Chesler Park & Joint Trail Loop – Canyonland National Park – Needles District

Chesler Park & Joint Trail- Needles District – Canyonlands National Park

From my very first hike to the Chesler Park Viewpoint in May 2009, I was hooked!  I think the first time my husband and I went, we were actually planning to do the full Chesler Park/Joint Trail Loop, but we parked at the wrong trailhead (Squaw Flat instead of Elephant Hill) and this would have made the roundtrip hike to/from the viewpoint about 8.4 miles instead of the 5.8 that we were expecting, which would have made the whole loop just over 13 miles.  We figured out our mistake soon after we started, and decided to just hike to the viewpoint instead.  When we got there, we thought it was SO beautiful, it just made us want to do the loop hike even more!

It took us about 2 years, but we finally did the Chesler Park/Joint Trail Loop in the spring of 2011, and it was definitely worth the wait!  By that time we’d done pretty much every other hike in the Needles except Salt Creek, Cyclone Canyon, and The Joint Trail, so we figured it was time to try again!

Rock Formation Along the Trail Between Elephant Hill Trailhead and Chesler Park

Yucca in Bloom – Needles District -Canyonlands National Park

Cactus Flower – Needles District -Canyonlands National Park

Narrow Part of the Trail on the Way to Chesler Park – Needles District -Canyonlands National Park

Chesler Park & Joint Trail Loop – Needles District -Canyonlands National Park

The trail from Elephant Hill to the Chesler Park Viewpoint is one of my favorite hikes in the Needles District of Canyonlands.  You pass a lot of interesting rock formations along the way, in the spring there are TONS of cactus flowers, and the trail changes a lot in the 2.9 miles to the viewpoint which makes it seem to go by very quickly.

Chesler Park & Joint Trail Loop – Needles District – Canyonlands National Park

Needles Rock Formation – Needles District -Canyonlands National Park

When you’re almost to the viewpoint you start to get some great views of the ‘Needles’ rock formations, that that part of Canyonlands was named after.

Hiking Through Chesler Park – Needles District – Canyonlands National Park

Chesler Park – Needles District – Canyonlands National Park

I LOVE Chesler Park- it’s SO beautiful out there, and no matter how many times I go, it always seems so unexpected!  The whole way there you’re hiking over sandstone and through canyons, then all of a sudden it opens up into this big, grassy field surrounded by tall Needles rock formations.  I’ve always wanted to camp out there- I imagine that seeing that area in the morning light must be so beautiful!

Joint Trail Loop – Needles District – Canyonlands National Park

As you follow the trail that loops around Chesler Park , you’ll come to a short section known as the ‘Joint Trail’.  If you ever see a picture from Canyonlands that looks like someone walking through a slot canyon, it was probably taken on the Joint Trail.

Utah National Parks Ad in Sunset Magazine

I had to throw in the picture above… It’s of an ad for Southern Utah National Parks that ran in Sunset Magazine last spring and MY picture was in it!!  They were looking for pictures from each of the National Parks in Utah with people in them, and I sent in the one I took of my husband on the Joint Trail and they used it!  I was so excited to see it in the magazine!

Joint Trail Loop – Needles District – Canyonlands National Park

Cactus Flowers – Needles District – Canyonlands National Park

There’s a high clearance/4WD road that leads out to the Joint Trail, so you’ll start to see a lot more people once you reach that narrow section.  We ran into quite a few groups in there, and then several more after we had passed through.  If you’re hiking, there’s about a 1/2 mile section where you’ll actually be walking on the road- several jeeps passed us while we were on this section, so I think this is a pretty popular 4WD road.

Chesler Park & Joint Trail Loop – Needles District – Canyonlands National Park

Chesler Park & Joint Trail Loop – Needles District – Canyonlands National Park

Chesler Park & Joint Trail Loop – Needles District – Canyonlands National Park

After you get back on the actual trail, it loops back around to the fork you took when you got to Chelser Park, and from there you just take the same trail you came in on back to the Elephant Hill trailhead.  Whether you do the full loop on the Joint Trail, or just hike out to Chesler Park and back, you won’t be disappointed!  This is still my all time favorite hike in the Needles- it’s absolutely beautiful out there!

