Travelogue

Mars Desert Research Station

Mars Desert Research StationAfter our lunch at Duke’s Slickrock Grill in Hanksville (population 170), we headed back west on Ut-24 for 3 miles and then made a left onto Cow Dung Road towards the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS). From there we drove about 4 miles through the incredible red and white bentonite hills before coming to the Mars Desert Research Station.

This area was chosen for the MDRS because of the Bentonite Hills and badlands striking resemblance to the surface of Mars. So much so that it was used as the setting of the fictional planet Vulcan in the 2009 film Star Trek.

Feels like MarsLike Mars, the terrain is barren and rocky with minimal vegetation, featuring red and orange sandstone formations. It is otherworldly.

Built and managed by the Mars Society, the Mars Desert Research Station is one of only four simulated Mars habitats in the world being used to simulate the hardships and challenges that pioneers would face in a potential colonization of Mars.

Although not allowed on the grounds, we could see several of the buildings. The two-story, eight-meter cylindrical one is called the “Habitat,” also known as “Hab.”

Annual University Rover ChallengeAstronauts and research crews spend two weeks at a time living in Hab. To most realistically simulate the Martian environment, they wear space suits and carry walkie talkies whenever they step outside Hab.

It would have been so cool to see astronauts wandering around the bentonite hills, but I later learned that they are only here from October to May. We must have just missed them.

Last time we visited, there was absolutely no one here, so we were quite confused as to why there were dozens of cars and hundreds of people. Well it turned out that we had stumbled upon the annual University Rover Challenge, the world's premier robotics competition for college students where teams design and build the next generation of Mars rovers that will one day work alongside astronauts exploring the Red Planet.

Factory Butte

North Caineville MesaAfter the Mars Desert Research Station, our next plan was to drive by Factory Butte and then on towards the Moonscape Overlook to camp for the night.

Rather than take the shortest way to the east side of Factory Butte, we decided to drive around the entire Butte. So rather than turn right onto Factory Butte (Coal Mine) Road, we continued on to the town of Caineville and turned right onto the road that we came out of at the end of our Cathedral Valley Loop drive earlier today.

North Caineville MesaWhen we came to a junction, rather than turn left to do the Cathedral Valley Loop again in reverse, we took a right to follow the North Caineville Reef to Factory Butte.

Factory Butte is a massive, 6,302-foot monolith that rises dramatically from the surrounding "lunar badlands."

Driving around it is interesting, because it actually looks quite different from different perspectives.

One perspective of Factory ButteMormon settlers got here first, so they got the chance to name it. They thought it looked a bit like a large woolen mill (factory) back in Provo, so “Factory” Butte it became. They must have been homesick.

Most others don’t think of a woolen mill when looking at this very impressive formation, but rather it is more often described as a cathedral or sand castle.

The ripples at the base of Factory Butte are what make it so photogenic.

These “ripples” are essentially layers of ancient mud and clay that have been exposed and sculpted by erosion over millions of years.

Factory Butte and it's ripplesMillions of years ago, this area of Utah was covered by a vast, shallow inland sea, the bottom of which was covered with layers of mud and clay particles. Eventually these layers were compressed and cemented together to form a soft rock called Mancos Shale.

This shale isn't a single color because it contains different minerals that give it varying shades.

Sunrise on Factory ButteThe Mancos Shale is relatively soft, so it erodes more easily than the harder rock that forms the top of Factory Butte.

As the shale eroded, the different colors (greys, purples, oranges, and golds) within them became exposed.

Since erosion happens unevenly, it creates what looks like wavy, colorful ripples across the base of the butte.

I can’t say it enough, but nature is an incredible artist.

Moonscape Overlook

Moonscape OverlookWhen we had gotten about three-quarters of the way around Factory Butte, we started looking on Gaia for the turnoff towards the Moonscape Overlook (also called Skyline Rim Overlook).

There are no signs on these roads indicating where anything is, so we had to rely on Google Maps and Gaia to get where we wanted to go.

We had been here two years ago, so we could follow our tracks on Gaia. Once making the turn, we drove for about 2 miles across a flat expanse, at the end of which we found ourselves perched on the edge of a cliff, looking out over an expanse of badlands, known as the Blue Valley, below us and the Henry Mountains in the distance. It was mind blowing.

Moonscape OverlookThere was only one other camper van at the overlook, parked a bit away from the edge, so we went a little closer and parked for the night at what Herb thought was the best spot to set up a tripod and watch the light change.

It is one of the most stunning landscapes we have ever camped at, with Moonscape just out my window on one side and Factory Butte on the other.

Sunset at MoonscapeWe set out our chairs to settle in for the evening here, and Herb set his tripod up on one of the outcrops over the badlands. Then we sat and watched the light change and took some photos of this breathtaking scenery.

The light was good, but we knew it was going to be even better in the morning.

Crazy person waiting for sunriseWe crawled into the back of the 4Runner to get some sleep.

The next morning, before we even got up, we saw several headlights headed our way. By the time we got out of the 4Runner, over 20 cars were pouring into our little secluded paradise.

Herb quickly went out and set up his tripod, claiming the vantage point he wanted for sunrise. We felt we had earned it. Afterall, we slept here all night while all these people were probably in a hotel room.

