Monday and Tuesday, October 21and 22, 2024 (Horsethief BLM Campground, Moab, Utah)

It was a clear, cold morning when we got up but it was sure nice to see nothing but blue sky! The stretch of "iffy" weather that put us behind schedule a couple of days is over and there is nothing but warm temperatures and blue sky in the forecast for at least the next week.

After dumping tanks and filling up with water we pulled out of the Moab Rim Campark just before 9:30 and headed to Goose Island BLM Campground on the Colorado River. It is a small, but nice campground with sites big enough for us. It is also close to town...sure hope we can get a site. It's really hard timing-wise...you want to be early enough to catch folks leaving early but then some don't leave until later in the morning. Well, today was a mix of both...all of the sites that had vacated early were already filled with folks just setting up. The one site...and the site we really wanted...had a departure date of today but no one was there. Are they staying or leaving? You would think if they are staying they would have purchased another night before leaving their site. This is the site...right on the river!

So, plan B it was...off we headed to Horsethief BLM Campground on highway 313, the highway that goes to Canyonlands National Park.

Sure don't get sick of the beautiful colours...

As we mentioned in our last blog, the road into Horsethief is in bad shape...but we slowly made our way in. 

We drove the first loop and found a site, so Steve backed in, parked...and we walked the other loop to see if there were any other sites we'd like more. Nope...site 52 is perfect! 

We got all set up and then I walked over to the entrance...you have a choice of paying cash or using the solar powered automated machine that allows you to use a credit/debit card. $20/night (plus $1 for the privilege of using your card). We don't carry a lot of US cash, so I opted for the machine. We do have neighbours, but the sites are really well spaced...love it!

After lunch we decided to go to Canyonlands National Park, purchase our $80 'America the Beautiful' Annual National Parks Pass, and checked out the Visitors Centre. It's $30 per vehicle without the pass so the National Park Pass will pay for itself quickly .

Flat open fields up here with the occasional mound of rock...

Island in the Sky Visitor Center...

After a quick wander through the visitors center, we decided to walk across the road to the Visitor Center Overlook...but first Steve used one of the restrooms (that are situated outside beside the building). He just had to take a picture of the inside as he hasn't seen one of these since we were in Africa...

The Overview...

That's the Shafer Trail road below...

Steve here: I'd love to drive it one day but not in our truck, and I know Dianne wouldn't go in anything! 😂

A short 27 second video. In some cases Steve is able to merge 3 or 4 photos together to make one panorama view. If not he has taken video...

Back home we go...we will explore the Park tomorrow. It's amazing how flat it is above the canyons...

Tuesday (Oct. 22) we watched the sun come up from our big picture window as we sat with our morning coffee. With lunches and water packed, we headed back to Canyonlands for a day of exploring.

Canyonlands invites you to explore a wilderness of countless canyons and fantastically formed buttes carved by the Colorado River and its tributaries. Rivers divide the park into four districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, and the rivers themselves.

We showed our America the Beautiful card and ID at the gatehouse and continued into the park. We decided we would drive right to the end of the road...to Grand View Point Overlook and work our way back. 

Pictures along the way....

A short 31 second video...

We turned around and headed to the White Rim Overlook...

A closeup...

Buck Canyon Overlook I believe...

Some random shots along the way...

At another rest stop, it's amazing these signs have to be posted!

Holeman Spring Canyon Overlook I believe...

After taking another couples photo, they took ours!

A short 22 second video of Orange Cliffs Overlook...

Some random shots as we don't recall all the lookouts and using three cameras has been confusing. 😕

Up and up we go!

 View to the left of the dome...

Time to head back...

Whale Rock in the distance...hard to see in this photo but there are people standing on top...

So much for trying to get an unobstructed view!

Steve climbed a little higher to get above the crowds...

La Sal Mountains in the distance...

Time to head back...

Looking back at Mesa Arch...

Still in view...

Almost back...

More random shots...

At 5800 feet The Neck is the narrowest part of The Island In The Sky with deep canyons on either side of the road...

Shafer Canyon Overlook beside The Neck...

In the distance you can just make out the Shafer Trail Road as it winds down the canyon...

Just left of the above photo, Shafer Trail Road below...

A short 25 second video...

That was our tour of Island in the Sky, Canyonlands National Park....amazing! 

Now one more place to see before heading home...Dead Horse Point State Park. Unfortunately is was late in the day, but Steve wanted to get some quick photos of the area...entrance fee for a day is $20.

Cow Camp Museum...

No time to read all this so we continued on...

We walked the path behind the visitor center...

Would you stand on that undercut overhang?

A 59 second video from the visitor center...

Then we headed to Dead Horse Point Overlook...where Steve took a 45 second video...

From the overlook we spotted a bride and groom in the distance getting their photos taken. That's cool!

Still the Shafer Trail Road below...looking into the sun with a lot of haze in the air didn't make for the best quality photos...

Love the uniqueness of this area...amazing! Tomorrow we are off to Arches National Park...stay tuned!