After our usual leisurely start, I did my resistance exercises...Steve bowed out again since his back is still sore. We had breakfast but no showers today...we have a severe lack of water available for that luxury!
It was about 10:30 when we headed out for our day of exploring Canyonlands National Park. We stopped at the very busy Visitors Centre, took in a short 15 minute film about the park and then checked out all displays...before continuing into the park. I am going to try something different...only a few pictures will be posted here. I have upload all of our pictures taken today to a web-album. Click the following link if you wish to view them all...Canyonlands Web Album
Canyonlands National Park consists of three areas...Island in the Sky, The Maze and Needles. We are in the Island in the Sky section...the northern part of the park. We thought we would head to the western-most part of the park (at least as far as the road goes)...to Upheaval Dome. There are viewpoints and pullouts all along the road...some are trailheads...there are lots of trails of varying length and difficulty.
We arrived at Upheaval Dome where there is a 0.8 mile hike to the first lookout and 1.8 miles to the second outlook...return. We decided to have lunch first in the picnic area then do the hike to the second outlook. Unfortunately, my right knee has decided to give me some grief. It is sore and a bit of swelling was starting on the side of it...but I wasn’t going to let it stop me! The trail took us up through the rock...to the viewpoints...
We arrived back at the trailhead and the truck about an hour and a half later...we had had a great hike...but it felt good to sit down. Time to continue on to other parts of the park.
We headed back down the road to Green River Overlook...fabulous....
After driving through the small Willow Flat Campground, we determined that it was just as well that we couldn’t get a site...we didn’t think we would be able to fit into any of the sites anyway.
We drove back to the main road and continued south to the end of the road...and Grand View Point Overlook...
We stopped at all of the view points on the way back...
Buck Canyon Overlook
The Neck
The highway winds along the narrow part called "The Neck"
This is "Island in the Sky" totally surrounded by canyons
Shafter Trail
We stopped at the Visitors Centre on our way out to fill one of our water containers and then headed back to the campground. It was around 5:00 when we got home...what an awesome day!
After dinner, we downloaded and checked out all of the pictures we both have taken over the past couple of days...over 200 pictures...we love the countryside in southern Utah...it is so unique.
Unfortunately, my knee did not like all of the walking and hiking I did today. It was quite swollen...so I spent the rest of the evening with an ice pack on it. I’m so frustrated! I was so looking forward to getting to this area where we could do tons of hiking...and what happens?...my knee decides to do this to me!! Hopefully, if I take it easy for the next couple of days, it will smarten up!!!
Steve took some sunset pictures from our camp...
Steve took some sunset pictures from our camp...
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