The Nonsense of W&J

Kanab, Utah is a magnificent place with many unique landscape features and very friendly people.  We boondocked in this area for several days after visiting the North Rim Grand Canyon.  We loved visiting Kanab and hearing the stories of relatives who starred in the Westerns filmed here.  The area is located in the center of Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, North Rim Grand Canyon, and Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness.  It is a fantastic area to explore and adventure.

What We Visited in Kanab

Sand Caves

There were several things on our to do list in Kanab.  Peek-a-boo Slot Canyon, Sand Caves, Moqui Cave, and the Belly of the Dragon were high on our list.  Our first stop in Kanab was the parking lot for the Sand Caves on Highway 89.  This is a huge parking lot, GPS 37.11342, -112.55504, with a dumpster right off the highway.  We believe there is a huge sign that says Sand Caves before you reach the parking lot, but we can’t remember if it was heading north or south.

From the parking lot, we easily found the trailhead.  However, after the trailhead there are several trail split offs.  We started hiking along one trail, hoping it would lead to the Sand Caves. On our return, we hiked a completely different path back and accidently took the one marked “Not the Trail”.  Although there were many side paths and the main trail was not well marked, we still made it to the bottom of the rock of the Sand Caves with no issues.

Upon reaching the bottom of the rock, it was a little more difficult to find a path up to the Sand Caves.  You can see the Sand Caves on the trail, so you know where you need to be, but we were unsure on how to scale the rock.  So, we simply walked along the bottom of the rock until we found a good spot to start climbing.  While hiking up the rock, there is one section we reached that is very vertical and slick.  Windell held Jessica’s hand across this sketchy section so she wouldn’t slide down the rock, as she is prone to falling.

The Sand Caves are amazing.  You will enjoy exploring the cave and crawling through the small opening like a child.  Although not elaborate or glamorous, the cave is well worth the trail confusion and slick rock to hike to it.  We actually enjoyed guessing which path to take to the Sand Caves, deciding how we were going to climb the rock, and exploring the cave.  Make sure to add this sight to your list when visiting Kanab.

Moqui Cave

We expected Moqui Cave to be touristy, with lots of T-shirts and ball camps.  However, when we researched it on Google,  the internet said it contained collections of dinosaur tracks, minerals, and an old bar where alcohol was served.  We were pleasantly surprised that the cave does indeed contain many amazing artifacts and the curator explains the history of the cave and the Chamberlain family.

The history of Garth Chamberlain who purchased the cave in 1951 is a fascinating one that you will learn when you visit the cave.  When the famous actors of the Western movies wanted a bar, Garth Chamberlain created one in the cool interior of the cave.  You will see many wood carvings of some of these famous actors hanging in the now closed bar and learn a little bit more about Garth in the process.

The other collections of curious items in the cave is worth the admission price.  The darkened room with the glowing minerals was one of our favorite collections.  And, of course, we loved the dinosaur tracks and the memoribilia in the bar area.

The family of Garth Chamberlain still own the cave.  We met the current owner in the gift shop and enjoyed talking with him and hearing a bit of his and his family’s background.  In addition to touring the cave and all the cool artifacts, right outside the cave, you can order food and book a guide tour, which we did.

Peek-a-Boo or Red Canyon Slot

While speaking with the owner of Moqui Cave, we happened upon the subject of where we were going next.  We mentioned that we wanted to visit Peek-a-Boo slot canyon.  The owner told us we could not drive to the canyon because of the sand and the hike would be hard in the heat.  So, he offered to book us on a Jeep or UHV tour with ROAM Outdoor Adventure Co to the canyon for that day.

The UHV tour lets you drive one vehicle while the guide is in a separate UHV behind you.  We bet this would be a blast playing in the sand while you drive to the slot canyon.  However, we opted for the Jeep tour driven by the guide.

Wow!  Riding in the Jeep through the thick sand was a blast!  It was our first off-road Jeep tour and we would do it again in a heartbeat.  Our truck would not have made it to the slot canyon, and hiking it would have been miserable.

While playing in the sand, our super-friendly tour guide stopped several times to give water to people stuck in the sand.  Obviously, they did not talk to the locals before attempting the drive.  One family even tried to drive their diesel truck through the sand.  Boy, were we appreciative we booked the Jeep Tour.

Being from Kanab, our guide told us stories of visiting the canyon with friends and scaring their girlfriends.  We were actually surprised he was happily married after the stories.  But he was an awesome guide and we could not have picked a better person to lead us on this tour.  He took lots of pictures of us in the canyon and even offered his photography services to other people passing.  We had so much fun on this tour, and do not regret forking out the money.

Peek-a-boo canyon is a beautiful small slot canyon.  Its walls and rock features had us oohing and awing.  Since hiking the Peek-a-Boo slot canyon, we have visited Antelope Canyon.  Although Antelope Canyon is more beautiful to us, our awesome experience in Peek-a-Boo was enhanced by the smaller tour group, more friendly guides, and the personal touch of the tour, in addition to a beautiful slot canyon.

Belly of the Dragon

Our final stop in Kanab was at the Belly of the Dragon parking lot GPS 37.21154, -112.6844.  We have to say inside this cave looks exactly like the Google search pictures.  It really does look like you have been swallowed by a dragon and you are working your way to his belly.  The cave becomes quite dark in the center, and Jessica tripped over a rock.  Bring a flashlight for safety while hiking through the cave.  We had a lot of fun pretending to be dragon food in this distinctive cave and you will also.

