Snowshoeing Through the Aspens - South Peak - Abajos

Why my husband and I chose South Peak in the Abajos (11,118 ft) for our first ever snowshoeing trip, I really couldn’t tell you.  It was the first winter we lived here, and now that a couple years have passed and the memory of how sore I was afterward has worn off, I almost want to climb it again…almost.  Okay, maybe I’m being a little dramatic.  But it WAS a major climb, even for my husband and I who hike quite a bit.

My husband’s coworker invited us to climb South Peak with him and a couple of his friends, and although we didn’t know it at the time, this guy is FAST!  If you’ve been following this blog you might remember him from the Mt. Peale Hike – La Sal Mountains entry- he was the guy in the lead with the keys when I was trying to decide if I should keep climbing or go back to the car.

Anyway, we had been warned by a couple different people about how fast this guy is, so I told my husband to make sure that he knew that we were first timers and was okay with that.  I was there when my husband told him and I remember him just waving his hand at us and saying, ‘Oh, that’s not a problem- you’ll be fine’.  Hmmm… really?  Somehow I wasn’t convinced…

We all met up in the parking area that’s about 3-4 miles up the Hart’s Draw Rd (Co. Rd 101/ Forest Rd 105) and started from there.  The parking area is between Dalton Springs and Buckboard campgrounds.  If you come in the winter, the road is only plowed to the parking area, so you can’t miss it.  A lot of people park there and then take their snowmachines up from there.  There was some talk about whether or not we should try to drive to the old ski area and park there, but I think my husband’s coworker was driving his car that day, and didn’t want to take the chance of getting stuck, so we just started at the parking area to be safe.

The first mile or so to the old ski area is fairly flat, but it gets really steep from there.  I think the parking area is at about 8,200 ft and the top of South Peak is at about 11,118 ft and most of the elevation gain is in the last 2/3 of the climb.

View From the Abajo Mountains

View of the Sleeping Ute from the Abajo Mts.

Snowshoeing up South Peak in the Abajos

It’s an absolutely beautiful climb- I really couldn’t pick which was my favorite part- snowshoeing through the aspens or the views out over the four corners- it was all amazing.

Snowshoeing up South Peak in the Abajos

Almost to the Top- Abajo Mountains

Well, just as we’d been warned, my husband’s coworker was fast!  He would stop every so often and let everyone else catch up with him, then almost as soon as we caught up, he’d take off and we wouldn’t see him until he stopped to wait for us again.  As far as I know we weren’t following any actual trail, but luckily since it was in the snow, it was very easy to follow his tracks, so there was no chance of getting lost or anything like that.

View of the Sleeping Ute From the Top of South Peak - Abajo Mountains

View Out Over the Four Corners From the Top of South Peak - Abajo Mountains

No matter how sore or tired we were, I think we forgot about all of that when we got to the top and saw the view out over the four corners.  There were some clouds that day, but the air was really clear and you could see forever!  The La Sals, the Sleeping Ute, Shiprock, Lone Dome… the view from the top was absolutely amazing!

The trip back down was much easier than the climb up had been. (of course!)  It was a great first (and so far, only!) climb up South Peak!  We had only lived here a few months at the time, and I think it was a great way to get acquainted with the area.  The views from the top were nothing short of breathtaking, and the feeling of knowing how hard you had worked to get there made it even better!

Directions:  From Main St. (Hwy 191) in Monticello, turn west on W 200 S right next to the Welcome Center.  (This road becomes Co. Rd 101/Forest Rd 105) Follow road about 4 miles to the parking area on the right hand side of road.  *Please look at the map below for directions.

Distance to lodging in San Juan County, Utah:

• Monticello: 4 miles/ 6.5 km
• Blanding: 27 miles/43.5 km
• La Sal:  45 miles/72.5 km
• Bluff: 60 miles/96.5 km
• Mexican Hat: 80 miles/129 km
• Monument Valley: 103 miles/166 km

International Sportsmen's Expo 2011 - Phoenix, AZ

Every year the arrival of the holiday season reminds us here at the office, that another season is just around the corner… show season!  ‘Show season’ is what we call January through March when we set up our booth at travel and sportsmen’s shows around the country to tell people about all the cool things there are to see and do in San Juan County, Utah!

Just in case we have any blog followers in any of the cities we’ll be going to… I thought I’d share our show schedule so you can stop by our booth and say hello!  (And maybe win some cool Utah goodies!)

January

• 5-8: International Sportsmen’s Expo- Denver, CO (Colorado Convention Center)
• 14&15: Travel & Adventure Show- Los Angeles, CA (Long Beach Convention Center)
• 19-22: International Sportsmen’s Expo- Sacramento, CA (Cal Expo- State Fairgrounds)
• 28&29: Travel & Adventure Show- Chicago, IL (Donald E Stephens Convention Center)

February

• 10-12: Portland Golf Show- Portland, OR (Oregon Convention Center)
• 10-12: Texas Home & Garden Show- Houston, TX (Reliant Center)
• 18-19: Travel & Adventure Show- San Francisco, CA (Santa Clara Convention Center)
• 23-26: International Sportsmen’s Expo- Phoenix, AZ (U of Phoenix Stadium)

March

• 2-4: New York Times Travel Show- New York, NY (Jacob K. Javits Conv Center)
• 15-18: International Sportsmen’s Expo- Sandy, UT ( South Town Expo Center)
• 17-18: Travel & Adventure Show- Washington DC (Washington Convention Center)
• 24-25: Calgary Outdoor Show- Calgary, Canada (Stampede Park BMO Centre)
  

  Travel & Adventure Show 2011- Los Angeles, CA

Portland Golf Show 2011 - Portland, OR

We’re working on putting together some giveaways that we will be doing at the shows this coming year, these giveaways will be for show attendees only, so you’ll have to visit our booth to find out how to enter!  If you live in any of the cities listed above and would like some help planning your vacation to SE Utah, stop by our ‘Utah’s Canyon Country’ booth and we’ll help you plan your itinerary!