Sunrise hits MoonscapeThe sun lit up Factory Butte behind us first.

Then we waited for the sun to light up the badlands below us in all their splendor. It was magical.

There were photographers scattered on every outcrop. Some idiots were even climbing up on a precarious narrow spire to take selfies of themselves. You couldn’t pay me enough to risk that for a photo. What a difference from last night when we had the whole place to ourselves.

The waves of Moonscape OverlookI walked over to the other side of the overlook, where the sun was beginning to light up what looked to me like a series of sandstone waves
Once the sun was up, people started getting back in their cars and driving back towards Factory Butte. Just as quickly as they came, they were gone, and we once again had this lovely place to ourselves.

After a quick breakfast, we got back in the 4Runner and headed back to planet Earth, also known as Highway 24.

From here we would start heading home, with one more stop in Utah red rock country along the way - Snow Canyon State Park.

Travelogue

Bentonite HillsThe Cathedral Valley is a separate district of Capitol Reef National Park, located just north of Highway 24 between Torrey and Hanksville. It is a scarcely visited, remote, rugged region of eroded colorful buttes and pinnacles that rise high above a flat desert plain. It’s a geologist’s playground with so many stories told by the fascinating and unique rock formations.

The only way to explore the Cathedral Valley is to drive the 58-mile loop dirt road past breathtaking scenery and solitude all the way.

Bentonite HillsThe Cathedral Valley Loop requires a 4WD high clearance vehicle, and it is recommended to drive the loop clockwise, so that you get the Fremont River crossing over with first to make sure it is feasible.

The turnoff for the river crossing is located at Mile Post 91 on Utah 24. Fortunately the river was pretty shallow, so we had no problem making the crossing.

Bentonite HillsOnce across the river, we continued on Hartnet Road as it climbed past the colorful hills of the Waterpocket Fold. 200 million years ago, this area consisted of flat layers of sediment formed at near sea level. Then about 50 to 70 million years ago, tectonic forces uplifted them, forming a 90-mile massive wrinkle in the Earth’s crust, now known as the Waterpocket Fold, North America’s largest.

At about 9 miles from the river ford, we entered the beautiful, multi-colored Bentonite Hills, a series of rounded mounds with bands of brown, red, purple, gray, and green.

Climbing up to the Lower Cathedral Valley OverlookFortunately, today was a beautiful sunny day, because when it rains, the Bentonite clay absorbs the water and becomes very slick, making it very difficult to drive on.

The Bentonite Hills get their colorful appearance from the minerals within the bentonite clay. This clay was formed during the Jurassic period from altered volcanic ash, sand, silt, and mud deposited in swamps and lakes. As the clay absorbed water, it developed a distinctive texture and the characteristic reddish-brown color. During different times of the day and lighting, the hills often take on a blue and purplish hue.

Lower Cathedral Valley Overlook10 miles further on, we stopped at a pull-out and took a short hike up a steep hill that overlooked the monoliths of Lower Cathedral Valley.

Most of the fluted cliffs in Cathedral Valley are composed of soft, red Entrada sandstone, originally deposited as sandy mud on what was once a tidal flat. Some of them are capped by a thin, hard greenish-gray marine sandstone.

It was hard to believe that pioneers used to graze their cattle in this Valley in the 1800s.

Upper Cathedral Valley OverlookOpen-range grazing practices were common during this period, and the extensive use of these lands by cattle and sheep sometimes led to overgrazing and de-vegetation of portions of the area.

In an arid, desert environment like this, the cattle had to graze on whatever native vegetation was available, especially native grasses that were adapted to the dry conditions here.

Upper Cathedral VallelyAfter hiking back down to the car, we continued on. About halfway around the Cathedral Valley loop, there is a small first-come-first-serve campground with 6 sites. We were lucky and got the last one.

This would allow us to spend the sunset at the nearby Upper Cathedral Valley Overlook, known for its "cathedrals" – towering sandstone monoliths that resemble Gothic architecture.

Outcrop overlooking the Upper Cathedral Valley.These colossal, spire-like formations are composed primarily of buff-pink Entrada Sandstone, with a hard cap rock of grayish-green Curtis Sandstone, protecting them from erosion and contributing to their unique shapes.

It is considered one of the most beautiful views, not just in this park, but in all of Utah, and that’s saying a lot.

Upper Catheral ValleyUnfortunately, when we first got there, the sun was hidden by clouds, so the monoliths were dark, but then for a brief moment the sun peaked out, lighting up one of the “cathedrals,” as if there was a spotlight on it. It was absolutely stunning.

For another vantage point, we walked out onto an outcrop overlooking the entire Upper Cathedral Valley.

Sunset at Cathedral Valley CampgroundWe spent the next hour, just watching the light change in the Valley, eventually lighting all of them up at once.

When the show was over, we returned to our nearby campground for another Mountain House camping dinner and a glass of wine.

The next morning, we continued along the Cathedral Valley Loop towards the Temples of the Sun and Moon.

Gypsum sinkhole with our shadowsBefore arriving there, we took a short spur road to see a different kind of geological feature - a large Gypsum Sinkhole, which was over 50 feet across and 200 feet deep.

These sinkholes are formed when groundwater dissolves a buried gypsum plug. The cavity left behind collapsed under the weight of the overlying rock layers.