What We Missed In Kanab

The Wave

When we return to Kanab, Utah, there are more items on our list to do.  If we ever plan our trip to this area again, we will apply for a permit to hike the Wave, GPS 36.99593, -112.00625, in the Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness.  Although this is on our bucket list, you must apply and be awarded the permit for Coyote Buttes North. You can apply for this permit four months in advance or try to win a daily lottery.  We are not big on jumping through hoops and entering lotteries that you cannot reschedule.  Every year, our plans change mid-trip and we hate to spend too much money on an uncertain adventure.

Dinosaur Tracks Trailhead

We love dinosaur tracks and we were so excited when we saw our first ones in Moab, Utah.  But we decided not to hike to the dinosaur tracks after viewing the pictures of the hike posted on Google.  To be honest, there are dinosaur tracks everywhere in Utah and Arizona, and we have stopped at a few sites to check them out.  So, we bypassed this trail at GPS 37.08657, -112.53925.

Hikes We Completed:

• Figure-8 Combination, 6.4 miles, 1575 feet elevation gain, strenuous, this hike combines three hikes: Queen’s Garden,
  Navajo Loop, and the Peekaboo Loop
• Natural Bridge Overlook, short walk to overlook, Mile 12.25 of the 18 mile Southern Scenic Drive

Hikes We Missed:

• Mossy Cave Trail, .8 miles, 150 feet elevation gain, easy
• Fairy Land Loop Trail, 8 miles, 1900 feet elevation gain, strenuous

Visiting Bryce Canyon

We originally bypassed Bryce National Park to arrive earlier at Zion.  However, while driving through the area and seeing the gorgeous colors in the rocks, we knew we had to return and visit this national park.  This is a park you must visit to see the hoodoos, the irregular columns of rocks.  The hoodoos have layers of colors that make them jaw-dropping beautiful.  Cameras do not do it justice.

If you are an early riser or enjoy sunsets, Sunrise Point at Bryce Canyon is said to be an amazing spot to sit and watch the sun glide over the hoodoos.  Unfortunately, as we were truck camping without our RV, we did not arise and pack up early enough or stay late enough to see this phenomenon.  However, this is on our list when we return to Bryce Canyon.

When you visit the park, also check out Sunset Point.  It is in the same parking area as Sunrise Point and many trailheads.  Sunset Point offers some of the most famous and breathtaking views of Bryce Canyon’s hoodoos. Per the NPS. gov website, “Nowhere are the colors of Bryce Canyon’s rock better displayed than from Sunset Point”.

Hikes in Bryce Canyon

Originally, we planned to hike the Queen’s Garden Trail, the Navajo Loop Trail, and the Peekaboo Loop Trail separately.  However, after reading about the Figure 8 trail that combines all three trails into a more challenging trail, Jessica wanted to try it.

The Queen’s Garden Trail is a lovely trail that begins at Sunrise Point.  You hike through hoodoos and rock archways.  Simply walking from the parking lot to the trailhead you have astounding views of Wall Street and the colorful hoodoos.  Although we enjoyed our hike through Queen’s Garden, Peekaboo Loop blew us away.

The Peekaboo Loop was our favorite part of the Figure 8 trail.  The overlooks as you hike up provide you with the most gorgeous views of the hoodoos.  We still remember the beauty of this trail.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of horses and mules on this trail.  We had to stand aside a couple of times to let them pass and then sidestep the remains of the animals.  Otherwise, this is a must do hike in Bryce Canyon.

The Figure 8 Combination Hike ended with the Navajo Loop Trail.  We won’t lie.  We were tired by the time we reached the end of this trail.  However, this trail has impressive and unique rock features not found on the other trails.  The Navajo Loop also contains the park’s most famous hoodoo: Thor’s hammer.  At the end of the trail, we stopped at a huge area between the rock to cool down before attempting the Wall Street switchbacks.

While in the park, be sure to stop at mile 12.25 along the Southern Scenic Drive.  You will want to see Natural Bridge, which is a majestic arch at Bryce Canyon.  The arch is huge and well worth the stop to see.

Dispersed Camping

While visiting Bryce Canyon National Park, we boondocked at Tom’s Best Spring Dispersed Camping in the Dixie National Forest GPS: 37.728, -112.2487.  Right off Highway 12, you turn onto a gravel road.  As we were only in the truck we turned into the first right for smaller designated campsites.  However, larger rigs can continue further down the gravel road for a campground with larger sites.

We enjoyed this campground and would easily leave our little travel trailer unattended.  It is quiet and no one bothered us.  In fact, the couple in the Class A parked at the first campsite came over to say hi and introduce themselves.  The campground is about half an hour away from Bryce Canyon.

Hikes we Completed at Canyonlands:

• Mesa Arch Trail, Island in the Sky section, .7 miles, 88 feet elevation, easy
• Grand View Point Trail, Island in the Sky section, 1.8 miles, 164 feet elevation, easy
• Upheavel Dome Trail, Island in the Sky section,  .7 miles, 108 feet elevation, moderate

Hikes We Missed but Plan to Do:

• Aztec Butte Trail, Island in the Sky section, 1.6 miles, 249 feet elevation, moderate
• Druid Arch Trail, The Needles section, 9.7 miles, 1446 feet elevation, moderate
• Peekaboo Trail, The Needles section, 10.8 miles, 429 feet elevation, strenous

Our Visit to Canyonlands National Park

We really did not expect Canyonlands National Park to impress us as much as it did.  The main reason we visited Moab, Utah, was to see Arches National Park.  However, Canyonlands is a gorgeous national park with beautiful views, arches, and cool geological features.