Well, the holiday season is in full swing around here- we had our Ugly Christmas Sweater Day & Secret Santa gift exchange here at the county building yesterday (I made the person I had do a scavenger hunt around the building to find their gift!) and I’ve been baking non-stop for the last several days… fudge, burnt sugar almonds, several different types of cookies… whew!

I thought I’d share an ‘Ugly Christmas Sweater’ picture to get everyone in the holiday giveaway mood…

A Few of the Ugly Christmas Sweaters Worn Today....

The picture above is just a sample of the many Ugly Christmas Sweaters that made an appearance today.  (I thought I’d better protect our identities since we’re all fashion ‘don’ts’!)  But I’ll tell you… that’s me on the left- like my earrings?  I borrowed them off the tree in the background!

Okay, back to the REAL reason you’re here… our last GIVEAWAY of the year!

I’ve decided to make this last giveaway about something that’s VERY near and dear to my heart… FOOD!   I mean, who doesn’t LOVE all the seasonal food that comes with the holidays?!

To enter…  Leave a comment telling us your favorite holiday food tradition.  Have you got gingerbread cookie baking down to a science? Do you make your own eggnog from scratch?  Do you actually like fruitcake?

This giveaway is for a San Juan County- Utah’s Canyon Country Travel Cup and T-shirt with an image of Monument Valley on the back.  (Available sizes are: S, M, L, & 2XL)

This contest will run until 12:00pm (noon) MST December 28st, 2011 and the winner will be selected at random.  The winner’s name will be announced both on this blog, and on our facebook page, so be sure to watch for your name!  *In our first contest we never heard back from one of our winners- we can’t send you your prize if we can’t contact you!

Since I can’t take part in the giveaway, I’ll get things started and share my favorite holiday foods here…

Melty Kiss

This is one of my all-time favorite chocolates- Melty Kiss from Japan- I got hooked on them when I was living in Japan and I’ve been borderline obsessed with them ever since!  (The writing in the blue area says that they’re only available in the winter- so they REALLY are a seasonal treat!)

Another is a new favorite of mine, but I think it’s a keeper…

Eggnog and coke… it might sound a little strange, but try it- it’s SO GOOD!

*One last thing…  In case you haven’t noticed, we’ve added a poll to the sidebar of our blog (Top right-hand side just below the ‘Top Posts & Pages’)  If you could take a second and let us know how you found our blog, we’d REALLY appreciate it!  Thanks for your help!

]]> http://utahscanyoncountry.wordpress.com/2011/12/22/utahs-canyon-country-holiday-giveaway-part-ii/feed/ 12 utahscanyoncountry Utah's Canyon Country Holiday Giveaway Part II Holiday Giveaway Holiday Giveaway Holiday Giveaway II http://utahscanyoncountry.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/san-juan-county-holiday-giveaway/ http://utahscanyoncountry.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/san-juan-county-holiday-giveaway/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:00:57 +0000 Allison http://utahscanyoncountry.wordpress.com/?p=1236 Continue reading →]]>

Another giveaway?  So soon?  Maybe it’s the fresh layer of snow we just got, or maybe it’s our upcoming ‘Ugly Christmas Sweater Day’, but we’re really feeling the holiday spirit around here and we want to give some Utah goodies away!

This giveaway is for a San Juan County- Utah’s Canyon Country T-shirt with an image of Monument Valley on the back.  (Available sizes are: S, M, L, & 2XL)

To enter…  Leave a comment telling us what you love most about this time of year.  *Bonus points if it involves Utah!   Rumor has it we have the Greatest Snow on Earth!

This contest will run until 12:00pm (noon) MST December 21st, 2011 and the winner will be selected at random.  The winner’s name will be announced both on this blog, and on our facebook page, so be sure to watch for your name!  *In our first contest we never heard back from one of our winners- we can’t send you your prize if we can’t contact you!

*Keep watching our blog and our Utah’s Canyon Country facebook page- we have one more contest coming up before the end of the year!

Utah's Canyon Country T-shirt & 2012 Utah Scenic Calendar

We’d like to hear from you….

In keeping with the movie/film theme of our last blog post, leave a comment telling us the name of your favorite movie or TV show that was filmed in San Juan County, Utah and you’ll be entered to win the Utah prize package pictured above.  Package includes a San Juan County- Utah’s Canyon Country T-shirt with an image of Monument Valley on the back (available sizes are S, M, L, & 2XL) and a 2012 scenic calendar from the Utah Office of Tourism that’s full of amazing pictures that are sure to inspire you to start planning your next vacation to our beautiful state!

Want to enter, but have absolutely no idea what movies have been filmed here?  Click this link to our last blog entry- ‘Film History of San Juan County, Utah’ for some ideas!

This contest will run until 12:00pm (noon) MST December 15, 2011 and the winner will be selected at random.  The winner’s name will be announced both on this blog, and on our facebook page, so be sure to watch for your name!  *In our last contest we never heard back from one of our winners- we can’t send you your prize if we can’t contact you!