Directions:

From Monticello: Head north on Hwy 191 approx. 14 miles to the turn for the Needles District of Canyonlands.  Turn left onto Hwy 211 and drive approx. 34 miles to the park entrance station.

From Moab: Head south on 191 approx. 40 miles to the turn for the Needles District of Canyonlands.  Turn right onto Hwy 211 and drive approx. 34 miles to the park entrance station.

After entering the park, follow signs toward Elephant Hill.  You could also start from the Squaw Flat trailhead, but it will add about 2.5 miles to your hike, so Elephant Hill is the best trailhead for hiking to Chesler Park.

Distance from Canyonlands Needles District Visitor Center to lodging in San Juan County, Utah:

• Monticello: 48 miles/50 km
• La Sal: 60 miles/67 km
• Blanding: 70 miles/113 km
• Bluff: 96 miles/155 km
• Mexican Hat: 122 miles/196 km
• Monument Valley: 147 miles/237 km

For more information or to request travel brochures, please call Utah’s Canyon Country at: 800-574-4386

Or e-mail us at: info@utahscanyoncountry.com

Where I’ve Been…

Fall in the Abajos

Okay, I know it’s been a LOOOONG time since I’ve posted, but I have an excuse!  I think I mentioned in my last post that I was pregnant- well, I had my baby (a little boy we named Orion) on August 28th and was out on maternity leave until about 5 weeks ago.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to turn this into a baby blog- I just thought I’d post some pictures from the past few months to prove that I really do have an excuse for not blogging in so long and to show where we’ve taken our son so far!

I LOVE the fall in southeast Utah, and this year I was so caught up with baby stuff and trying to sleep whenever I could, that I almost missed it!  One of my living room windows faces the Abajos, and I looked out one day and saw the fall colors up there and realized that I was going to miss it if we didn’t get up there soon!  Orion was not a very happy camper while we were up there… he slept about half the time, and cried the other half!  Hopefully this isn’t a sign that he’s not going to like hiking and the outdoors… that would be bad!  Although I admit- I HATED hiking when I was a little kid- it wasn’t until college that I started to enjoy it.  Hopefully Orion won’t follow suit….

Fall in the Abajos

NOT a Happy Camper

The next place we took Orion was to Canyonlands when he was about 5 weeks old.  My husband’s mom was visiting us and the weather was so nice, we really wanted to take her out to see some of the area.  We decided to take her to to Canyonlands and do a couple of the shorter trails- Cave Spring and Pothole Point.

Orion’s First trip to Canyonlands – Pothole Point

When Orion was about 7 weeks old, my dad came to visit (we’ve had a LOT of visitors since he was born… I think the longest we’ve gone without company is about 3 weeks!) and we took him down to Indian Creek to look at some petroglyphs.  Since Indian Creek is so much lower in elevation that the Abajo Mountains, we got to see fall colors again!

Fall in Indian Creek

When Orion was about 3 months old, my little sister and her fiance came to visit and we took them, and Orion, all over the place.  Here are a few pictures from their visit.

My sister checking out some petroglyphs in Indian Creek

My sister’s fiance looking at petroglyphs in Indian Creek

Climbing one of the ladders on the Cave Spring trail in Canyonlands

Cave Spring Trail – Canyonlands National Park

We also took them to Jailhouse Rock- they climbed it to look in, and Orion and I waited at the bottom.

My sister and her fiance on Jailhouse Rock

Last weekend we finally dug out our hiking carrier- now that Orion ‘has a neck’ as my husband says, we wanted to see if he was able to sit in it yet, and he can!  We were so excited, we decided to take him for a walk around the neighborhood to see how he liked it before trying to take him out hiking, and he really seemed to like being up so high and being able to look around.  Now we’re really excited for the weather to warm up a little bit so we can take him out on some short hikes!  It’s been sooooo long since I’ve hiked, I can’t wait to get back out there!

Orion’s first ride in the hiking carrier!

Thanks for bearing with me through my ‘baby post’- I promise this isn’t going to turn into a baby blog, I just wanted to share where we’ve taken our little guy so far!

Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration 2012

My Favorite Float in the 2012 Pioneer Day Parade

The Annual Pioneer Day Celebration was held the weekend before last in Monticello and as always, there was a full schedule of events planned during Pioneer Day weekend; a Quilt Show that ran Fri & Sat, a Softball Tournament, Talent Contest, and Concert on Friday night, and a Family 5K, Lions Club Breakfast, Parade, Mud Bog Races, Tractor Pull, Games & Food Booths at the park, and Fireworks on Saturday.

Quilt Exhibit at the Monticello Library

Quilt Exhibit at the Monticello Library

Quilt Exhibit at the Monticello Library

Quilt Exhibit at the Monticello Library

My first stop was the Quilt Exhibit on Friday afternoon.  This is just a small sample of the quilts that were on display at the Quilt-n-Time Quilt Exhibit- there were so many beautiful quilts- there are definitely some talented people around here!

Monticello Pioneer Day Talent Show 2012

2012 Monticello Pioneer Day Talent Show Winner!

And speaking of talented people around here, on Friday evening my husband and I went to the talent show at the high school football field.  We had been to it once before- I think it was the first year we lived here, but hadn’t gone last year.  I guess I was a little preoccupied watching the performances, because I forgot to take pictures of most of them!  The girl sitting on the stage in the second picture was the winner- she played, ‘Leaving on a Jet Plane’ on her ukulele and sang- she was awesome!

Rodeo Royalty – Monticello Pioneer Day Parade 2012

My favorite part of Pioneer Day is always the parade, so I made sure to go to that!  I had been scoping out a shady spot to watch it from all week, and I had the perfect place picked out, but that morning my husband and I were running late and ended up getting there right as the first float was coming down the street and that area was already filled with chairs at least 3 rows deep.  We ended up in the sun on the opposite side of the street, but at least it wasn’t so crowded and there was an empty bench that my husband parked himself on while I stood and took pictures.

Train Rides for Kids – Monticello Pioneer Day Parade 2012

Barber Shop Quartet – Monticello Pioneer Day Parade 2012

Thatzza Pizza Float – Monticello Pioneer Day Parade 2012

The float in the picture above was from a new pizza place here in town- Thatzza Pizza.  This was the float my husband was the most interested in because… they were giving out free slices of pizza!  I thought he was just kidding when he said it, but sure enough- we saw them hand out a few slices of pizza to people on the other side of the street (the side I had planned to be on!) as the float was passing!

All Star Tumbling – Monticello Pioneer Day Parade 2012

The float in the picture above was for a new gymnastics place that just opened in Monticello- All Star Tumbling.  Although I’d love to say that this was the shot I was trying to get, it was actually just a lucky shot- I didn’t even realize I had taken a picture of that kid mid-backflip until I was going through my pictures for this blog entry!  I probably couldn’t have gotten that shot if I’d been trying!

Monticello Pioneer Day Parade 2012

This year I came prepared for the firetruck- I brought my umbrella!  I remember how it drenched everyone last year so as soon as I saw it coming I whipped out my umbrella, but I guess we lucked out- it sprayed right before it got to us, and then again after it was down the street a ways, but not when it was directly in front of us.

Monticello Pioneer Day Parade 2012

I guess I should have mentioned that the theme for the parade this year was, ‘I Ride for the Brand’… otherwise it probably doesn’t make much sense why the missionaries are riding a bike and holding an LDS branding iron!

Bluff Fort – Monticello Pioneer Day Parade 2012

Young’s Machine – Monticello Pioneer Day Parade 2012

As always, a long line of tractors brought up the end of the parade with Monticello’s Emerson- Brantingham Big 4 Tractor bringing up the rear.

Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration 2012

Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration 2012

Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration 2012

Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration 2012

Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration 2012

The Big 4 Tractor – Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration 2012

The Big 4 Tractor – Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration 2012

I know I went over this in my Pioneer Day post last year, but just in case you missed it, Monticello’s Big 4 tractor is one of the few still in existence today.  It was built and brought to Monticello in 1912, and has remained in this area for the past 100 years!  If you’d like to read more about the Big 4, please CLICK HERE.

Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration 2012

After the parade was over, my husband and I made our way to the park to check out the booths and find some food.  It seemed like there were a lot more food booths this year, there was everything from BBQ sandwiches and corn on the cob, to Navajo tacos and kettle corn.  We decided to get lunch at the Quesadilla Mobilla- a gourmet quesadilla food truck from Moab which was AWESOME!  It’s a good thing they’re from Moab and not here, otherwise I could could see myself developing a serious addiction to their quesadillas!

Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration 2012

Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration 2012

I really love the Veterans Memorial Park, which is where the booths and games are always located on Pioneer Day, it’s such a big & shady park- it’s the perfect location!

After we were finished eating we decided to check out some of the activities that were going on throughout the day.  There were lots of activities for kids: train rides, jousting, a greased pole, and many others, but our first stop was at the Dunk Tank- a few people we knew were going to be in the tank, so of course we wanted to see them get dunked!

Train Rides – Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration 2012

Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration 2012

Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration 2012

Dunk Tank – Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration 2012

I didn’t make it to the tractor pull this year- I’m pregnant right now and the 4+ hours I’d already spent outside at the parade and in the park just about did me in!  I spent the rest of the afternoon at home recovering and was happy to realize once the fireworks started that we could see them from the front porch of our new place!

I always enjoy the Pioneer Day Celebration weekend in Monticello, and this year did not disappoint!  Who doesn’t love a good-old-fashioned, small town parade along with a day of food and fun!?

Distance from Monticello to lodging in San Juan County, Utah:

• Monticello: 0 miles/0 km
• Blanding: 21 miles/34 km
• La Sal: 41 miles/66 km
• Bluff: 46 miles/74 km
• Mexican Hat: 71 miles/114 km
• Monument Valley: 94 miles/151 km

For more information or to request travel brochures, please call Utah’s Canyon Country at: 800-574-4386

Or e-mail us at: info@utahscanyoncountry.com

Natural Bridges National Monument

Owachomo Bridge – Natural Bridges National Monument

As promised in my post last month on the Astronomy Program at Natural Bridges National Monument, I’m re-visiting Natural Bridges to post a little more on the bridges themselves.

By now I’ve probably been to Natural Bridges about 8-10 times in the 3+ years I’ve lived here, with the first time being only a few days after moving to Monticello.  It was in March of 2009 and I think it had snowed a little bit overnight and my husband and I were trying to think of something to do on his last day off before he was to start his new job.  We decided to drive out to Natural Bridges thinking it would be more of a scenic drive rather than a hiking destination.  I think we were looking at a National Parks book and it showed the 9 mile loop road that takes you past viewpoints for all three bridges.  It may have also showed the loop hikes you can do along the bottom of the canyon, but I really don’t remember seeing it.  I think the fact that the weather was so bad in Monticello that day, if we did see it, we probably didn’t take notice since we weren’t planning to hike.

It took us about an hour and 15 minutes to drive out to Natural Bridges and during the course of the drive the weather totally cleared up and it turned into a beautiful day!  (*This was our first experience with the weather/temperature differences around here.  We learned very quickly that it may be cold in Monticello, but when you get to your hiking destination, whether it’s Canyonlands, Cedar Mesa, or pretty much anywhere else around here, the weather can be very different.  (It didn’t take long for us to start packing for any/all weather conditions when we headed out!)

Our first stop was at the visitor center to show our pass (since it’s a National Monument you can use the Annual Pass there) and of course, watch the park video.  My husband LOVES these videos and we always have to watch them before doing anything else in the park.  While I’m always itching to get out there and see stuff, he likes to learn about it first.

Even though I’m always antsy while sitting through the park videos, I have to admit, you do learn a lot from them and I would definitely recommend taking the time to watch.  If you’re planning to skip the video, I’ll share the most important piece of information I learned… how to tell the difference between natural bridges and arches.  Natural bridges are formed by moving water that wears away at the rock and arches are formed mostly by frost and seeping moisture.

