Thursday and Friday, October 24 and 25, 2024 (Travel to Newspaper Rock State Historical Monument, Utah)

After being so busy the last few days, we decided to have a "down day" on Thursday (Oct. 24) and work on picture editing and blog updates. So not much very exciting today!

It was time to move on from Horsethief BLM Campground, and Moab, on Friday (Oct. 25). We were packed up and on the road just after 9:30. Some scenery pictures as we head down highway 313 to the main highway (191)...

At the junction with highway 191 is Moab Giants...
Moab Giants Dinosaur Park is the ultimate dinosaur adventure for all ages! Attractions include: Outdoor Trail with over 100 life-size dinosaurs, 3D/5D Prehistoric Aquarium Experience, Dinosaur Tracks Museum, Movie Theatre featuring "T. Rex" and "Dinosaurs Alive!," Dig-it-out Sites, Playground, Gift Shop, and more!

We did not go to it but I managed to take a picture of the "giants" outside...

Once in Moab, we stocked up with groceries at City Market (aka Krogers) and Steve also filled our fresh drinking water containers. Our final stop before leaving the area was at the Maverik station to use their RV dump and fill the water tank in the trailer. Steve found it interesting that thirteen years ago when we were here in 2011 diesel was running $3.88 to $4.00 per/gal. It's currently $4.13 and gas is $3.58. For me, groceries for the most part, are about what I'd pay back home then we have to include the current exchange rate of of 30%...Ouch!

Our plan today is to head south to highway 211 to Bears Ears National Monument-Indian Creek Unit, find a place to camp and explore the area. 

Views along the way...

Sorry about the glare!

Now doesn't that look like a turtle?

Shortly after turning onto highway 211 is Glamping Canyonlands...looks interesting...

The drive along this highway was absolutely beautiful...

That sure does seem to overhang this lane!

We stopped at Newspaper Rock State historical Monument...

Steve getting his pics...

Steve always says this is how the ancient peoples used to blog about their day. 😂

That was pretty cool! Continuing along this very scenic drive...

The fall colours are so pretty...

Rock Climbing appears to be very popular here as noted by the number of Climbing Areas that are indicated on Google Maps...

Dugout Ranch...

Located in the heart of the Colorado Plateau, Dugout Ranch is interspersed along the biologically rich canyon bottoms of Indian and North Cottonwood Creeks. These canyons are walled by steep sandstone cliffs and talus slopes that form the gateway to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park.

These are called the Sixshooter Peaks...

We drove off the main highway onto a dirt/gravel road to Hamburger Rock BLM Campground looking for a site...

It was full, with small sites up against the rock...

So, we continued up the road hoping to snag a spot in the dispersed camping area...

Every possible spot was taken...so we turned around and headed back to the main (paved) road and continued on...

Entering Canyonlands, Needles Section...

We made a quick stop at the visitors center...they were surprised to find out that all of the dispersed camping near Hamburger Rock Campground was full. I guess with the unseasonably warmer weather more people are taking advantage. They suggested a couple of other BLM campgrounds that we had passed on our way but anything I had read about them, the sites would be too small for us.

But we decided to drive into Creek Pasture Campground and take a look...

Yup...full with small sites made more for tents, vans, and campers. So back to the highway...where are we going to spend the night? I guess it was a bad idea to try to find a spot on a Friday afternoon!

More of the same beautiful scenery that we saw on our way in...just from a different angle...

This must be a trailhead to the climbing areas...

We pulled back into Newspaper Rock and decided to spend the night here. There is a large parking lot and no signs saying we couldn't camp. After having to drive so far back we decided to skip returning to explore the Needles area in the morning.

We're nestled in for the night...hopefully we have better luck tomorrow finding a camping spot.