We have two more giveaways coming up in the next couple weeks and we’ll be posting info and links on our Utah’s Canyon Country facebook page, so be sure to ‘like’ us so you don’t miss out!

Forrest Gump Hill- Hwy 163- San Juan County, Utah

As the administrator of this blog I am able to see which entries are getting the most views and what search terms people are typing in that are bringing them to this blog.  I’ve been very surprised to see that ever since I posted the entry on the tour of Monument Valley I took with Goulding’s Lodge, search terms about ‘Forrest Gump’ show up on a regular basis. (I posted a picture of the stretch of road that was in the movie in my blog entry)

I think one of the reasons that I’ve been surprised by this is because even though I’ve seen Forrest Gump many, many times, it wasn’t until I moved here and heard people talking about ‘Forrest Gump Hill’ (the stretch of road between Mexican Hat and Monument Valley where Forrest decided to stop running) that I realized that part of it was shot here.

Forrest Gump Hill- Hwy 163- San Juan County, Utah

For my generation Forrest Gump is probably one of the most well known movies that was shot in San Juan County, but the area is probably best known for the old John Ford westerns that were filmed in Monument Valley.  Monument Valley has become an iconic image of the American West, but most people probably have no idea HOW this came to be…

Harry and Leone ‘Mike’ Goulding came to Monument Valley in the mid-1920s to homestead and open a trading post to trade with the Native Americans (mostly Navajo) who lived in the area.  By the 1930s, between the Great Depression and two bad years of drought, the area had really been hit hard.  In 1938 Harry learned that the Hollywood film company, United Artists, was looking for a location to shoot a new western movie.  Harry recruited Josef Muench- a photographer who had first visited and photographed Monument Valley in 1935, to compile an album of scenes of the valley for Harry to present to United Artists when he arrived in Hollywood.

As unlikely as this story sounds, it really happened and Harry’s idea worked!  Harry was able to get his photos of Monument Valley into the right hands and John Ford shot ‘Stagecoach’ in Monument Valley the very next year.  But this story doesn’t end there- over the next 25 years, John Ford came back and shot 6 more movies in Monument Valley, which played a huge role in Monument Valley becoming the iconic image of the American West it is today.

Here’s a little bit of the film history of San Juan County, Utah…

The first of the John Ford/John Wayne movies to be filmed in Monument Valley was ‘Stagecoach’ which was shot in 1939.

Stagecoach 1939 - Monument Valley

‘She Wore A Yellow Ribbon’, another John Ford/John Wayne western, was shot in Monument Valley in 1949.

She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 1949 - Monument Valley

Another John Ford/John Wayne movie filmed in Monument Valley was ‘The Searchers’, which was shot in 1956.

The Searchers 1956 - Monument Valley

‘How the West Was Won’ (another John Ford/John Wayne movie) was filmed in Monument Valley in 1962

How the West Was Won 1962 - Monument Valley

John Ford filmed so many movies in Monument Valley, there is even a viewpoint that has been named after him- you can see it in the picture below.

John Ford Point, Monument Valley

Monument Valley became very well known for westerns, but there have actually been quite a wide variety of movies filmed there- action, comedies, science fiction, drama, etc.  In 1975 part of the Clint Eastwood movie ‘Eiger Sanction’ was filmed in Monument Valley.  This movie takes place in the Alps, but has a scene that was shot on top of the ‘Totem Pole’ rock formation in Monument Valley.

Eiger Sanction 1975 - Monument Valley

Eiger Sanction 1975 - Monument Valley

A Scene From 'Eiger Sanction' was Filmed on Top of 'Totem Pole'- the Formation on the Far Left

You might also remember the scene in ‘National Lampoon’s Vacation’ where the Griswold family’s car breaks down- that was shot in Monument Valley in 1983.

National Lampoon's Vacation 1983 - Monument Valley

This brings us to one of my favorites- ‘Back to the Future’!  While the first Back to the Future movie is BY FAR my favorite in the series- I’m still excited that part of the 3rd movie was filmed in here- I can’t believe the Back to the Future Delorean was in San Juan County!  88 miles per hour!!!!

Back to the Future Part III 1990 - Monument Valley

Another of my favorites- ‘Thelma and Louise’- filmed in 1991- also had scenes that were shot in San Juan County.  They filmed in several locations in the Moab area, but the final scene where Thelma & Louise drive their car off the cliff (in the movie I think they say that it’s the Grand Canyon)  is at Dead Horse Point State Park.  Dead Horse Point is often associated with Moab since that’s the closest town, but it’s actually in San Juan County.  It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since that movie came out!

Thelma and Louise 1991 - Dead Horse Point State Park

As I mentioned above, part of the running scene in ‘Forrest Gump’ was shot on Hwy 163 between Mexican Hat and Monument Valley in 1994.  This stretch of road is now known as ‘Forrest Gump Hill’.

Forrest Gump 1994 - Monument Valley

A few scenes from ‘City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold’ were shot at Dugout Ranch in 1994.  Dugout Ranch is located on Hwy 211 leading to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park.

City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold 1994 - Dugout Ranch

Another movie that was filmed at Dugout Ranch was ‘Riders of the Purple Sage’, shot in 1995.