Herb and I decided to take photos of our shadows on the wall on the other side of the sinkhole. Herb is imitating a petroglyph we once saw of an angry warrior, with arms raised and legs spread. I must be the innocent maiden he is protecting.

The Temples of the Sun and MoonWe continued on to our second favorite stop along the Cathedral Valley loop (the Upper Cathedral Valley Overlook being the first) - the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon, rising respectively 422 feet and 265 feet from the valley floor.

Unlike the monoliths we saw in the Upper Cathedral Valley, these have lost their protective gray caps of Curtis Formation sandstone. This means that they are eroding pretty rapidly, in geological terms anyway.

Climbing Glass MountainUp close, the face of them looks a bit like flowing mud. That’s because in some way, it actually is. When there is a heavy enough rainstorm, the surface actually turns into mud and oozes down, hardening again when things dry.

We continued on to the turnout for Glass Mountain, from which we could photograph all three mountains (this and the Temple of the Sun and Moon) in a diagonal line.

selenite (gypsum) crystalsThe Glass Mountain is a bit of a geological curiosity. It is composed of large selenite (gypsum) crystals forming a mound, or plug, about 15 feet high. That is only the tip of the iceberg, so to speak, as it goes deep underground for about 60 meters.

Since selenite (gypsum) is a slightly soluble mineral, precipitation will eventually (over a very long time) dissolve Glass Mountain and create a sinkhole, like the one we saw on our last stop.

Before leaving, we, of course, had to climb to the top of it. It was actually quite easy because the selenite crystals are easy to grab onto.

We still had a lot to see today, so we continued on the loop road, past more beautiful multi-colored mounds, to Utah 24 in the town of Caineville, where we turned left towards the town of Hanksville, for a hearty lunch at Duke’s Slickrock Grill, a place we had been to several times before when visiting this area. It’s named after John Wayne, and the place is full of memorabilia about the Duke. The restaurant is really good and serves very large portions.

But the day wasn’t over yet. This afternoon, we would go off-road again to explore the Mars Desert Research Station, Factory Butte, and Moonscape Overlook..

Travelogue

The TeePee Saga

The ad that drew me inBefore leaving on this trip, this ad popped up on my FB page for a teepee glamping experience in Capitol Reef where we planned to go along our Utah trip. “Doesn’t that look so awesome?” I asked Herb. We do have this agreement on off-road trips that after 2 or 3 nights of camping, I get a nice hotel with hot shower and porcelain toilet, so he faked some enthusiasm and told me to book two nights so we could do the hike to Navajo Knobs in the park.

When the day had finally arrived, I called en route there to see if by any chance we could have an early check in, and was told that our teepee was ready whenever we arrived. However, they did suggest that we might might want to spend most of the day outside the teepee, because the swamp cooler (desert kludge of an air conditioner) had a hard time bringing the temperature down in the 90 degree temperature forecast for the next two days.

Our wonderful upgradePlus we learned that there wasn’t actually a bathroom inside the teepee, but rather one assigned just to our teepee about 30 feet away. At this point, the teepee seemed to have no advantages over sleeping in our 4 Runner.

Enthusiasm a little dampened, we forged on. Upon entering our luxury teepee, we became a bit concerned by the 2 dozen or so mouse traps spread throughout the teepee - no customers yet, but some evidence of mouse dropping on the bed. I very much did not want to get hantavirus during my expensive, luxury glamping.

I was now depressed. Instead of the luxury glamping experience I was so looking forward to, I had reserved two expensive nights in a windowless, bathroomless, mouse-ridden sweat lodge.

Now we could look at them from our deckHerb felt it was time to have a little discussion with the front desk, asking us if we could move to one of the cabins that also had the same great view only to be told they were all booked. What about those, Herb pointed to some very nice large cabins. They told us they were an upgrade and would cost more. To that, Herb suggested that it might be a nice gesture on their part to comp us for the difference because of the trauma his wife had been put through - actually I think Herb was more traumatized.

Happy Ending - we were moved to a beautiful two bedroom, two bathroom cabin, with a full kitchen and a large deck. Yeah Herb. He’s a much better negotiator than me.

That evening we walked across the street to the Rim Rock Restaurant where the food was okay, but the views of the red sandstone cliffs of Capitol Reef were excellent.

Navajo Knobs Hike

Approaching Navajo DomeDuring our two-night stay in Capitol Reef National Park (not in a teepee), we hiked the spectacular Navajo Knobs trail, a 10-mile, fairly strenuous trail along the Waterpocket Fold to the Navajo sandstone knobs, rising above the entire park.

The Waterpocket Fold is unique to Capitol Reef. When the earth’s crust was uplifting 65 million years ago creating many of the mountains and plateaus of the West, something different happened in this area. Rather than uplifting evenly, the crust in what is now Capitol Reef wrinkled into a 100-mile long huge fold, which tilted downwards to the east.

Along the Navajo Knobs TrailThis feature is what is known as a classic monocline, characterized by a step-like bend in the rock layers where the layers are tilted in one direction, in this case, to the east. The rock layers on the west side of the fold are 7,000 feet higher than the layers on the east side.

Erosion of the tilted rock layers continues today forming colorful cliffs, massive domes, soaring spires, stark monoliths, twisting canyons, and graceful arches.