As usual, our first stop was at the national park’s Visitor’s Center at the Island in the Sky section of the park.  We always stops at visitor centers to speak with a Ranger and find recommendations for points of interest and best hikes.  We already planned to hike the Mesa Arch Trail and the Grand View Point Trail, but he also suggested the Upheavel Dome Trail.  He also recommended that we stop at various overlooks, including the Green River Overlook.

Canyonlands National Park has three main sections:  Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze.  We only visited the Island in the Sky section, although we have a couple of future hikes we want to try in The Needles.  However, the Maze is the most remote section of Canyonlands.  Some of the trails in this area require 4-wheel drive to access.   We don’t currently have any plans to hike the Maze area, as it requires more planning and backpacking.

Island in the Sky Area

We are unsure which hike we completed was our favorite.  We loved the hikes to Mesa Arch, Upheavel Dome, and the Grand View.  None of the three hikes were strenous and we completed them all in one day.  Mesa Arch is a cool arch with a scenic view through it.  It is a very easy hike and we enjoyed posing in front of the arch.  We then walked around, exploring and observing the different perspectives of the overlook and the arch.

However, the Upheavel Dome Trail is amazing.  We were unsure what to make of the geologic abnormality.  Per the signs we read at the dome, no one is sure how the Upheavel Dome came to be although there are currently two theories.  The two theories are the Salt Dome Theory and the Impact Crater Theory.  There are two overlooks for the Upheavel Dome.  After hiking to the first overlook, you can backtrack a little and hike to the second overlook, which is a little more challenging.  The second overlook, however, provides you with a different angle of the dome and we are glad we hiked it.

The busiest trail we hiked in Canyonlands was the Grand View Point Trail.  When you arrive at the end, you have the opportunity to rock scramble a little for some higher views.  Plan to explore the area around this trail; it has spectactular views that vary depending on which side you stand.  The Grand View Point Trail is currently closed on weekdays from August to September 2024.

The one hike in the Island in the Sky Area that we did not do that was on our list is the Aztec Butte Trail.  This trail supposedly leads to an ancient granary built into an alcove.  However, per hiker feedback, some rock scrambling is required and the trail is not well marked in places.  So, maybe it was good that we skipped it!

Canyonlands National Park is a fascinating national park to visit.  Although, Arches National Park is more popular, while staying in Moab, Utah, take the time to visit this national park and check out its cool features.

While visiting Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, we boondocked in the truck at a designated campground in Mill Canyon.   Per the Campendium app, it is Gemini Bridges Road Designated Campsites GPS 38.7114, -109.7271.  The designated campsites are past the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Track campground.  The pictures in Campendium show fifth wheels and travel trailers.  However, we did not drive up towards the rock to check out this camping, but instead drove down further on a very bumpy Cotter Mine Road to a designated site with only the truck.  The road is rough and we would not take our travel trailer to the campsites further on this road.  We did enjoy waking up the view of hot air balloons in the morning at this boondocking!

Our Favorite Hikes and Arches:

• Delicate Arch Trail, 3.2 miles, elevation gain 629 feet, moderate
• Double Arch Trail, .6 miles, elevation gain 95 feet, easy
• Landscape Arch Trail, 1.9 miles, elevtion gain 252 feet, easy
• Windows and Turret Arch Trail, 1.2 miles, elevation gain 154 feet, easy

Hikes we missed but plan to do in the future:

• Fiery Furnace and Surprise Arch Trail, 2.1 miles, elevation gain 492 feet, moderate – this hike requires a permit and a good offline map
• Devil’s Garden Trail, 7.9 miles, elevation gain 1085 feet, hard – this hike does require climbing some slick rock

Our Visit to Arches National Park

Arches National Park was our second favorite place while visiting Utah.  Arches is an amazing national park with lots of cool hikes to various arches.  The park currently enforces a timed entry reservation system to limit the number of people entering from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Although you can purchase tickets months in advance, the park releases some tickets the day before, and we had no issues securing passes the day before our visits.  You can purchase a timed entry pass on Recreation.gov.

We spent a couple of days in Arches National Park, hiking and exploring arches.  Our favorite hike in Arches is the Delicate Arch Hike.  The hike is three miles and considered strenuous.  You will need water on this trail, especially during hotter weather.  However, reaching and posing under the Delicate Arch makes this hike memorable.  Do not forget to check out some amazing petroglyphs at the beginning of this trail.

During our visit to Arches, we also hiked Double Arch, Windows and Turret Arches, Landscape Arch, Broken Arch, and Sand Dune Arch Trails.  Our favorite arches, besides Delicate Arch, are Double Arch and Landscape Arch.  The short hike to Double Arch was worth seeing this amazing arch.  We enjoyed plopping a squat underneath this striking arch while we cooled down.  People climb up the interior of this arch and sit and reflect.

We had plans to hike the entire Devils Garden Trail.  We hiked to Landscape Arch.  However, after Landscape, the trail goes up the rock to Double O Arch.  Some people hiked up the rock with no issues.  However, after starting this portion of the hike, we decided it was not worth falling or hurting ourselves.  So, we hiked back down the rock and decided to be content that we had seen Landscape Arch.