Riders of the Purple Sage 1995 - Dugout Ranch

Just last year the TV show, ‘Dr. Who’ shot scenes for two episodes (‘Impossible Astronaut’ and ‘Day of the Moon’) in Monument Valley and Valley of the Gods.

Dr. Who 2010 - Valley of the Gods & Monument Valley

Dr. Who 2010 - Valley of the Gods & Monument Valley

Not only has Monument Valley appeared in countless movies and commercials, it’s also made an appearance in comic strips and cartoons as well.  One of the oldest examples I found was a Krazy Kat comic strip created by George Herriman.  I’m not sure of the exact year of this particular comic strip, but Krazy Kat was published in newspapers between 1913 and 1944.

Krazy Kat Comic Strip by George Herriman - Monument Valley

Of course we all remember the endless desert landscapes in the old Road Runner cartoons- I don’t know that it can be confirmed that the backdrop is Monument Valley, but it looks like it to me!

Road Runner Cartoon - Monument Valley

And a much more recent animated film, ‘Cars’- which came out in 2006- spoofs Monument Valley with an area called ‘Ornament Valley’.

Ornament Valley- a Spoof on Monument Valley from the Pixar film, 'Cars'

There are LOTS of other movies, TV shows,  music videos, commercials, etc. that have been shot in the area, but it’s WAY too many to include in one blog post, so this is just a sample of some of the more well known ones.  (*Please feel free to leave comments if I’ve left your favorites out!)

The Goulding’s Lodge Trading Post & Museum in Monument Valley, is a great stop if you’re interested in the movie history of the area.  The building is the original trading post that Harry and ‘Mike’ Goulding built a few years after they first arrived in Monument Valley.  Part of the museum is set up like the old trading post, another part is filled with movie memorabilia, and the upstairs- which was originally the Gouldings’ living quarters- is still set up with their furniture and some of their belongings.  The museum is free to the public and is located next to the restaurant and gift shop buildings.

Museum at Goulding's Lodge - Monument Valley

Goulding's Lodge Trading Post & Museum - Monument Valley

Trading Post & Museum at Goulding's Lodge - Monument Valley

Museum at Goulding's Lodge - Monument Valley

John Wayne/ John Ford Movie Memorabilia - Goulding's Museum- Monument Valley

Back to the Future !!! Movie Memorabilia - Goulding's Museum- Monument Valley

Movie Memorabilia - Goulding's Museum - Monument Valley

Keep an eye on our blog in the next couple weeks for another giveaway… and don’t forget to ‘like’ us on facebook so you don’t miss out on the San Juan County/Utah goodies we’re planning to give away!

Prizes for our upcoming giveaway!

Line Camp Steakhouse & Runnin' Iron Inn

Even before I had moved to Monticello, I had already found the Line Camp Steakhouse online and couldn’t wait to go have dinner there!  That was almost 3 years ago, and I just finally went for the first time when my mom and step-dad were visiting over the Thanksgiving holiday.  I’m not sure why it took us so long to go- I think we’ve been waiting for a special occasion or for someone to come visit us so we could take them there, but I’m glad we finally made it- it was worth the wait!

The restaurant has a great atmosphere- it’s decorated with Navajo rugs & baskets, antiques, old signs & photographs, and lots of old western decor.  One of my favorite touches were the oil lanterns on every table- they really give the dining room a warm & cozy feeling.

Line Camp Steakhouse

Line Camp Steakhouse

Off to one side of the dining room, there’s a staircase leading to the second floor which has an open balcony overlooking the dining area, and is where the rooms for the Runnin’ Iron Inn are located.

One of the Rooms in the Runnin' Iron Inn

Runnin' Iron Inn

Private Deck Off One of the Rooms in the Runnin' Iron Inn

The whole time we were there I kept thinking about what a nice weekend getaway it would be!  It seems like the perfect place for anyone who is looking for a quiet weekend to relax and unwind without all the usual distractions around.  The Runnin’ Iron Inn has great reviews on Trip Advisor, and some of the words that I kept seeing people use to describe it are; rustic, warm, charming, brimming with character, unique, and off the beaten track. CLICK HERE TO READ REVIEWS FOR THE RUNNIN’ IRON INN.

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving we spent the day with my mom and step-dad in the Needles District of Canyonlands and by the time dinner rolled around, we’d all worked up quite an appetite!  The Line Camp Steakhouse has several meals to chose from including several different types of steak, chicken breast, pork fillet, salmon, and lobster tail.  All the meals come with salad, beans, garlic bread, and potatoes.  Also, right after they bring out your meal, they come around with a pot of sauteed mushrooms which they will add to your plate if you want.

The Line Camp Steakhouse is one of the few places in Monticello that offers beer with your meal.  They also allow people to bring their own wine and offer free corkage.

Dinner Salad - Line Camp Steakhouse

I think everybody’s favorite part of the meal was the big basket of garlic bread that they brought out after we’d finished our salads.  I could have easily eaten several slices (and they were BIG slices too!) but I knew that there was a lot more food coming, so I tried to regain some of the self control that I’d lost over the Thanksgiving holiday and only ate one slice.  (*My husband, who seems to feel no food-related-guilt whatsoever, ate FOUR slices while we were at the restaurant and then I caught him at the fridge sneaking the last piece out of our to-go-box as soon as we got home!)