Rim OverlookMost national parks have a distinctive feature that defines them - Yellowstone has its geysers, the Grand Canyon has its canyon, Yosemite has its granite cliffs, Sequoia has its giant trees, etc.

Well, Capitol Reef has something no other park has - a 100-mile huge wrinkle (or fold) in the earth’s crust, created when the earth’s crust was uplifted 65 million years ago.

The CastleIt's essentially a tilted layer of sedimentary rock that has been bent and folded over millions of years due to tectonic forces.

In geological lingo, it’s called a monocline, which is a step-like bend in the rock layers where the layers are tilted in one direction, in this case, to the east. The rock layers on the west side of the fold are 7,000 feet higher than the layers on the east side.

Getting closer to the KnobsSo today, we would walk the “wrinkle,” or at least 10 miles of it along the Navajo Knobs trail, a fairly strenuous trail along the Waterpocket Fold to the Navajo sandstone knobs, rising above the entire park.

The hike begins at the Hickman Bridge Trailhead, about two miles east of the Capitol Reef Visitor Center.

From the trailhead we proceeded east and soon began to climb some moderately steep switchbacks.

Atop the Navajo KnobsAt 0.3 miles, we came to the junction with the Hickman Bridge trail, but decided to skip that for now and continue straight towards the Navajo Knobs.

We passed the very impressive, 6,489-foot high Navajo Dome. While the predominant color of the waterpocket fold is red, some Navajo Sandstone formations, like this one, are a stark white, due to the lack of iron oxides which are found in the red rocks.

View of the Waterpocket Fold from atop the KnobsFrom the junction, we continued to ascend, stopping briefly at 0.9 miles at the Hickman Bridge Overlook, where we had a view of the natural bridge.

The trail then continued a steady climb along switchbacks and over slickrock until at 2.3 miles we came to the Rim Overlook, where we had stunning views of the Fruita orchards, the Visitor Center, and the surrounding white and red rock formations, including the massive Waterpocket Fold.

Along the benches on the way backThis is a common turn-around point for those that prefer a moderate 4.6-mile round trip as opposed to a strenuous 10-mile round trip.

I briefly thought about turning around, but then we forged on. The trail now became more challenging as it steadily and relentlessly climbed across rugged terrain and open slickrock, fortunately with plenty of rock cairns to mark our way across the slickrock.
At this point, one hiker (the first we had seen all day) passed us.

Along the way backThe trail follows the contours of the bench, sometimes bringing us quite close to the edge of the rim with steep drop-offs.
One especially beautiful view was looking down at “The Castle,” with its grey-green base with its grey-green base, signifying the presence of ferrous iron.

The final push up to the Navajo Knobs was steep and required some rock scrambling to reach the actual top of the Knobs. This was the most people we had seen all day.

Almost backThere were already a few people sitting at the top, so we waited our turn to scramble up for the incredible 360-degree views of the Waterpocket Fold and the Henry Mountains from atop the Knobs.

From there, we had to retrace our steps and hike the 5 miles back to the trailhead. It was a lot tougher than it should have been because we made the major hiking faux pas of not bringing sufficient water. In fact, we completely ran out with about a mile to go.

The first thing we did when we got back to the car was grab a cold drink out of the 4Runner’s refrigerator. It was pretty stupid of us not to have taken more water as it was quite a strenuous hike - 10 miles with 2,725 elevation gain over 6.5 hours on a pretty hot day.

We sure were glad we were going back to a nice air-conditioned cabin rather than a hot teepee..

Travelogue

Devil's GardenUpon reaching Southern Utah, we left the asphalt and headed off on the Hole-in-the-Rock Road, which runs from Escalante for 62 bumpy miles to the western shores of Lake Powell.

The Hole-in-the-Rock is an historical trail that retraces the route taken in 1879 by a party of 230 Mormons, 83 wagons, and 1,000 cattle, who were sent out to build a settlement on the San Juan River. They went through quite an ordeal when after 53 miles they reached the top of a cliff, with a narrow and steep crevice lending at a 45 degree angle down to what is now the Escalante Arm of Lake Powell 2,000 feet below.

The pioneers spent the entire winter working on the crack, slowly enlarging the opening with only pick axes, shovels, and small supplies of blasting powder. Finally, on January 26, 1880, the expedition slowly made its way down the precarious “road” where a ferry had been built to get them across to the eastern side of the Colorado River where there was a route for them to continue on.

We would not be doing that. I felt kind of wimpy in our comfortable 4Runner, with the air conditioning going and sandwiches and cold beer in our fridge.

Devil’s Garden

Devil's Garden Ice Cream ConesOur first stop along the road was Devil’s Garden (at Mile 12), a wonderland of Navajo Sandstone hoodoos, domes, narrow passages and small arches, all in beige and brown.

There are no marked trails at Devil’s Garden, so we just wandered around as we pleased, sometimes passing the same hoodoo several times.

Metate Arch in Devil's GardenThe "rocks" in Devil's Garden are primarily composed of Entrada Sandstone, which isn’t uniform in that it has variations in hardness and cementation, so some layers or parts of the rock erode faster than others. The harder, more resistant white "caprock" layer often protects the softer rock beneath it.