After finishing the video we talked with the ranger working behind the counter and realized that we could hike down to each of the bridges and that’s also when we learned about the 8.5 mile loop trail that takes you along the bottom of the canyon and through all 3 bridges.  We weren’t really prepared for much hiking, but we decided to hike down to two of the bridges- Sipapu and Owachomo.  I’m not sure why we chose those two, but they were both AMAZING!

First View of Sipapu Bridge – Can you see it?

The hike down to Sipapu is about 1.2 miles round-trip and if you’re afraid of heights, you might want to skip this one.  There are quite a few places with steep stairs and drop-offs right along side the trail, and there are also a couple ladders on this trail as well.  Sipapu is the largest bridge at Natural Bridges and it’s actually the second largest natural bridge in the world, second only to Rainbow Bridge which is located in Glen Canyon. (Also in San Juan County!)

Climbing Down to Sipapu – Natural Bridges National Monument

One of the Ladders on the Trail to Sipapu – Natural Bridges Natural Monument

On the Trail to Sipapu – Natural Bridges National Monument

(Slightly Off) The Trail to Sipapu – Natural Bridges National Monument

But if none of those things bother you, this is a great, short hike with great views of the bridge along the trail before you reach the bottom of the canyon and are able to get under the bridge.

Sipapu Bridge – Natural Bridges National Monument

Under Sipapu Bridge – Natural Bridges National Monument

Next up was Owachomo, which is only a .4 mile hike round-trip.  As I mentioned above, we only hiked to 2 out of the 3 bridges, but we stopped at the overlook for Kachina, which is the ‘youngest’ of the 3 bridges. (based on the thickness of the span)

Kachina Bridge – Natural Bridges National Monument

The third and last bridge you come to on the 9 mile loop road (Bridge View Drive) is Owachomo, which is the shortest hike- only .4 miles round trip.  We hiked down to this one too and I think it’s my favorite- it’s definitely the easiest to photograph.

Owachomo Bridge – Natural Bridges National Monument

Owachomo Bridge – Natural Bridges National Monument

Owachomo Bridge – Natural Bridges National Monument

This was my first visit to Natural Bridges, and as I mentioned above, I’ve been back maybe 8 times or so since then.  We’ve taken friends who were visiting, we’ve gone to the night sky program twice, and we’ve also gone back and done the 8.5 mile loop hike, which is a blog entry in itself, so I’ll save that one for another time.  I do want to mention the campground though.  I LOVE this campground!  It’s very small- only 13 sites, and does not take reservations- it’s first-come, first-served which, in my opinion, makes it all the more exciting when you get a do get a site!

Campground ad Natural Bridges National Monument

If you’re traveling through in the summer, I’d recommend trying to time your visit to fall on a day that has a scheduled ranger-led dark sky program.  It’s always subject to change, but for the 2012 season the programs are scheduled to run every Wednesday and Thursday from May 9th through the end of September.  If you’re planning to be in the area, I would recommend calling ahead to double check the current schedule.  Here’s a LINK to the contact info for Natural Bridges.

The Natural Bridges Visitor Guide is also available online (in English, French, and German) as well as brochures on Archaeology and Geology.

Directions:  Natural Bridges is located about 39 miles west of Blanding on Hwy 95.  There is no entrance station, but you are required to stop at the Visitor Center to pay or show your pass.

Distance from Natural Bridges to lodging in San Juan County, Utah:

• Blanding: 39 miles/63 km
• Mexican Hat: 43 miles/ 69 km (via hwy 261)
• Monticello: 60 miles/97 km
• Bluff: 64 miles/103 km
• Monument Valley: 66 miles/106 km (via hwy 261)
• La Sal: 100 miles/161 km

For more information or to request travel brochures, please call Utah’s Canyon Country at: 800-574-4386

Or e-mail us at: info@utahscanyoncountry.com

Hideout Golf Club – Monticello, UT

Hideout Golf Club – Monticello, UT

I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to do a blog entry on the Hideout Golf Club, but now that I think about it, it’s definitely LONG overdue!  I’m not a golfer, so until recently my only visits to the Hideout were for some night-time snowshoeing about a year ago, and just a quick stop in the pro shop when we were filming for our San Juan County/Utah’s Canyon Country promotional video last fall.  But in the past month or so, my husband and I have started walking on the golf course in the evening, and we’ve really been blown away by how nice it is!