The BEST Garlic Bread EVER! - Line Camp Steakhouse

Steak, Potatoes, Sauteed Mushrooms, & Pickled Asparagus - Line Camp Steakhouse

The meal was wonderful and we were all completely stuffed by the time we finished.  Bob, the owner, had come over to our table to talk to us a couple times throughout the evening and had told us that his family had just had their Thanksgiving the night before (it seemed that many of them were still there and were in an adjoining part of the dining room)  and that they had several different kinds of home-made pies (including Persimmon pie, which I had never even heard of!) that we could help ourselves to after our dinner.  We all had full intentions of taking him up on his generous offer, but we were too full by the time we finished our meals, so we ended up passing on the pie.

As I mentioned above, the Runnin’ Iron Inn & Line Camp Steakhouse have great reviews on Trip Advisor.  Many of the reviews also mention Bob’s humor and storytelling.  One even goes as far as to say that in addition to being the owner, Bob is also the ‘chief cook, concierge, and entertainment’!  We didn’t have the chance to talk to him very much, but he did mention hanging out on the sets of the John Wayne movies that were shot in Monument Valley in the 1940s & 50s when he was a kid- I’ll have to be sure to ask him about that next time I’m out there!

I read review after review on Trip Advisor that mentioned the wonderful hospitality people have experienced as guests at both the Inn and the restaurant and after my visit, I can see exactly what they were talking about!

Directions to the Runnin’ Iron Inn & Line Camp Steakhouse:

From Monticello: The Runnin’ Iron Inn & Line Camp Steakhouse is located at mile marker 79.5, halfway between Monticello and the junction of Hwy 191 & 211. (leading to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park)

Head north on Hwy 191 for approximately 8 miles.  As you’re heading north it can be easy to miss if you’re not familiar with the area- there is a blue sign with an RV/Camper trailer symbol that you can see just before the sign indicating ‘Hotel/Restaurant’ at the bottom of the driveway on the right hand side of the road.

Looking Down On Indian Creek From Along Hart Point Road

The same day that my husband and I were down in Indian Creek looking for petroglyphs, we also took a drive on the Hart Point Road (county rd. 121) which branches off of Hwy 211 just a few miles before Newspaper Rock.  The Hart Point Road runs pretty much parallel to Hwy 211 for about 12 miles before it comes to an end.  As you’re driving down this road, you will see lots of smaller roads leading off both to the east and west.  Based on all the fire rings we saw, many of them appear to be used for dispersed camping.

We drove down a couple of the roads that led to the west and they took us right up to the canyon rim where we got some beautiful views down into Indian Creek and out over the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park.

North & South Six Shooter Peaks - Indian Creek

North & South Six Shooter Peaks - Indian Creek

Indian Creek from Harts Point

At one of the places we stopped, we were surprised to see these ruins under the rim.  You have to get really close to the edge to see them though- it’s definitely not for the faint of heart!  They were quite a ways below us- the picture below was taken with my camera zoomed in all the way.  I wish I had taken one without zooming to show now only how far they were from the top where we were standing, but how far they were from the bottom of the canyon as well!  They looked really hard to get to- maybe that’s why they appear to be so intact.

Ruins Under the Rim - Harts Point

Sunset Over the Six Shooter Peaks

Even though I’ve lived here for almost three years now, every time I’m at any kind of a viewpoint, whether it’s Muley Point, or the top of Mt. Tukuhnikivatz in the La Sals, I’m still in awe of how far you can see around here!  I still find the mountains in the Pacific Northwest where I grew up to be beautiful, but there’s a different kind of beauty out here that I just can’t get enough of!

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 approximately 10 miles until you have just passed the turn for the Hart’s Draw Road (Also called Co. Rd 101 and Forest Rd 105) leading to Monticello on your left.  The Hart Point Rd is the next road coming in from the right- it’s an unpaved road, but does not require high clearance or 4-wheel drive.

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 approximately 10 miles until you have just passed the turn for the Hart’s Draw Road (Also called Co. Rd 101 and Forest Rd 105) leading to Monticello on your left.  The Hart Point Rd is the next road coming in from the right- it’s an unpaved road, but does not require high clearance or 4-wheel drive.

Distance to lodging in San Juan County, Utah:

• Monticello: 23 miles/37 km
• La Sal: 35 miles/56 km
• Blanding: 45 miles/72 km
• Bluff: 71 miles/114 km
• Mexican Hat: 97 miles/156 km
• Monument Valley: 122 miles/196 km

Petroglyph Panel in Indian Creek - Hwy 211

Last weekend my husband and I went down into Indian Creek to look for some petroglyphs that we had heard about.  All we knew about them was that they were located on the east side of the road near mile marker 4, so with that information we headed down there to see if we could find them.

Indian Creek is the area you pass through on Hwy 211 on your way to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park.  It’s a scenic byway and I think the views from the road can easily rival any National Park- it’s a beautiful drive!  You might recognize the picture below- it’s the header for this blog and it was taken in Indian Creek…

Indian Creek

I always love fall in Indian Creek and I think we caught the very end of it last weekend!

Fall in Indian Creek - Hwy 211

Indian Creek is also a very popular rock climbing area- I’ve heard it described as, ‘The crack climbing capitol of the world’, and you can see people climbing almost any time you drive down there.

Climber in Indian Creek

One of the more well known stops in Indian Creek is Newspaper Rock- a large petroglyph panel right along side the road just after you drop down into the canyon.

Newspaper Rock

The Newspaper Rock panel is the only signed petroglyph panel along Hwy 211, but there are a lot more- if you look up at the canyon walls as you’re driving through (maybe not a good idea if you’re the driver!) you can see quite a few petroglyphs from the road.  I start to get a little car sick if I spend the whole time looking up like that, so I just look for pull-outs along the road, and then look up from there.