Further shaping the rocks are the winds carrying sand particles, which act like a natural sandblaster, continually scouring and shaping the exposed sandstone, especially in areas where the rock is weaker. This often leads to the smooth, rounded shapes seen in the hoodoos.

Some of them looked to me like giant ice cream cones.

There was also a very cool arch, named Metate Arch, formed in a similar process of erosion as my ice cream cones. The harder caprock layer, which forms the lintel (the top arch of the arch), is more resistant to weathering and erosion, allowing it to remain intact while the surrounding softer sandstone below was removed over time by the forces of erosion.

Nature is a very good artist.

Peekaboo and Spooky Slot Canyons

On the way to Peekaboo Slot CanyonThis is the furthest we had ever gone along the Hole-in-the-Rock Road, although we had actually seen the Hole-in-the Rock from our boat on a trip to Lake Powell. The last time we were here, but this time we were going to continue further to camp and to do some interesting hikes.

After Devil’s Garden, we continued along the Hole-in-the-Rock road to mile 26, where we turned left onto an unsigned road leading to Dry Fork Coyote Gulch. We continued on that road for 1.7 miles to the trailhead for the Peekaboo and Spooky Slot Canyon hikes.

First view of the Slot in the distanceWe have hiked in numerous slot canyons in the past, but none quite as narrow as these. At the trailhead there were two tall metal poles about 10 inches apart and a sign that says something to the effect, if you can’t fit through these, don’t bother continuing. Herb and I passed the “tightness guide” test, but with not too much to spare.

Scary entrance into Peekaboo Slot CanyonOur plan was to do the 5.2 mile loop, going up through Peekaboo first, then across to Spooky and down through that.

From the trailhead we followed a cairns trail which led us across ledges where we looked down into Dry Fork Coyote Gulch, where we would descend down into and across to get to the entry for Peekaboo Canyon.

From the top of the ledges we looked across to a large slot in the cliff face, with tiny people the size of ants in front of it, lined up to do the scramble up and into Peekaboo slot canyon.

The scary ascent goes onFrom there we descended down into and across Dry Fork Coyote Gulch to join the line of people at the slot we had looked down upon from the ledges. We had now hiked about a mile and a half.

I had heard that this was the most challenging part of the hike, but it was a lot scarier than I expected. In front of me was a smooth sandstone wall, with little to no handholds. There were a few faint steps carved into the sandstone to offer some assistance on the initial 20-foot ascent into the canyon.

I am a fairly good rock climber, but I really prefer a good handhold to a good foothold.

Inside Peekaboo CanyonSeeing my discomfort, Herb helped out with the occasional butt push and also cupping his hands to make a foot hold for me.

However, he soon couldn’t reach me anymore, so I had to finish the remaining 15 feet or so of the ascent.

From there we weaved our way through the narrow, twisting passageways where the walls rose about 50 feet above us. Little did we know at the time that this canyon would feel spacious compared to Spooky.

Colorful walls of Spooky Slot CanyonThe colors of the sandstone walls were a beautiful vibrant red, orange and pink with undulating curves, arches, and tunnels shifting with the changing light.

There were a few more smaller rock scrambles as we hiked up into the canyon, as the walls got shorter and wider apart.

After about a half mile of navigating through Peekaboo, the slot ended in a broad, sandy wash. From there we traversed right (east) across a low ridge for about ten minutes to enter Spooky Slot Canyon.

Spooky Slot CanyonAt first, it didn’t seem too much narrower than Peekaboo, but then the walls began to constrict dramatically, often becoming less than 12 inches apart in some places.

Even after taking off our backpacks, we had to suck in our stomachs and twist and turn sideways to get through. I seriously wonder if anyone ever got stuck in here. It was definitely not for the heftier hiker nor for one with claustrophobia.

Like Peekaboo, the smooth, wave-like patterns and swirling colors of the Navajo sandstone were breathtaking. As the indirect light filtered down, the walls turned red, orange, and gold.

Things were starting to get tightThere were a lot more challenging obstacles to conquer in Spooky. In addition to the rock scrambling we expected, we often had to stem (bracing our feet on opposite walls to move forward.

At one particular area, we had to downclimb about 10-feet through what looked like a corkscrew. I felt like I was being flushed down a stone toilet. I left a little blood from my new on that wall.

There are also dark sections of the canyon where the narrowness and height of the walls blocks the light - hence the name “Spooky.”

Very tightEventually we emerged back out into the sunlight and I felt like kissing the sunlit ground.

Each of the slot canyons was about ½-mile long, but felt like 10 miles with all the squeezing and crawling.

From the exit of Spooky we hiked back along the Wash to the entrance to Peekaboo, avoiding the temptation to do it again. Just kidding.

Then we traced our steps back up this time across the Dry Fork Coyote Gulch to the ledges and back to the trailhead.

Oh that was not funIt had been an exhilarating experience combining physical challenges with breathtaking beauty. We felt we had definitely earned it.

The whole hike was about 5 ½ miles and took about 3 hours.

Once back at the trailhead, we had to decide where to camp for the night. We headed back to the Hole-in-the-Rock road and then made a right back in the direction of Utah 12.

After about 3 and ½ miles we turned right onto a dirt, unmarked road to see if we could find a desirable place to camp for the night.