Besides completing the Devils Garden Trail, we also plan to hike the Fiery Furnace when we return to Arches National Park.  You must have a permit for this hike.  You can accompany a Ranger-guided tour or apply for a self-guided exploration permit.  Per our understanding of the Fiery Furnace hike, it is easy to get lost on this hike.  There are many possible paths, dead ends, and no GPS.  This will be a compass and offline downloaded map hike when we return.

Boondocking at Moab, Utah

While visiting Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, we boondocked in the truck at a designated campground in Mill Canyon.   Per the Campendium app, it is Gemini Bridges Road Designated Campsites GPS 38.7114, -109.7271.  The designated campsites are past the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Track campground.  The pictures in Campendium show fifth wheels and travel trailers.  However, we did not drive up towards the rock to check out this camping, but instead drove down further on a very bumpy Cotter Mine Road to a designated site with only the truck.  The road is rough and we would not take our travel trailer to the campsites further on this road.  We did enjoy waking up the view of hot air balloons in the morning at this boondocking!

Traveling through the Southwestern portion of Colorado, we planned a visit to the Mesa Verde National Park to view the cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Pueblo people.  However, some unexpected surprises came with a visit to this national park.

Because we were pulling our travel trailer while visiting the park, we believed we would have to camp overnight in the Morefield Campground.  The Mesa Verde National Park does not allow any trailers past the campground.  After traveling through the park to Chapin Mesa, we can understand why.  The road is very curvy and narrow.

The Morefield Campground fee is $20 per night.  If you have a Senior Pass or Access Pass, the fee is $10 per night.  However, we discovered, to our delight, a drop off parking lot for trailers right before the entrance to the national park.  The trailer parking lot is free.  Park security drive through it throughout the day and we had no issues leaving our camper.

Our second surprise about the Mesa Verde National Park is that you cannot tour the cliff dwellings without a reservation, except for the Step House per the map.  However, more on the Step House area later.  We stopped at the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum to see if any tickets were available to tour the cliff dwellings.  The Ranger informed us that reservations must be made two weeks prior because they sell out quickly.  You may be fortunate to grab a ticket if there is a cancellation for the day.  But we were not that lucky.

So, if you do visit Mesa Verde National Park, and you do want to tour the cliff dwellings, be sure to register for a tour two weeks prior to when you are visiting on Recreation.gov.  Do not do what we did and just show up thinking you can tour the cliff dwellings.

Now, back to the Step House.  When we were there on July 7, 2024, the Wetherill Mesa that contains the Step House and the Long House was closed.  The Step House is the only dwelling per the national park map that you can do a self-guiding tour.  So, because we had no reservations for the cliff dwelling tours and the Wetherill Mesa was closed, we did not actually have the chance to enter any cliff dwellings.

Lomayestewa Family Dancers

One amazing thing we did get to see on our visit was the Lomayestewa Family Dancers.  The Lomayestewa Family perform traditional Hopi dances once a year in the park in July.  The cost is free.  However, the dancers do ask for donations to help with the cost of traveling.  We really enjoyed watching the young people dance while the older generations played the instruments.  Towards the end, the family encourages spectators to join the dance.  This was an opportunity Jessica could not miss, and she jumped up to join.  We gave our word we would not post any pictures or videos of the dances, as they are traditional Hopi dances.  However, if you ever find us and want to see the video, let us know.

Because we were unable to join any tours of the cliff dwellings, we drove the Mesa Top Trail and the Cliff Palace Loop.  We stopped at most of the pull-offs on these loops to see various advantage points of the cliff dwellings and tour the pit houses.  The Cliff Palace Loop was our favorite and has the best overlook for the Cliff Palace.   However, the Balcony House pull-off is a bust unless you have reservations for the tour.  You cannot see the Balcony House from this point.

The Mesa Verde National Park is worth seeing.  However, we recommend if you are physically able, reserve a tour for the cliff dwellings.  Otherwise, like us, you may only be able to see them from overlooks.  If you visit this national park, also look out for the wild horses that roam inside it.  After visiting the park, we decided to boondock overnight at the Super Walmart in Cortez, CO  with many other RVs.

Our Favorite Hikes in Zion National Park:

• Scout Overlook Trail, Shuttle Stop #6 The Grotto, 3.6 miles, 1115 feet elevation gain, hard – be sure and hike a mile past Scout Overlook on the West Rim Trail for some more amazing views
• The Narrows Bottom-Up Day Trail, Shuttle Stop #9 Temple of Sinawava, as many miles as you can hike, very little elevation gain
• The Watchman Trail, right at Visitors Center, 3.1 miles, 636 feet elevation gain

Hikes We Missed but Plan to Do:

• Zion Canyon Overlook Trail, .9 miles, 157 feet elevation gain, it is located on the east side of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel and can be tricky to find parking
• Observation Point via East Mesa Trailhead, 7 miles, 702 feet elevation gain, the East Mesa Trailhead on the East side of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel via Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort GPS 37.29698, -112.90013

Our favorite place to visit in Utah is Zion National Park.  We stayed in the area for a couple of weeks in mid to late May, hoping to avoid the crowds during the busier summer months.  We dispersed camped fifteen minutes away from Zion at Hurricane Cliffs Designated Dispersed Campsites GPS 37.2072, -113.2402.  Zion is extremely crowded.  Every day we visited the park, we arrived early in the morning to find parking in the RV/oversize lot with our dually truck.  The Visitor Center opens at 8 a.m. but the shuttles begin running at 6 a.m.  Do note that the parking lots fill up fast!  There is a free shuttle service from Springdale into the park, if the Zion parking lot is full.  However, we had no issues finding parking by arriving before or around 8 a.m.