Mile marker 4 is just a couple miles past Newspaper Rock as you’re heading toward the Needles District of Canyonlands.  When we got there we saw that there’s a small pull-out (only large enough for a few vehicles) on the right hand (east) side of the road.

We parked and just followed the trail that heads to the base of the canyon wall, and we immediately saw petroglyphs!  We actually ended up finding several areas with petroglyphs, four or five places with just a few figures, then one large panel farther north.

Petroglyphs in Indian Creek

Petroglyphs in Indian Creek

Petroglyphs in Indian Creek

There were a few unique figures on the largest panels…

Scorpion Petroglyph - Indian Creek

Centipede Petroglyph - Indian Creek

In the picture below you can see some more modern ‘rock art’ in the crack on the far left.

Large Petroglyph Panel in Indian Creek

Petroglyphs & Modern 'Rock Art' in Indian Creek

In the picture below there are two snake figures and you can also see the scorpion (you have to look closely- it’s very faint) in the bottom left-hand corner.

Snake & Scorpion Petroglyphs in Indian Creek

Petroglyphs in Indian Creek

Petroglyphs in Indian Creek

Archer with Big Feet - Indian Creek

I was completely blown away by the petroglyphs we saw that day- we’ve driven through this area countless times and had no idea that these petroglyphs were right on the side of the road!  I hate to say it, but I think the more rock art I see, the harder it is to find petroglyphs and pictographs that really get me excited.  But these definitely did- there were so many unique figures that I’ve never seen before!  These panels have definitely made it onto my list of favorite petroglyphs in San Juan County!

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 approximately 14 miles to mile marker 4.

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 approximately 14 miles to mile marker 4.

There is a small pull-out on the right side of the road right after the mile maker.  From there, follow the trail to your right to the base of the canyon wall- the petroglyphs are located all along this wall

Distance to lodging in San Juan County, Utah:

• Monticello: 28 miles/45 km
• La Sal: 40 miles/64 km
• Blanding: 50 miles/80 km
• Bluff: 76 miles/122 km
• Mexican Hat: 102 miles/164 km
• Monument Valley: 127 miles/204 km

Upper San Juan River

At the beginning of August I posted a blog entry on my trip down the San Juan River with Wild Rivers Expeditions.  I mentioned that although that was my first trip down the river with a guide, I’d been down the river several times before.  Since my trip with Wild Rivers Expeditions, I’ve done the Upper San Juan (27 mile stretch from Sand Island to Mexican Hat- the same section I did with Wild Rivers) two more times, once over Labor Day weekend and then again the weekend before last. (October 21-23)

The trip over Labor day weekend was just my husband and I in our two person inflatable kayak.  When you have such a small boat, you really can’t take very much stuff with you, which limits the length of trip you can take.  We’ve found that 3 days/2 nights is pretty much the longest trip we can take and carry water for.  When we do these trips by ourselves we don’t take a cooler and we eat dehydrated meals for lunch and dinner and easy stuff like granola for breakfast.  It’s very easy to pack up camp when it’s just the two of us, which is one of the biggest differences when you’re in a larger group with rafts like we were the weekend before last, but I’ll get to that trip in a while.

If you want to float the San Juan River anywhere between Montezuma Creek and Clay Hills, you will need to obtain a permit from the BLM.  Permits are issued through a pre-season lottery.  A permit application for the following season is posted on the BLM website in the fall each year.  As soon as it is posted, you are able to submit your application (by mail or fax) for the dates you would like to float the river the following year.  Applications are due by February 1st to be eligible for the lottery.  If your application is selected in the lottery, you will be notified by March 1st.  If you do not receive notification, you did not draw a launch.

On March 1st the San Juan River Office phone line opens (from 8am-12pm Monday-Friday) and if you were not selected in the lottery, you are then able to call in and pick up available dates and cancellations.  There are launch calenders on the BLM website that are updated daily that you can look at to see which dates are still available.  Before calling in to reserve open launch dates, you MUST have a permit application on file.

Fees are charged per person and are as follows:

• Sand Island to Mexican Hat: $6.00
• Mexican Hat to Clay Hills: $12.00
• Sand Island to Clay Hills: $18:00
• *No fee is charged for the Montezuma Creek to Sand Island section, but a permit is still required.

Whew- I hope I got all that right!  My husband works at the BLM and is the person who does all the permits for the river, so I’m sure he’s going to be checking to make sure I’m giving out accurate information!

Okay, back to our trip…

We saw a lot of wildlife on this trip; herons, rabbits, turkeys, and of course Desert Bighorn Sheep.  I think we saw more groups with more sheep than I’ve ever seen on the river.

Turkeys on the San Juan River

Rabbits at Our Camp on Night #1- San Juan River

Heron on the San Juan River

This feather fell right by our boat when the heron flew away - San Juan River

One of Several Groups of Desert Bighorn Sheep We Saw - San Juan River

Floating Down the San Juan River

The picture above makes me think of my worst experience ever on the San Juan River.  You can see that, although I’m not wearing them, my sandals are the covered toe type.  I bought them after my second trip down the San Juan River in 2007.  At that time I hadn’t moved to Monticello yet, my husband and I were still living in Missoula, Montana and we were on a 6 week road trip through the western part of the United States.