Our home for the nightIn about a half mile or so, we found the perfect spot - private and surrounded by beautiful red sandstone cliffs surrounding us.

There was even a nice ravine where we could set up our Nemo helio camping shower and wash off all the red dust and, in my case, blood from our day's adventure.

Then Herb cooked up some brats and we watched the sunset.

The next morning, before leaving for our next hike, we sipped coffee while watching a beautiful sunrise. What a lovely spot!

The Golden Cathedral

Setting off on the Golden Cathedral TrailAfter leaving our lovely red rock campsite, we drove back out to the Hole-in-the-Rock road and turned right (towards Utah 12) and then drove for a few miles before turning right onto Egypt Bench Road. From there it was a pretty rough, bumpy 10 miles to get to the trailhead for the Golden Cathedral hike.

We allotted an entire day to do the hike since it is 10 miles (round trip) across slickrock, sand, and unmarked paths, and requires 5 river crossings (each way). It is estimated to take 5 to 7 ½ hours. It took us about 6.

Fording the shallow Escalante RiverHowever, based on photos, we had decided that the effort would be well worth it, as it would bring us to the Golden Cathedral, a massive-dome-shaped alcove carved out of towering Navajo sandstone walls, with three natural “skylights” in its ceiling, through which sunlight beams down, reflecting on the pool of water below.

From the parking area, we proceeded to the rim, where the trail begins dropping via switchbacks into a slickrock amphitheater.

Entering Neon CanyonI generally don’t like hikes that start with the down portion, because I know that later when we are tired, we are going to have to climb up and this was a pretty steep descent - about 1,200 feet in the first 3 miles.

The first few miles of the trail were along slickrock and fairly deep sand. Fortunately, it was well-marked with cairns.

Hiking through Neon Canyon2.8 miles into our hike, we came to the Escalante River, which we would have to ford. Fortunately, the River was low (calf deep) this time of year, because we would have to cross it 5 times (each direction) on our hike. When friends of ours did this hike in March, they said the water was thigh deep and cold.

The nearness of a water source provides a lush environment for a desert. I love the contrast between the greenery and the bright red canyon walls.

Arriving at the Grand CathedralAt 3.7 miles into our hike, we reached the mouth of Neon Canyon, where we were greeted by a massive, ancient cottonwood tree.

We continued alongside the brilliant red rock walls of Neon Canyon to the Golden Cathedral, a massive-dome-shaped alcove carved out of towering Navajo sandstone walls, with three natural, nearly perfectly round “skylights” in its ceiling, through which sunlight beams down, reflecting on the pool of water below and creating a shimmering golden and orange glow against the canyon walls.

It was absolutely breathtaking.

Entering the Grand CathedralThese openings in the ceiling are the result of the persistent flow of water over thousands and thousands of years.

Water seeps into cracks in the sandstone, freezes and expands, causing the rock to crack and weaken. Additionally, water dissolves the calcium carbonate that holds the sandstone grains together, further eroding the rock. Over time, this process leads to the creation of alcoves or, in this case, “skylights” in the ceiling, or recesses, in the canyon walls.

Herb's tip for a good photoNormally, there is more water in the pool to reflect the light, but there was still enough to get reflections of the trees.

Herb showed me a great vantage point where I had to lie down on the muddy sand and point up at the ceiling while still getting the reflection of the trees in the pond. Wow! Thanks Herb for the photo tip.

I have to admit that the hike back and up the steep ascent across deep sand and slickrock to the trailhead was exhausting. I hate trudging through sand.

End of a very great dayTomorrow was going to be a rest day for sure as we had two back-to-back days of strenuous hiking.

Now we just had to find camping for the night, which pretty much meant just taking random dirt roads off the Hole-in-the-Rock road to something fairly private and scenic.

Although we did find a nice camping spot, it didn’t compete with our awesome red sandstone cliffs surroundings of last night.
However, It was still very nice.

Travelogue

Coral Pink Sand DunesThe southern area of Utah that we were going to concentrate on this trip is about 13 hours from our home, so we had to break the drive up into 2 days, staying the first night in Barstow, California, and then continuing on to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, a place we had never been to before.

Rather than the remote sand dunes of Death Valley that we love to climb and photograph, these dunes are an OHV area, where dune buggies had free rein on 90% of them, so we knew it wasn’t going to be the solitary, serene experience we were used to.

Coral Pink Sand DunesStill the dunes were quite beautiful and unique in that they are actually quite pink, unlike the usual beige we were used to. It seems like everything in Utah has a reddish tint.

So why is the sand here so pink? It comes from the iron oxides and other minerals present in the surrounding Navajo Sandstone. As the sandstone erodes, iron-stained sand grains are released.

These pinkish-red grains of sand are then picked up and blown by strong winds, which get funneled through a notch in the nearby Moquith and Moccasin Mountains.

Conquering the dunes on footThe wind velocity decreases when it reaches the open valley area of the park, dropping the grains down on the valley where over the last 10,000 to 15,000 years, they have formed the large dunes we see here today. This process is called the Venturi effect.

Playing in the DunesThe dunes are still moving and shifting as much as 50 feet per year.

The highest dunes are only about 40 to 50 feet though, unlike the massive Eureka Dunes we usually go to, which are 680 feet high.

