CanyonLands & Arches National Parks

 >Arches & CanyonLands National Parks

If you like the Grand Canyon, your going to Love Arches and CanyonLands. CanyonLands is the Grand Canyon on a much larger scale. Don't mis-understand me, Grand Canyon is so majestic and for sure you will be left awestruck when you see Arches and CanyonLands National Parks.

We left on May 25th, 2012 and arrived in Tonopah, Nevada hoping to get a RV site at the Tonopah Station Casino and RV Park as it was raining and cold and the wind was blowing pretty fierce like but our luck ran out as they had no sites available. I say our luck ran out but in reality, we did something I'd always wanted to do and that was going out into the Desert, find a wide spot along the Highway and make camp for the night. So, we headed out into this blistery night on Highway 6 for about 30 miles to a roadside rest we knew of called Saulsbury Wash Rest Area and made camp for the night. Arlene made a "Little House on the Prairie" dinner of Denty Moore Stew and Biscuits and it was sure good on this cold night. Then we went to bed allowing the howling wind outside to put us to sleep. We awoke the next morning to a winter wonderland of sorts outside as you can see from the pictures.

Next it was off to Great Basin National Park and Lexington Arch in Nevada. On this night we stayed at the Border Inn and Casino. This is a nice Park with full hook-ups and is located right smack dab on the Nevada/Utah border. On our arrival on this night, we had some ominous looking sky's but as it turned out, we just got a little rain and some wind but the sky's were beautiful.

Views from the lower Great Basin Nat'l Park Visitors Center

The view from Wheeler Peak

Though Lexington Arch isn't within Nat'l Park boundaries, it is well worth the trek. Just be sure to take a high clearance vehicle, wear a good pair of hiking boots and take plenty of water with you and remember you are on private property so please respect this. As John Muir once said, "Leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but pictures".

On our way to Lexington Arch

Arlene on the trail to Lexington Arch

View from Lexington Arch

Me on the backside of Lexington Arch

Our next stop would be Beaver, Utah to visit with my Mom & Dad who were serving on a mission for the Mormon Church at Cove Fort which is about 25 miles north of Beaver, Utah. We met Mom & Dad for lunch upon our arrival in Beaver and spent the next day with them running errands. It was on this visit that Arlene & I saw a significant decline in my Mom & Dad's health. It would only be a month after this visit that I would receive a phone call from my Dad asking me to come and get Him and Mom due to their failing health but that's another story.

Cove Fort was built by the Mormon Church for travelers back in the 1800's who needed shelter and provisions. There were several of these Forts along what is now Interstate 15

My Mom & Dad at Cove Fort

On the grounds of Cove Fort

We left Mom & Dad and Beaver, Utah to head east to Moab, Utah. On our way, we made a stop at the Capital Reef overlook off the I-70. If you came through here 150 years ago, you had to be a mighty tough Ambre! We actually did Capital Reef  National Park Arlene & I in 1989 and if you've never seen the Fluted Wall and you have a chance, take it, you'll be amazed!

Capital Reef off the I-70

That's my Sweetheart!