I had gone down the San Juan for the first time the previous summer and had been completely blown away by it.  Just about 2 weeks before that first raft trip, I had returned from two years of living and teaching English in Japan, and I don’t know if it was partly because I had gotten so used to the crowds of people everywhere you go in Japan or what, but I had never been so in awe of nature before.  My dad is very into geology and will take trips specifically to look at certain kinds of rocks.  I’ve never been interested in geology AT ALL- when I was a kid I wouldn’t even get out of the car unless he made me!  (which I think he usually did!)  And in college the ONLY time I ever got a D was when, against my better judgment, I took a geology class!  But for the first time in my life, I was fascinated by the colors and layers, and formations of the rocks that I was seeing.  And I also couldn’t stop staring at the sky- it had never looked so blue before.  It was an amazing trip, so when my husband and I had the chance to go again with his dad and some of his family, we didn’t hesitate.

So the reason I bought those covered toe sandals in the picture above is because right as we were starting to launch for 7 days on the river, I was standing (barefoot) about knee deep on the boat ramp and I took a step backwards and stepped off the edge of the cement ramp and scraped my toes down it.  When I pulled my foot out of the water to look at it to see if I had actually scraped it or if it just hurt, I was definitely not prepared for what I saw- my big toe and second toe were bleeding and the toenail on my second toe looked kind of loose and it was sticking out at a funny angle.  When I saw that I just stuck my foot back in the water because I knew I wasn’t prepared to see just how bad it was.  I told my husband that I had hurt my foot and lifted it out of the water to show him.  When I saw his reaction when he looked at it, I knew it was messed up.

This happened right as our first raft had been pushed out and started down the river, so they had to pull over immediately (the first aid kit was on it) and we had to go catch up to them to get my toe fixed up.  I won’t go into any more detail, but I will say that luckily my husband’s dad used to be a nurse so he knew what to do- he thought it would be best to pull my toenail the rest of the way off, so he got out the pliers and yanked it the rest of the way off.  It was extremely painful, and I had to spend the next 7 days with a plastic bag over my foot so it wouldn’t get wet.  So as soon as we got off the river I bought myself a pair of sandals with covered toes and I haven’t set foot in ANY body of water without them ever since!

My 'toenail incident' on the river in 2007

Well, I got a little off track there, but my toenail accident is something that I always think about when we’re on the San Juan!

Floating Down the San Juan River

On our second night we were really hoping to get our favorite camp on the upper part of the river and were excited to see that it was still available when we got there!  It has a really nice ‘kitchen’ area with large flat rocks that you can set up your stove on, and even some smaller rocks for chairs, and a ‘table’. It’s really nice when we’re in the kayak and aren’t able to take chairs or tables with us like when we’re in a raft.

View of the River from Our Tent - San Juan River

Sunset on the San Juan River

Sunset on the San Juan River

Morning on the San Juan River

'Kitchen' at Pour-Off Camp - San Juan River

Reflection on the Lid of our Pan- San Juan River

You can see in the picture below how little we brought with us on the river… you’ll see how much it increases on our October trip!

San Juan River

Mexican Hat Rock - San Juan River

It’s very easy and quiet and peaceful when it’s just the two of us on the river.  But last weekend my husband’s dad invited us to go down the river again with a group of 11 people- altogether there were 6 adults, 3 teenagers, an 11 year-old, and a 4 year-old, and we had 3 rafts, a canoe, and our two person kayak.  It’s a WHOLE different experience when you’re with a group of that size.  Nothing is fast or easy, but it’s a lot of fun!

Sand Island Boat Launch - San Juan River

Everyone else was coming from Flagstaff and half of them had come over the night before and camped at the Sand Island Campground.  The other half of the group drove up in the morning and we met up with them at about 1pm in Mexican Hat and did our vehicle shuttling then.  You can leave your car at the boat launch in Mexican Hat, but I’d recommend paying to park it at Valle’s.  (Currently it’s about $2.75/day)  It’s a short walk from the boat launch to Valle’s, and I feel like it’s much more secure in the parking lot of a business rather than down at the boat launch, so I don’t mind paying a little for peace of mind!

Unloading everything and getting the boats ready takes quite a while, I think we started at about 11am and didn’t get on the river until about 2:30pm.  In the summer, 2:30 wouldn’t have seemed that late, but when the sun sets at about 6:30, that really doesn’t leave much time to get very far down the river!

Our Crew on the San Juan River

I had never gone down the river this late in the year and I was really concerned about how the weather would be.  It had already snowed a couple times in Monticello, so I was a little worried that we might have bad weather on the river.  I was tracking the weather leading up to the weekend, and it was showing low 70s for the days and low 30s for the nights.  We really couldn’t have asked for better weather, but the nights and mornings (especially the first night) were pretty cold- I don’t think I was very well prepared for how cold it got.

Dinner Duty - San Juan River

One of my favorite things about going with a larger group and having rafts is that you can bring a lot more stuff with you; coolers, chairs, tables, dishes, games, etc.  It’s always a treat to go with a group and get to have cold drinks and meat and all those things we don’t get to take when it’s just the two of us in our kayak.  The only problem with this is that then you’re expected to cook!