I seriously doubt that OHV vehicles could conquer that steepness, but they definitely were much easier to conquer by foot.

Ponderosa Grove CampgroundSince we were not allowed to drive our 4Runner in the OHV area, we drove to the BLM land just north of the State Park, where there were dunes we could drive on.

The sand here was much deeper than any other dune driving we had done before, so even after letting out more air, we still couldn’t make it up the steep hill we were trying to conquer. Instead, we slowly backed down, and got out of the truck and hiked up the dunes.

After unsuccessfully looking for a place to disperse camp, as you can on BLM land, we drove the short distance back to the Ponderosa Grove Campground, a lovely BLM campground set amid rolling sagebrush and ponderosa pines.

It was actually quite lovely and each campsite had quite a bit of privacy. Herb even made Pad Thai for dinner!

Travelogue

Seven Magic Mountains - 2017We first visited this quirky desert art installation just outside Las Vegas along I15 back in 2017, when it was first installed. Now, as we were traveling on I15 on our way to a 10-day off-roading trip to Southern Utah, we decided to stop for another visit. Boy, what a difference social media has made.

These seven brightly colored, stacked boulders, each standing over 30 feet high, were created by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone from locally sourced limestone. It officially opened in May of 2016 and was scheduled to be on view for two years. However, due to its immense popularity, its permit was extended and here it still is 9 years later.

Seven Magic Mountains - 2025The site is intentionally placed between the natural desert landscape and the artificiality of the Las Vegas city light, to invite visitors to reflect on the relationship between nature and human intervention.

But boy, what a difference from our visit 8 years ago when there were only two other people. Now there were probably close to a hundred people, all taking turns making silly poses in front of the “mountains.”

It’s not just here that visitation has exploded. We are finding that since Covid, more and more people have discovered the great outdoors, and there are fewer and fewer places to get away from the crowds. Thankfully, we were traveling in our Toyota 4Runner, which would allow us to do just that.

Travelogue

We returned the campervan without a hitch. They even gave us a nice bottle of New Zealand wine for all the trouble they put us through on our first day with the battery dying.

Another couple returning their campervan didn’t get a bottle of wine though. Instead they received a bill for damages as they had obviously scraped the side of their van. The fender over one wheel was ripped off as well as the lights along the top of the van.

With the challenging driving in New Zealand, I can imagine that a lot of campers come back damaged.

We spent that night at the Sudima Airport Hotel.

The next morning we got to the airport 3 ½ hours before our flight to Auckland which would connect to a flight to San Francisco. Luckily we did, because for some reason our flight was canceled, but because we were there so early we were able to be put on an earlier one.

Whew!!

Travelogue

Along the drive to AkaroaI think it was a pretty bold move on our part to take on the sea to sea drive on our last day with the campervan.

Starting at Punakaiki Beach Camp on the Tasman Sea in the morning, we drove down the West Coast and then onto the Great Alpine Highway over Arthur’s Pass, and then onto Highway 75, a steep twisty road that crosses the hilly terrain of the Banks Peninsula, before steeply descending into the lovely town of Akaroa on the South Pacific Sea.

If we had known how steep and windy the road to Akaroa was, we might have thought twice about doing this. I’m glad we were so uninformed, because Akaroa turned out to be worth every white-knuckling mile.

View of Akaroa Harbor from our campsiteWe camped at another Top 10 Holiday Park, which is kind of like the KOA of New Zealand - great facilities that you can depend on. It would be our 5th night staying in one this trip.

This one at location, location, location - overlooking the Akaroa Harbor and in walking distance to town, where there were plenty of restaurants, cafes, and shops.

After parking the campervan in our site, we walked down the steep road into town and strolled along the Rue Lavaud, Akaroa’s Main Street, looking for a place to eat.

The walk to townHmm…All the streets were called Rue something. Sounded a bit French to me, and it turns out that the French did play a role in the settlement of this village.

The Maori had established a settlement here more than 700 years ago, drawn by the sheltered harbor and abundant resources. They were the ones that gave the village the name “Akaroa,” which means “Long Harbor.” They still have a presence in the community, but only make up about 6% of the population.

View from our dinnerThen in 1838, a French whaler named Captain Langlois, arrived, believing he had purchased the Banks Peninsula from the Maori.

In 1840, a group of French settlers sailed to Akaroa on the ship “Comte de Paris,” led by Captain Charles Lavaud. Their intention was to create a French colony in the South Island.

Oh, so that’s why the Main Street is name Rue Lavaud.

Sunset over Akaroa HarborUnfortunately for the French settlers, they were a little late. The Treaty of Waitangi had already been signed by the Maori and the British, making the South Island a colony of Britain.

Despite this the French settler remained, often intermarrying with the British, so it has remained a unique French settlement within New Zealand.

Dinner at Ma MaisonBy the time we got into town at 7:30, most of the restaurants were closing soon. Fortunately, we found one that was open to 9:00, and it was perfect - French name (Ma Maison), beautiful location on Beach Road overlooking the Harbor, and excellent food.

Herb had a delicious filet mignon and I had Crispy Glazed Tamarind Eggplant and Seared Scallops.

Not sure which was better - the food or the view from our table.