We now know why Zion National Park is so popular.  It is gorgeous!  We completed the Scout Overlook Trail, The Narrows bottom-up day Trail, the Watchman Trail, and all three of Emerald Pool trails.  We did not attempt to gain a permit for the famous Angels Landing Trail.  With her current fear of heights, Jessica did not feel comfortable attempting this hike.   But who knows what the future will bring.

Scout Lookout Trail

However, even if you do not want to hike Angels Landing, the Scout Lookout Trail is amazing.  This is now Windell’s favorite hike, displacing the Fremont Fire Tower in Mount Rainier National Park.  The Scout Lookout Trail is a strenuous trail and we took a lot of breaks on Walter’s Wiggles.  The Lookout is gorgeous.  We stopped and took in the inspiring view before continuing on the West Rim Trail. Hiking a mile or so further on West Rim Trail past Scout Lookout provides even better views of Angel’s Landing and different perspectives of the canyon.  If you still have the energy after Scout Lookout, we encourage you to continue on the West Rim Trail.  It is well worth the hike.

The Narrows Bottom-Up Day Trail

Jessica’s now favorite hike to date is the Narrows bottom-up day hike.  Although we did not feel comfortable attempting the hike when the water flow was 124 cubic feet per second, we did attempt it the second week when it dropped to 84 cubic feet per second.  We are glad we waited.  Especially Jessica who still fell into the water three times hiking back.

It was our first time hiking over ten miles while crossing a river through a canyon and it took our breath away, sometimes literally with the current and cold water.  The Narrows has been on our bucket list for four years, and we are grateful we finally hiked it.  There is no set endpoint to this hike.  You hike as far as you want upstream and turn around wherever you want to hike back downstream with the current.  We recommend this hike to anyone visiting Zion, although it is more enjoyable earlier in the morning with fewer people.

The Watchman Trail

The Watchman hike right at the parking lot introduces you to the gorgeous canyon of Zion and was recommended to us by a ranger.  This trail gets busy, but if you go early, you can have some time at the top to sit alone and reflect a moment.  There is also a short scenic loop trail at the end.  The Watchman Trail is considered an easy to moderate hike that can be completed in around two hours.  We hiked the Watchman trail and all three Emerald Pools in the same day.

The Emerald Pool Trails

The Emerald Pool trails were a disappointment to us.  We hiked these trails later in the morning and into the early afternoon in mid-May 2024.  The trails are very busy and the pools themselves are not very epic.  The waterfalls may flow better at different seasons, and maybe the pools are prettier then. Early spring, late fall, and winter are recommended as the best times to visit these pools.  If you like strenuous hikes, as Jessica does, you may enjoy the hikes to these pools and the lower pool does have a small waterfall you can walk behind.  To hike the Emeralds Pools, get off the shuttle at Stop #6, The Grotto.  The hike is considered moderate, although hiking to all three pools gave our legs a workout.  It is only three miles with 620 feet of elevation gain.

Other To-Do Hikes in Zion

The only hikes we missed that were on our to- do list during our first trip to Zion  were The Observation Point Trail and the Canyon Overlook Trail.  Both trails are supposed to provide amazing views of the Canyon.  However, it was not meant for us to hike these trails due to the Weeping Rock shuttle stop closure and the difficulty of parking.

There are two ways to access Observation Point.  It is a moderate hike at East Zion via the East Mesa Trailhead from the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort.  The parking lot and trailhead are on the the east side of the Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel.  The hike is seven miles with 702 feet of elevation gain.  We had planned to hike to Observation Point from the Weeping Rock Trailhead, which is Shuttle Stop #7 within the park.  During our visit in May 2024, the Weeping Rock shuttle stop was closed due to rockfall.  It has been closed since 2019.  So, we decided to leave the Observation Point Trail until the next time we returned to Zion.

It was also in our plan to hike the moderate Canyon Overlook Trail.  This trail is less than a mile in distance and was on our way out of the park.  However, while awaiting our turn to drive through the tunnel on East Zion, we spoke with the Ranger.  She said it would be difficult for us to find parking with our dually and that the parking lot was for smaller vehicles.  We looked, but did not find any parking for this trail after passing through the tunnel, so we continued on our way to Bryce National Park.

Zion National Park is extremely busy, and we are not particularly fond of crowds.  However, if you are in Utah, this national park is a must to visit.  The canyons, mountains, and views will take your breath away.  Zion National Park exceeded our expectations in its beauty.

Oregon remains one of our favorite states to explore with its beautiful coastline, spectacular waterfalls, and amazing hikes.  We had a blast adventuring in Oregon and plan to return one day to continue exploring this state.

Our favorite Adventuring in Oregon

Oregon Coast

Cape Perpetua Area

This was Jessica’s favorite area on the coast of Oregon.  She could watch Thor’s Well for hours.  Right off Highway 101 is a pull off for the overlook for Spouting Horn.  However, to get a better view of Spouting Horn and to walk further to see Thor’s Well, hike a little ways down from the overlook.  It is easy to find the trail.  The GoPro does not do this area justice.  In person, watching Thor’s Well and the Spouting Horn, you can see the starfish inside and hear the rumble as the waves move through the caves below.

