Tag: Dead Horse State Park

Campgrounds, Utah

Dead Horse Point

by Ingrid87 Comments on Dead Horse Point

The date had finally arrived.  It was April 10th.  With a child like excitement and exuberance, we hooked up the 5th wheel and readied everything for our twenty-minute drive up to Dead Horse Point State Park.  As excited as I was to head to a new campground, I was reluctant to bid farewell to our awesome boondocking site.

dry camping boondocking
boondocking near Moab, Utah. 360 degree views! Arches National Park can be seen in the distance on the left with snow capped La Sal mountains to the right.

I made a reservation (along with my brother) to camp at Dead Horse Point State Park a few months ago. Last fall when we visited the Moab area we stopped by Dead Horse Point State Park and did a quick drive through the campground.   I decided right then and there that I just had to stay at this state park sometime.

camping in Utah
One of the rare level sites….score!

During that exploratory drive, I made notes as to campsites we might fit into.  It’s because of campgrounds like this that when it came time to choose an RV, Al and I made a conscious decision to buy a RV that would not be too large and thus able to fit into some of these tighter campgrounds.  Let’s face it; size does matter!  If we had opposing slides or been much longer, we would not have fit so nicely into this site.camping in Utah

Most of the campsites at Dead Horse Point State Park are narrow and unlevel  requiring some extra maneuvering or inventive leveling.  The campground is also small with a mere 21 sites which book up quickly.  Each site has electric only.  Being located up on a mesa, water is not readily available.  There’s that precious commodity issue again…..water!

camping in Utah state park
A view from the west trail rim

Although there is an on-site dump station, there is no potable water to fill RV tanks. The restroom does have flush toilets, sinks for hand washing, but no shower facility.  The beauty of having scoped out this campground last fall was Al and I knew exactly what to expect and how to prepare.  So with waste tanks empty, water tank full, and our body’s scrubbed we embarked on our 5 day stay at Dead Horse Point State Park.

camping in Utah
my brother and sister-in-law fit nicely in the campsite across the street from us – site #1. Yep, that white stuff is snow and frost!

My brother and his wife joined us by camping in the campsite across from us.  Fortunately, my brother and I made reservations months ago for these sites.  It was great reconnecting and catching up on life.

camping in the snow
photo taken out of the RV rear window

camping in snowThe weather was perfect……well, almost perfect.  We had a snow day with cold blustery winds that kept us indoors most of the day.

A snow day was the perfect excuse to hang out with family, visit, and enjoy my homemade nachos.

So why was it so important for me to camp here at Dead Horse Point State Park?  The scenic views, of course….it’s all about the views.  And those views are easily accessed from the campground.  The visitor center is a quick walk from the campground and is filled with a wealth of information.  This is also a great spot to take in the amazing scenery.scenic campgrounds

dead horse state park

dead horse state park
the trail at the visitor center

While camping 2,000 feet above the Colorado River, I found myself repeatedly walking the rim trail and taking in this amazing scenery. scenic campgrounds

Sunrise and sunset were especially stunning.dead horse state park

Yep, a pretty special place.  Our five days were over before we knew it.  Due to needed repairs on the RV, we reluctantly had to pull ourselves away from Moab with a promise to return again…..   and again    ….and again 🙂best state parks

Tony Northrup’s DSLR Book: How to Create Stunning Digital Photography
I just ordered this book.  I’ll let you know what I think!

 

 

Photography, Utah

WordPress Photo Challenge: On Top

by Ingrid50 Comments on WordPress Photo Challenge: On Top

After 10 fabulous days in Moab, Utah, our travels took us to Grand Junction, Colorado. We arrived in GJ a couple of days ago and our days have been filled with repairs to the RV, catching up on laundry, bills, cleaning, etc. ” What fun”, she says sarcastically!

on top photo challenge
me… on top of the world; Canyonlands National Park, Utah

We’ll stay in Grand Junction for a month or two.  There’s lots for me to explore.  But for now, I’m super happy the water lines in the RV have been repaired.  New tires and a new wheel fender are on order from that blown tire damage.  It feels great getting the RV fixed.  A major cleaning is also on the schedule.

wordpress weekly photo challenge on top
Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park, Utah