We had enjoyed the town so much that the next morning before driving back up the crazy road to Christchurch to return the campervan, we parked near the Akaroa Freedom Campsite near the Boat Park and walked from there.

Peninsula War MemorialI kind of wish we had known about this Freedom Camp last night, because besides it being free, it was right on the water and much closer to town. Oh well. The Top 10 Holiday Park and nice showers and an RV dump, which we had to use because we needed to return the campervan empty.

From the Freedom Campsite, we strolled back up Rue Lavaud, looking for potential breakfast places along the way. So far, The Common was winning.

Yummy Eggs Benedict with SalmonContinuing along the Rue Lavaud, we eventually came to the Peninsula War Memorial, an elaborate, free-standing cupola, complete with flying buttresses and a granite spire, located at the center of a garden, guarded by tall palm trees.

It is dedicated to the men of the Banks Peninsula who died in World War I, World War II, and the African War, whose names are engraved on granite tablets inside the cupola.

Then it was back to The Common, a popular cafe and garden bar on Rue Lavaud that serves brunch.

Secret door at The CommonI had to have eggs benedict with salmon and spinach one more time before I left New Zealand.

Herb had the hash and eggs, but counted it as a vegetable because it had spinach and avocado.

Before leaving, I asked where the restroom was - actually they use the word toilet instead. I was told that it was behind the bookcase. Hmm? Sure enough, I glanced to my right and saw a tall bookcase. I pushed on it, and sure it was a secret door.

Very cool place and the food was great.

All good things must come to an end, and I guess this was it. Well, actually we still had the challenging, but stunning, drive back up and down windy, hilly Highway 75 to Christchurch to return the Campervan at Wilderness Motorhome Rentals.

Then it was a night in Sudima Airport Hotel and the long flight home to San Francisco.

What a great trip it had been, but we were pretty ready to get back home..

Travelogue

Along the Great Alpine HighwayWe were nearing the end of our journey - just one more night in the campervan before we needed to return it to Wilderness Motorhome Rentals in Christchurch.

Back in Queenstown, we had made the decision to turn our 14-day adventure into a loop up the West Coast and back to Christchurch, rather than an out-and-back.

So, this would require us driving over the Southern Alps for a second time, the first being the drive from Wanaka to the West Coast (Tasman Sea) over Haast Pass, and now back across the Southern Alps from the West Coast to Christchurch along the Great Alpine Highway (also known as HIghway 73), one of the South Island’s most iconic roads - 150 miles of mountains, stunning rivers, weird rock formations, and quirky towns.

Approaching Castle Hill RocksOriginally, we thought we would spend our last night in the campervan somewhere along the Great Alpine Highway, but then we got it in our heads that it would be really cool to do a coast to coast drive from Pancake Rocks on the Tasman Sea all the way across to the town of Akaroa on the South Pacific Ocean.

But first we had to get up and over Arthur’s Pass.

Now that we had decided to go all the way to Akaroa today we limited our stops along the Great Alpine Highway to just the one that most intrigued us - the Castle Hill rock formations.

Castle HillWe got a little confused finding the trailhead and pulled into the Village of Castle Hill by mistake before checking All Trails and finding that the hike actually begins at the Kura-Tawhiti Access Track just a few miles past the village.

From the parking area, we walked along a dirt road toward a cluster of weird rock formations, rising from the landscape like ancient, weathered sculptures, or perhaps an old ruined castle. We really could go wild with our imagination here.

Castle Hill weird rock formationsI could see why it was used as a filming location for the magical land of Narnia in "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."

Upon reaching the boulders, we followed the track around them and sometimes wandered in and amongst them along a natural maze with a confusing network of passages, hidden corners and dead ends.

Castle Hill rock formationsWe found ourselves surrounded by these massive limestone boulders, each with its own shape and character. It was like finding animals and other shapes in the clouds. I was convinced that one of them looked just like a hamster, or maybe it was a rabbit. We were in New Zealand, so perhaps it was a Wallaby.

How did these unique limestone formations come to be? Well, pretty much the same way that the Pancake Rocks did:

Castle Hill Maze30 million years ago this area was covered by an ancient inland sea, where over time marine organisms on the seabed were compressed into limestone

The inland ocean receded and the collision of tectonic plates lifted up the limestone and surrounding land

Forces of erosion (wind and water) went to work, sculpting the rock into the distinctive shapes we were enjoying today.

Maori "pou whenua"I was really getting to appreciate the beauty that limestone + erosion can create. Nature is a wonderful artist.

On the way back to the parking lot, we noticed three large carved wooden posts with the bust (from shoulder up) of a Maori man with a feather on his head. They represent three ancestors of the Ngāi Tahu tribe, which is the principal Maroi tribe on the South Island.

These posts (or "pou whenua" in Maori) serve as markers of territorial boundaries and their cultural connection to Kura Tawhit (the land we were currently on). Perhaps that is why they are looking in three different directions.

My one regret this trip is not learning more about the Maori people, who were New Zealand’s first inhabitants, having arrived from Eastern Polynesia in canoes around 1250 CE. Like the Native Americans in the U.S., they had a rich and complex society before the arrival of European settlers in 1840.

In recent decades, there has been a resurgence of Māori culture and language, and a growing recognition of Māori rights and interests. Today they make up about 20% of the population of New Zealand..