Evening Walk at the Hideout Golf Course

Aside from the obvious reason that the golf course is a beautiful place to walk, we actually had ulterior motives…  Last summer the City of Monticello started a program called, ‘Finders Keepers’.  Throughout the course of the summer (from Memorial Day to Labor Day) they hide about 500 pieces of Cedar Mesa Pottery out on the golf course, and if you find one, it’s yours to keep!  I kept meaning to get out there and look for pottery last year, but it just never happened.  So this year when I heard that they were going to be doing it again, I knew I had to get out there at least once and try my luck at finding some pottery!

At this point my husband and I have been out there about 5-6 times (only seriously looking twice) and still haven’t found anything.  Initially I thought they would be much easier to find, but then someone who works in the pro-shop told me that there are about 6 miles of cart paths at the Hideout!  Hmmm… finding the pottery might not be as easy as I though!

Manning the Booth at the Portland Golf Show

Our office attends a lot of travel and sportsman’s shows each winter, and for the past two years we’ve also had a booth at the Portland Golf Show in Portland, OR.  I’ve attended both years,  and it’s a GREAT show- definitely one of my favorites.  It’s always nice to go back to a show that you did the previous year and have people come up to your booth and tell you that after talking with you the last year, they came and visited your area.  This happened several times the second year I attended that show, which I thought was great!

While working the booth at the show, one thing I noticed that I ran into over and over were people who, when it came to golfing in Utah, only thought of St. George.  One thing that the Hideout definitely has over St. George is the high elevation and cooler temperatures in the summer.  The Hideout sits at just over 7,000 feet which makes it a cool escape from the summer heat that you definitely won’t find in St. George in the summer!

Just recently Golfweek Magazine named the Hideout #17 on their 2012 list of the 50 Best Municipal Golf Courses in the US.  That’s a pretty big honor for a golf course in a town of just about 2,000 people!  Another list that I just learned that the Hideout made, was Golfweek’s 2012 Best Golf Courses State-by-State.  The Hideout was named the #5 golf course in Utah!

Like I said, I’m not a golfer so I don’t know what golfers look for when determining what makes a good golf course, so here are a few pictures so you can see for yourselves…

Hideout Golf Club – Monticello, UT

Hideout Golf Club – Monticello, UT

Hideout Golf Club – Monticello, UT

Hideout Golf Club – Monticello, UT

Hideout Golf Club – Monticello, UT

Hideout Golf Club – Monticello, UT

Pro Shop at the Hideout Golf Club – Monticello, UT

Pro Shop at the Hideout Golf Club – Monticello, UT

When I was down there this morning taking pictures for this blog entry, I stopped by the pro shop for a few interior pictures and asked about the Finders Keepers program.  (If I’m going to be out there looking for it, I wanted to make sure that there REALLY is pottery hidden on the course!)  The woman working in the pro shop assured me that there IS in fact pottery hidden out on the course right now, so it looks like I’m going to have to amp up my searching in the next couple months if I really want to find one!

There are quite a few tournaments held at the Hideout each year.  Click the LINK to visit the Events page on the Hideout’s website.

Distance from the Hideout Golf Club to lodging in San Juan County, Utah:

• Monticello: 0 miles/0 km
• Blanding: 21 miles/34 km
• La Sal: 41 miles/66 km
• Bluff: 46 miles/74 km
• Mexican Hat: 71 miles/114 km
• Monument Valley: 94 miles/151 km

View Larger Map

For more information or to request travel brochures, please call Utah’s Canyon Country at: 800-574-4386

Or e-mail us at: info@utahscanyoncountry.com

Needles Overlook

Needles Overlook

When I started working at the Welcome Center in Monticello, it quickly became very apparent that people are often confused about the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, and the Needles Overlook.  People would often talk about them interchangeably as if they were both a part of Canyonlands National Park, but the Needles Overlook is actually an area that’s located outside the park and is a part of the Canyon Rims Special Recreation Management Area, which is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