I still have so much to share regarding our stay in Utah.  I’ll admit, I wasn’t ready to leave Moab, but we really needed to get to a bigger town to get all the materials necessary to repair the RV properly.

wordpress weekly photo challenge
Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah

In the meantime, when the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge was posted I felt I couldn’t wait to share just a few of my Utah photos.  If you’ve ever visited Dead Horse Point State Park or Canyonlands National Park then you already know viewing the amazing vast scenery from the top of that mesa can make one feel like you’re on top of the world.  So here’s my take on the WordPress weekly photo challenge: On top ….. me feeling like I’m ‘On Top’ ….. on top of the world that is.wordpress weekly photo challenge on top

wordpress weekly photo challenge
Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah

 

Arizona

Sedona, Arizona

by Ingrid24 Comments on Sedona, Arizona

SedonaWe awake to a beautiful Arizona sunrise, and quickly ready ourselves for the day.  We’re off to try another Sedona recommendation from LuAnn….the Coffee Pot Restaurant.

The Coffee Pot Restaurant is home to 101 Omelets and got its name from the famous Coffee Pot Rock. Coffee Pot Rock is actually the highest point in Sedona at about 5,600 feet in elevation.  The town sits at 4,350 feet in elevation.SedonaSedona2 071

Ummm, the coffee was divine and the food was excellent. We even purchase some coffee to brew back at the RV.Sedona

Next we head into the quaint older shopping district for a little retail therapy.  I can’t help but feel a sense of history.  I image the pioneers on horseback discovering this majestic land.  The history of this land goes way back to various Indian civilizations.  The first Europeans (Spanish) explored the Verde Valley in the mid 1500’s and the first Anglo settled in the area in 1876. Sedona

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Sedona is a small town of about 10,000 residents and consists of 19 square miles, 49% of which belong to the Coconino National Forest.  With such an abundance of public access, the availability of hiking is endless. Sedona

SedonaRed Rock Country is stunning in all directions.  There’s a sense of spirituality.  A majestic beauty.  It’s no wonder this unique beauty attracts 2 to 4 million tourists a year.

Al and I finally feel rested, relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready to hit the road again.  Although I must admit, I could stay for quite awhile and never tire of the view.

 

Yoag

Arizona

Getting Wet

by Ingrid29 Comments on Getting Wet

RVingThe gentle sound of rain hitting the RV is some how relaxing.  I stare out the window as the rain leaves a random pattern of water droplets on the pane.  I can almost sense the cacti smiling, arms stretched, rejoicing in the much-needed moisture.

We’ve been camped in the Phoenix area for about a month now.  This cold, rainy day allows Al and me to reflect on the past month of travel.Grand Canyon

In November we were exploring the Grand Canyon.  Wow, what an awe-inspiring place.  Did you know the canyon is about a mile deep and 277 miles long?  The north rim of the Grand Canyon sits at an average elevation of 8,000 feet, while the south rim sits at about 6,800 feet (2072 meters).Grand Canyon

The average distance between the north rim of the Grand Canyon and the south rim is about 10 miles with the greatest width measuring 18 miles and the nearest a mere 5 miles.  The diverse landscape and abundant wildlife, make the Grand Canyon a MUST SEE at least once.  I know Al and I will return.Bighorn SheepOur journey takes us from Grand Canyon National Park to Cottonwood, Arizona.  After a little research, Al and I decide on Dead Horse Ranch State Park as home for a few days.  This turned out to be the perfect campground for us to regroup.Dead Horse State Park

The weather is sunny and warm.  We have hiking trails literally in our backyard.  The restrooms have nice showers.  Ahhhh….after weeks of Navy showers, I’m able to bask in gallons and gallons of hot water.  Hey, with my long, thick, curly hair a long hot shower is indeed a treat. Dead Horse State Park

Oh, but it doesn’t end there.  There’s a skylight perfectly positioned above the shower stall.  So as I tilt my head back and revel in the glory of tons of hot water streaming over my head, I watch the thin, white fluffy clouds slowly drift by against a gorgeous blue sky.Dead Horse State Park

The shower felt wonderful.  However, it was never my intent to resemble a raisin, thus all things must come to an end.  After all, tomorrow is another day.  And speaking of tomorrow….we have some serious exploring to do….. Sedona here we come!