I decided to take advantage of the pleasant weather (is this really winter?) to spend a day in the San Rafael Swell area of central Utah. I drove down to the Smith Camp Road which leaves Highway 6 about 4.75 miles before it joins I-70 interstate. The gravel road heads southwest for about 2.3 miles […]
North Capitol Reef NP Drive Through
It was the end of January and warmer than a Utah winter had a right to be. No snow in the valleys and not much in the mountains. I took the opportunity to drive down to Emery Utah and then south crossing I-70 Interstate where I picked up the dirt road heading south through North […]
Little Egypt and Hog Springs
It had been a long and hot summer… too hot for hiking in southern Utah. By the end of October, the temperatures had modulated and the weather was clear. Time to squeeze in some hikes before Winter. I drove out to Vernal so that my brother David could accompany me. We drove down to Hanksville […]
To The Wedge in New Wheels
I decided to take a drive down to the San Rafael Swell area and visit The Wedge — Also known as the Little Grand Canyon. (Actually, I was looking for a chance to try out my new ride. I had just purchased a used 2010 Dodge Ram 4X4 pickup and I was looking to get […]
Exploring Gruvers Mesa
I drove down to Green River Utah and then south on the Horseshoe Canyon gravel road until it crossed the San Rafael River. Then Three Canyon was on the east side of the road with Gruvers Mesa on the west side. I wanted to explore from the top of Gruvers Mesa so I could see […]
Upper Provo River Falls
It was late June and the snow had melted in the high country enough to allow the paved roads to open. My wife and I decided to take the day to drive up the Mirror Lake Highway (highway 191) from Kamas Utah, and visit Upper Provo River Falls. The day was nice and sunny. At […]
Back to Rip Canyon
In the midst of my dear wife’s peaches/pears/tomatoes canning frenzy, I was able to slip away for a whole Saturday, to spend some time hiking in the canyons of the San Rafael Swell.) (This year’s peaches off my little peach tree. About three bushels of the most delectable, soft-ball sized fruit you have ever tasted.) […]
Hoop Lake
A wedding reception in my extended family justified a weekend trip to the Uintah Basin in northeast Utah for my wife, my oldest daughter, my brother David and myself. The reception was Friday night so we were hoping to spend the rest of the weekend at the family cabin north of Vernal. However, the summer […]
Rip Canyon in the San Rafael Swell
August is usually too hot to be hiking the desert areas of Utah but after several weeks of 100 degree weather, temperatures in the 90’s seemed mild. My spirit was telling me that I needed some ‘Canyon Time’ so my brother David and I headed south for a Saturday. We decided to try exploring an […]
One Bridge That Is An Arch and One Arch ...
So what if it was triple digit temperatures, I wanted to go Arch Hunting! So Saturday found David and I bumping along dirt roads northwest of Moab in my Ford Explorer. (Yes, we did run the air conditioner — right up to the moment we pulled off the paved highway.) Eight miles northwest of Moab […]