Once you have your fill of the Spouting Horn area, you can hike north from Spouting Horn to Devil’s Churn or turn off onto the overlook pulloff and hike the short ways down.  As the tide comes in, the swirling, forceful waves travel onto the beach beside Devil’s Churn and smash against the walls of Devil’s Churn.  It is an amazing view.  We could spend days in this area watching the force of the tides and playing on the rocks.

Natural Bridges

Windell’s favorite spot on the Oregon Coast was the Natural Bridges Area.  Hiking down from the viewpoint to stand on the rock arch below is not as apparent as the hike to Thor’s Well.  However, it was not difficult to find the path.  You must make a right turn to hike down through some thick foliage to access the bridge.  Once we reached near the bridge, we turned to the left to explore the rocky coast a little more.  Another couple was on the arch and we were hoping we could have it to ourselves.  However, the couple was still there when we finished exploring, so we went ahead and hiked down to stand on the arch.  This is a gorgeous area that could be better captured with a drone.

Just north of Natural Brides is a parking lot with a hike that leads to Secret Beach.  You can even hike from Natural Bridges to this parking lot.  The hike to Secret Beach is not well-defined, but definitely worth trying.  Just remember to follow the sign that says “Beach” although the path seems to take you away from the beach.  We spent hours playing on the beach after following a few wrong trails on the hike.

Gray Whale Watching Charter

We were lucky while visiting Oregon that we happened to be during the best time to see gray whales.  So, we flew by the seat of our pants and purchased tickets for a boat charter for whale-watching.  We will never forget our experience of being so close to these magnificent giants in our small boat with only four other guests and a captain.  This last minute decision taught us to seize some opportunities without too much thinking.  If we had waited too long, we would not have seen the gray whales.  And, we had the best day.  We will always be on the lookout for whale-watching charters when we can find them.

Columbia River Gorge

The Columbia River Gorge is a tremendous area for waterfalls.  Besides the impressive Multnomah Falls, Jessicas favorite waterfall, Tunnel Falls, plus several more waterfalls are on the Eagle Creek Trail GPS 45.63676, -121.9196.  This is not the only trail in the area with several waterfalls.  There are many more in this area that we plan to hike when we return.  Next time we plan to hike Horsetail Falls Trail GPS 45.59011, -122.06928 to Pony Tail Falls, the Wahkeena Falls Trail GPS 45.57602, -122.12782, and any more that we discover.  This is an amazing area for adventuring and we cannot wait to return and explore more.

While exploring this area, we were RVing an hour away at Mt Hood Village RV Resort 65000 US-26, Welches, OR 97067.  We choose this campground because we wanted to explore other areas in the south, including Silver Falls State Park and Mount Hood. However, the Portland Fairview RV Park 21401 NE Sandy Blvd, Fairview, OR 97024 is a lot closer to the Columbia River Gorge, and we would choose it next time.  The Portland Fairview is an Encore Park at $20 per night with the Trails Collection.

Crater Lake National Park

We were blown away by Crater Lake National Park.  We actually hiked three different trails in the one day we visited.  Amongst the Cleetwood Cove Trail, The Watchman Peak Trail, and The Garfield Peak Trail, our favorite was The Garfield Peak Trail.  The deep, rich color of the lake in the crater of a volcano is just an amazing sight.  The Watchman Peak Trail is a fantastic trail to see Wizard Island from above, but the Garfield Peak Trail was our favorite for an overall view of the lake.

We have not finished adventuring in Oregon.  There is so much to see and do.  In addition to exploring more in the Columbia River Gorge, we also want to visit the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, hike to more waterfalls, and see more of the rocky coastline.  When we return, we will also have to visit the Cape Perpetua Area and Natural Bridges again.

One of our favorite adventures in the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State is the hike to Rialto Beach, located in the Olympic National Park.  We love the Olympic Peninsula for its coastal beaches, mountains, lavender farms, and its unique beaches and sea life.  And the beaches contain so much sea life!  Before reaching Split Rock and Hole in the wall, you will see a few rocks on the beach with starfish.  However, when you arrive at Split Rock, you will be overwhelmed by the number and variety of starfish and sea anemones.

Our favorite place on Rialto Beach is Split Rock.  We couldn’t believe how many starfish and sea anemones were in this area!  We spent most of our time at Split Rock, counting the starfish and listening to the waves.  It took us awhile to pull ourselves away and hike back even though the tide was coming in.

To hike this trail, you can use the Rialto Beach Tide Chart to determine when low tide occurs.  You must hike the beach during low tide as it is not accessible during high tide.  This is a short 3.3 mile hike along the beach.  You will see many people on this hike and you can easily follow them from the parking lot.  Restrooms are available at the parking lot.

From the parking lot, simply turn right and hike down the beach with lots of other people on the Hole-in-the-Wall Trail.  Give yourself plenty of time to explore and take your picture at Hole-in-the Wall.  Check out all the amazing sea life and have fun!  Although we also explored Kalaloch Beach 4in the Olympic National Park, Rialto Beach is our favorite beach in this area and we will visit again when we come back.

Washington is one of our favorite states to explore.  We tend to shy away from big cities like Seattle and focus on hiking, kayaking, and adventuring.  Although we spent many months in Washington, there is still a lot of adventuring in this state on our bucket list.  Below is a list of our favorite explorations in Washington and future explorations on our bucket list.

