all our grand kids. It was hard to say goodby, but after sleeping in the 5th wheel for 3 weeks, I was ready for home!
Lenna at the water park
We got all three to sit together long enough for a picture!
Daniel dressed up like his Uncle Sam. (He hasn't seen grandpa dressed as a fireman only Uncle Sam, so he doesn't connect grandpa with firefighting yet).
It was over 100 degrees the first week of October! The boys had a ball with their own splash park!
Lenna was laying on the grass just posing for grandma!
She is just so cute and always so happy!
Daniel wanted Lenna to join them in the pool.
More Fun!
Daniel showing Lenna how to go down the slide backwards!