My husband and I were on dinner duty the first night, and we had decided to make our dinner the night before not only to save time, but also so there would be less dishes to wash on the river!  Our dinner was pesto chicken pasta salad with sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts, french bread, and cookies. (dessert is a MUST when you’re on the river!)  We made enough pasta salad to fill 2 one-gallon ziplocs, but we were still worried that it wouldn’t be enough.  We’re not used to cooking for 11 people, and when 2 of them are teenage boys, you just never know how much they’ll be able to eat!  But it ended up being just the right amount- there was a little bit left over, which set my mind at ease that everyone had gotten their fill.  I always start to stress out a little when we have to cook for a bunch of people on the river, but then I remember that everyone is usually pretty hungry by the time we get to camp and start eating, so I think everyone is a lot less picky than they might normally be!

COLD Morning at Camp - San Juan River

Getting Breakfast Supplies Out of the Coolers - San Juan River

The first night was SO cold!  In the morning I really didn’t think I had gotten much sleep at all, but then someone mentioned that a plane had flown over at about 5am and I hadn’t heard it, so I guess I must have slept at least a little bit.  All night long when I’d wake up, all I could think about was how nice hot coffee was going to be in the morning!  When I woke up and looked out of the tent, I was happy to see that someone else was already up and that the coffee pot was on the stove!  Coffee and a hot breakfast (bacon, egg, and hash brown burritos) were very much appreciated that morning!

As soon at the sun came up and hit our camp, it immediately warmed up to a comfortable temperature and we were able to shed our layers and get on the river.  On the second day we were planning to hike up Chinle Wash to see some pictographs and just to look around a little.  Everything on the left (south) side of the river is part of the Navajo Reservation, so if you want to do any hiking or camping on that side, you need to get a permit from Navajo Parks & Recreation.  There is a per-person fee for both hiking and camping, here’s a link to the camping & hiking request application…

View From the Top- San Juan River

We actually didn’t get as far as we’d been planning… the kids and teens weren’t as into it as the adults, and we also realized how late it was getting, so we hiked up to a viewpoint (which was beautiful!) and then headed back to the boats to try to get down the river a ways before it got dark.

Desert Bighorn- San Juan River

We saw male Desert Bighorns twice on this trip.  I mentioned in my blog entry on the trip I took with Wild Rivers Expeditions, that I’d never NOT seen seen bighorn sheep on the San Juan, but I think this might have been the first time I’d seen a male- and we saw two!

Camp #2 - San Juan River

The second night wasn’t NEARLY as cold as the first had been.  The first night had been so cold that we all headed to our tents pretty early to try to get warm, but on the second night we gathered some firewood and built a fire and sat around it talking for quite a while, which was nice.

It sounded like everyone was able to sleep a lot better than on the first night too.  It was definitely a little warmer, but I think it also might have had to do with the fact that everyone wore more clothes to bed on the second night!  I wore almost every piece of clothing that I’d brought with me to bed that night; a tank top, two t-shirts, two long-sleeved shirts, a fleece jacket, scarf, hat, socks, thermal pants, and another pair of pants!

On the last day we had quite a way to go still before reaching the take-out at Mexican Hat.  Everyone definitely packed up a lot quicker than they had the previous morning, and I think we were on the river a couple hours earlier too.

San Juan River

San Juan River

I love the second half of the upper stretch as you’re getting closer to Mexican Hat, it gives you a little taste of what the lower part (Mexican Hat to Clay Hills) is like.  If you’ve ever been to Goosenecks State Park and seen the river meander down in the canyon below, you float right through it if you continue on to Clay Hills.

Goosenecks State Park

Raft Going Through the Goosenecks - San Juan River

Picnic Tables at Goosenecks

Goosenecks State Park is mostly just an overlook down onto the entrenched river meander on the San Juan.  If you float through it, you travel 6 miles, but only advance 1.5 miles to the west!  It’s free to visit and you can also camp for free.  You have to bring your own water, but they do have a pit toilet and some picnic tables.

When I worked at the Southeast Utah Welcome Center in Monticello I can’t tell you how many times people would come in and see the picture of the Goosenecks that we had hanging on the wall and say, ‘We just saw the sign for this along the road and didn’t know what it was, so we didn’t stop.’  People were so disappointed that they had missed it, so if you’re in the southern part of San Juan County (between Mexican Hat and Bluff) don’t forget to stop!  You won’t be disappointed!

Going Through Ledge Rapid - San Juan River

I have to say, I was VERY happy to be on a raft on this trip, rather than in a kayak like we usually are.  Usually when it’s really hot out, it feels good to go through rapids and get splashed, but on this trip it wasn’t that hot and I was glad to stay a little drier!

San Juan River

When we got to the take-out in Mexican Hat it was about 5pm and there were 4 other groups already there taking-out.  I find it funny how sometimes you can go down the river and just see a couple groups the whole time, and sometimes you seem to be playing leapfrog with the same groups over and over the whole time you’re on the river.  The groups who were taking-out at Mexican Hat had all been putting-in at Sand Island the same day we were, but we had only seen one of them the whole time we were on the river.  I like it when you don’t see many other groups while you’re out there- it makes it feel like you’re out in the middle of nowhere and you have the whole river to yourself!

I’m really glad we had the chance to get out on the river and camp one last time this year.  My husband and I had taken a long weekend trip to Santa Fe and Chaco at the beginning of October.  We were camping and it was SO cold, (it snowed the first night!) I had sworn that it was the last camping trip of the year, but when this trip came up we couldn’t turn it down!  However you decide to go down the San Juan, it’s always a good time!  Whether you go with a commercial outfitter like Wild Rivers Expeditions, or on your own with a large group or just a couple people, you can’t go wrong on the San Juan River!