Our Favorite Explorations in Washington

Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier was one of our favorite national parks to hike and explore.   We visited the park several days while staying at Paradise RV Campground Thousand Trails in 173 Salem Plant Rd, Silver Creek, WA 98585.  Our favorite hikes in the national park were the Freemont Trail, the Skyline Trail, and Comet Falls.  Although we visited the park in July, there was still some snow on the Freemont Trail.  We hiked the Skyline Trail in several inches of snow.  It required quite of a bit of exertion and caution.  The Skyline Trail is the one hiking trail that we wish we had hiking poles.  To come back down from the Panorama Point, Jessica had to slide on her butt part way.

The Freemont Fire Lookout was Windell’s favorite trail until we explored Zion National Park in Utah.  However, we are not finished with Mount Rainier.  When we return, we want to hike the Tolmie Peak Fire Lookout and the Sourdough Ridge Trailhead.  Of course, we will probably be adding more explorations to the list as we continue watching Wandering Washington on her excursions.

Olympic Peninsula

The Olympic Peninsula is truly an amazing place to visit.  The temperate rainforest, Pacific coastline, lavender farms, and the extraordinary features of this area will simply take your breath away.  We stayed at KM Resorts – Diamond Point Resort 294 Industrial Pkwy, Sequim, WA 98382, which is one of our RPI membership parks.  Sequim, Washington is a fabulous place to visit lavender farms and hike the spit to the Dungeness Lighthouse.  Read our blog regarding hiking the Dungeness Spit with the tide tables.

While we were there, we also visited the Olympic National Park for some amazing beaches and hikes.  Our favorite hike was to Rialto Beach during low tide.  We never saw so many different colored starfishes and sea anemones in our lives.  Split rock was our favorite spot to explore during this hike.  If we return to the Olympic Peninsula, we will be hiking this beach again.  We did have to check our tide schedule and we have a short blog on Hiking Rialto Beach.

We also hiked Hurricane Hill and Kalaloch Beach 4.  However, they were not our favorite explorations.  When we return to the Olympic Peninsula, we would like to attempt to hike the Mt. Ellinor Lower Trailhead and Mount Storm King.  We did not attempt these at the time simply because we weren’t sure of our abilities.  However, since hiking and pushing ourselves more, we are more confident in hiking more elevation and Jessica is a little less afraid of hikes.

Crescent Lake is a sight to behold.  The lake is incredibly blue and many people were jumping off the bridge into the Devils Punchbowl.  We kayaked this lake in the afternoon after hiking to Marymere Falls.  However, next time we will kayak it in the morning with less wind!

San Juan Island

We love sea creatures and chartering boats to see wildlife in the oceans.  While staying at La Conner RV & Camping Resort 16362 Snee Oosh Rd, La Conner, WA 98257 Thousand Trails, we booked a ferry from Anacortes to San Juan Island.  We love Washington ferries!  Taking a ferry to an Island is a great way to get some scenery and maybe see some wildlife.

Exploring a little of the San Juan Island was fun.  However, our main reason for going to the Island was our booked boat charter to see some Killer Whales.  Besides our YouTube video, we also wrote a short blog on our Killer Whale Adventure.  We had an amazing time, although the boat trip was a little colder than we expected.  When we return to this area, we would like to explore more of the Islands, including Orcas Island.  Maybe Jessica can even convince Windell to kayak around the areas.

Future Desired Explorations in Washington

Leavenworth

Although we explored the town of Leavenworth and did a few hikes, there are some amazing areas that we did not know about or explore while we were there.  When we return, we want to hike the Cascade Pass Trailhead to Sahale Arm Trail, and especially The Enchantments.  The Enchantments will be an intense one day hike.  We want to apply for a backpacking permit to stay overnight.  This hike is our main bucket list item in the Leavenworth area, although we realize it will be extremely challenging.

North Cascades

We did not visit the North Cascades National Park or surrounding area while we were in Washington.  At the time, there were many vehicle break-ins while they were repaving parking lots and we didn’t want to chance it.  However, as we watch our favorite YouTubers hike the North Cascades, we have discovered many hikes to add to our bucket list, including Trappers Peak, Sourdough Mountain Trail, Lake Ann Trail, Hidden Lake Lookout Trail, and many more.  We are sorry we did not explore this area more while in Washington.  Thousand Trails has a campground near North Cascades National Park.  It is Grandy Creek 1000 Trails 7370 Russell Rd, Concrete, WA 98237 or you can reserve Goodell Creek Campground State Rte 20, Marblemount, WA 98267 or another National Park Campground.

During 2024 we traveled throughout Utah, visiting five national parks and many more amazing sights.  We did not have any Thousand Trails or other campgrounds; we only stayed on dispersed camping sites in Utah for our entire visit.  Although we were truck camping, there were only a few sites we would not have felt comfortable pulling in our travel trailer.  There is so much boondocking in Utah that it is very easy to find spots near the national parks and other areas.  The only area we had difficulty finding a spot was near Salt Lake City.  So we bypassed that area and went to the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway, where we saw lots of moose!