The Needles Overlook is located about 22 miles off of Hwy 191 on co. rd 133, so it’s a great side trip if you’re traveling between Monticello and Moab on Hwy 191.  When we have friends or family visiting, my husband and I often take them there around sunset if we’re on our way home from Arches, the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point State Park, or somewhere else up north- it seems like we end up driving out there about every 6 months or so.  My dad was just visiting last week and we took him out there, but before that, the last time we went was when my mom and stepdad were visiting last November.  Everyone we’ve ever taken out there has been completely blown away by the view!

Needles Overlook

Needles Overlook

When you’re standing at the overlook you can see quite a few roads down below.  The main road that runs through that area is the Lockhart Basin Road, it roughly parallels Hwy 191 from Hwy 211 near the entrance to the Needles District of Canyonlands to the Kane Springs Road which ends in Moab.  This is a popular road, but requires high clearance.  I’ve never been on the Lockhart Basin Road, but would love to go if I ever get the chance.

Needles Overlook

Needles Overlook

The Needles Overlook is not just one scenic overlook, there’s actually a railing that runs along the whole point that you’re standing on.  Starting from the parking area, you get views to the north, west, and then south toward the Abajos.  We always spend at least an hour walking along the edge taking in the views out over the canyons- it’s something that you just never get tired of looking at!

Needles Overlook

View to the North from Needles Overlook

The La Sal Mountains

Since we always go at sunset, the drive back to Hwy 191 is always beautiful too- even after the sun has set over the horizon, the La Sal Mountains are still lit up glowing with pinks and purples.

Most of the pictures in this entry were taken during my mom and stepdad’s visit in November.  It was especially clear that day, but I’ve found that no matter what the weather is like when you visit, the view is always amazing!

Directions:

From Monticello: Drive approximately 21 miles north of Monticello and turn west on Co. Rd 133/Needles Overlook Rd.  Stay on that road for approximately 22 miles until you reach the parking area.

From Moab: Drive approximately 32 miles south of Moab and turn west on Co. Rd 133/Needles Overlook Rd.  Stay on that road for approximately 22 miles until you reach the parking area.

Distance from Needles Overlook to lodging in San Juan County, Utah:

• La Sal: 41 miles/66 km
• Monticello: 42 miles/68 km
• Blanding: 63 miles/101 km
• Bluff: 89 miles/143 km
• Mexican Hat: 113 miles/115 km
• Monument Valley: 136 miles/219 km

View Larger Map

For more information or to request travel brochures, please call Utah’s Canyon Country at: 800-574-4386

Or e-mail us at: info@utahscanyoncountry.com

Astronomy Program at Natural Bridges National Monument

Astronomy Program – Natural Bridges National Monument

Last night my husband and I drove out to Natural Bridges National Monument for the twice-a-week ranger led astronomy program they offer each summer.  We had gone once before, but it was in 2009 when we first moved here, so I’ve been wanting to go again for quite a while now.

I think the fact that the programs don’t start until about 9pm and have been held on weeknights for the past couple years, and that it’s a 1 hr 15 min drive to Natural Bridges from Monticello (meaning we have to drive 1 hr 15 min home after the program ends at about 10:30 or so) is what has kept us from going back sooner.  It’s an awesome program, and is definitely worth going if you’re camping out there, but I’m usually in bed by about 10:30, so it’s been hard to get myself to make that drive on a weeknight!

When we went to the program in 2009, we were also camping at Natural Bridges.  We had driven out there really early in the morning to try to get a campsite at their very nice but small (Only 13 sites!) campground, and had plans of doing the 8.6 mile loop hike along the bottom of the canyon that takes you past each of the 3 bridges.

When we arrived at the campground it was just before 9:00am and there were only 2 campsites left.  Usually we kind of circle the campground and try to figure out which site we like best, but this time we just pulled into one, and it was a good thing we did- right after we parked, about 3-4 more cars came through looking for sites!

Once our campsite was secured, we headed out on the loop hike, which was amazing, but I’m going to have to save that for another blog entry!  Anyway, the point I was trying to make is that the first time we attended the Astronomy Program, we were camping at Natural Bridges, and it was a really nice way to spend the evening while camping.  PLUS  you don’t have to drive home afterwards!

I called yesterday afternoon to confirm that they would be having a program that night.   The person who answered the phone told us the program would begin at about 9pm in front of the Visitor Center, and he also reminded us to bring chairs or a blanket to sit on during the program.  Currently (for the summer of 2012) Astronomy Programs are being held every Wednesday & Thursday evening from May 9th-the end of September, but it’s always a good idea to call ahead and confirm before you make the drive out there.

Getting Ready to Start the Astronomy Program at Natural Bridges

When we arrived at the Visitor Center at about 8:50pm, the ranger already had the telescope set up and was chatting with a couple who was already there.  As we set up our chairs and got settled, a steady stream of people continued to arrive.  By the time the program started, I think I counted 21 or 22 people- not bad!  It was definitely more people than I was expecting.

The ranger started the program by giving us some of the history of Natural Bridges.  He told us that in 2007 Natural Bridges became the first International Dark Sky Park certified by the International Dark Sky Association.  He also told us that the skies at Natural Bridges are in the top 5 darkest night skies in the United States.  I was trying to look this up online to verify it, which I was unable to do, but in the process I found a really cool interactive google map that shows city lights around the world.  If you zoom in over the United Sates, you can definitely see that there isn’t much light pollution in southeast Utah.  Here’s a LINK to the map…

Astronomy Program at Natural Bridges National Monument

Unfortunately, just like the last time we went to the Astronomy Program, the moon was close to full, so we couldn’t see as many stars as you would be able to see if you were there closer to a new moon.  The ranger used a laser pointer to show us different constellations, stars, & planets.  There were some people there who definitely knew a lot about astronomy… I was not one of those people.  Despite my dad’s best efforts when I was growing up, the only thing I can identify is the Big Dipper.  I guess that’s better than nothing though, right?

We started by looking at Saturn, first at a lower power, then at a higher power.  The first time I ever looked at Saturn through a telescope was at the first Astronomy Program I’d attended at Natural Bridges and I remember being completely blown away by it.  I’m really not that into stars and astronomy, but it’s SO cool to be able to see the rings around Saturn!  The view was just as good this time, and you could tell which people were seeing it for the first time- lots of gasps and ‘wows’ as people took their turn looking through the telescope.

After that we looked at M-13 (Messier-13) a cluster of stars in the constellation of Hercules.  I think the ranger said that this cluster is visible to the naked eye, but I don’t think I’d be able to find it on my own… maybe if I could identify Hercules I’d be able to find it that way… maybe…

And finally we ended by looking at the moon.  The ranger put a filter on the telescope because he said it would be way too bright to look at the moon without it.  It was a much closer view of the moon than I remember seeing last time, you could really see a lot of detail in the surface- the craters and what looked like mountains and plateaus.  Like I said before, I’m really not that into astronomy, but you can’t help but be impressed when you get the opportunity to see something so close-up like that.

Southwest Night Sky

This last picture was taken by a Japanese friend of mine who came to visit a couple years ago.  She is very into astronomy and has quite the set-up on her camera for taking pictures of the night sky.  Although this picture wasn’t taken at Natural Bridges, it was taken nearby, so I thought I’d include it as an example of the view of the night sky you’re able to see around here.

Directions:  Natural Bridges is located about 39 miles west of Blanding on Hwy 95.  There is no entrance station, but you are required to stop at the Visitor Center to pay or show your pass.

Distance from Natural Bridges to lodging in San Juan County, Utah:

• Blanding: 39 miles/63 km
• Mexican Hat: 43 miles/ 69 km (via hwy 261)
• Monticello: 60 miles/97 km
• Bluff: 64 miles/103 km
• Monument Valley: 66 miles/106 km (via hwy 261)
• La Sal: 100 miles/161 km

For more information or to request travel brochures, please call Utah’s Canyon Country at: 800-574-4386

Or e-mail us at: info@utahscanyoncountry.com