Gemini Bridges Road Dispersed Camping

Campendium App

GPS: 38.7114, -109.7271

Moab, Utah

The GPS coordinates for this dispersed camping in Campendium actually led us past the Mill Canyon Dinsoaur tracksite which has a small campground.  However, there are many designated spots along this road.  The pictures in Campendium look as though the travel trailers, etc. took a right to sit beside the rock.  We, though, continued along the Cotter Mine Road and found an amazing spot on a really bumpy road.  The Cotter Mine Road is really bumpy and we would not feel comfortable pulling our travel trailer on it.  But, if you have a truck, van or car, these spots are great.

There is some UHVs that travel the road for some off-roading.  They were very considerate.  The designated campgrounds are not near each other, so you have some privacy and quiet.  Hiking in the area is a lot of fun.  You can visit the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Bone Trail and the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Track Trail.  This is a great place to boondock for Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.  We stayed here for almost a week.

Hole in the Rock Dispersed Camping

Campendium App

GPS: 37.723, -111.527

Escalante, Utah

This boondocking campground is huge!  There are many designated campsites on the campground.  We would be very comfortable pulling in our travel trailer and leaving it while we explored.  Bigger rigs can easily fit in this campground; you just have to check out the individual sites for ruts and travel slowly on the road.  This is a great spot to explore Escalante.

Our Verizon cell service was good.  In fact, we really had few issues with our cell service at our boondocking spots in Utah.  We stayed in this campground for several days.

Hurricane Cliffs Designated Dispersed Campsites

Campendium App

GPS: 37.1866, -113.2228

La Verkin, Utah (near Zion National Park)

This is BLM dispersed camping that allows a fourteen-day stay maximum.  There are many campsites and roads leading into the designated campgrounds in Hurricane Cliffs.  This is fifteen minutes away from Zion National Park.

We stayed here for over a week exploring Zion and taking care of some maintenance on our truck.  The individual campsites 55 and 56 are very private and were our favorite.  However, we also sat on one site that had a road going through it.  The sign for the Hurricane Cliffs boondocking lists the sites for tents and for RVs.

You can easily pull in bigger rigs into the campground, making sure you find the bigger campsites.  Most of the main roads are well maintained.  We would have parked our travel trailer and felt easy about leaving her while we explored the area.  There is some public and UHV noise, but it is pretty quiet and secluded.  Our Verizon service was excellent here.

Tom’s Best Spring Dispersed Camping

Campendium App

GPS: 37.728, -112.2487

Panguitch, UT 84759, Dixie National Forest (near Bryce National Park)

This is a great spot for boondocking on BLM land.  Per Campendium, the maximum stay limit is 16 days.  Although we turned right on the first road that led to smaller campgrounds, there are larger rig campgrounds further down Road 117 off Highway 12.  However, an A and a fifth wheel did fit into the first campground.

This is an awesome designated campsite campground.  Some of the campsites are pretty close together.  However, we would have no concerns about leaving our travel trailer while we explored in this area.  As in most areas of Utah, our Verizon cell service was good.  It is a very quiet area.  We stayed here a few days.

Hancock Road Dispersed Camping instead of Hog Canyon Dispersed Camping

Campendium App

GPS: 37.1364, -112.5997

We looked for boondocking near Kanab, Utah after returning from the Grand Canyon North Rim.  At first we tried Hog Canyon Dispersed Camping, GPS 37.0812, -112.5295.  The road is rough, and although there is a large parking lot closer to the entrance of the road, it is not very private.  Also, our cell service was not good in Hog Canyon.  Jessica was not comfortable staying overnight and we would definitely not leave our travel trailer at this location.

However, we traveled further along highway 89 and found a Hancock designated campground on the left side on the way to Pink Sand State Park.  The campsite was quiet and secluded and we stayed for several days.  There was another campground right across the road and we saw vans and Class Cs check it out.  But we saw no one pull in to camp.  The campsites are very sandy and we might have been more concerned if we were pulling our travel trailer.  Luckily, we had no rain while we were there.  However, if there had been a forecast of rain, we would have left rather than chance getting stuck.

We probably would not pull our travel trailer into the Hancock boondocking simply because of the sand, although Campendium has pictures of travel trailers at a site.  Our Verizon cell service was good and we stayed a few days at this boondocking site.

Freemont Road Dispersed Camping

Campendium App

GPS: 38.1263, -112.6224

Heading North from Kanab, Utah towards Salt Lake City, Utah, we decided to park overnight in the Freemont Road Dispersed Camping.  The first area is just a large gravel parking lot.  However, there are a couple of campsites further down the road.  When we arrived in the early afternoon, we were the only ones there.  However, we were really lucky and a Jeep SUV pulled up and asked if he could pull in.  We had no idea that the person in the Jeep would be a gentleman from Switzerland traveling throughout the U.S. and that we would visit and chat the entire next day about traveling, customs, and languages.  It was a chance meeting that gained us a friend and changed our view on future travels.  We stayed two nights rather than our expected one-night stay so we could visit.

Larger rigs should have no issue finding enough room at this BLM land.  The dirt road may be a little rough but it is not too bad if taken slowly.  Cattle does roam this area and the gate may be closed.  There are two more campsites further down the road.  However, you cannot hear the highway much at the first parking lot.  There is no shade, but our Verizon cells ervice was very good.

Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest near Salt Lake City

Our game plan was to boondock in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest and hike to Donut Falls and Lake Blanche near Salt Lake City.  Using the Campendium App, Jessica thought we could find dispersed camping nearby with Forest Road 182 Dispersed Camping 40.5308, -111.5945 or Big Flat Dispersed Camping 40.56, -111.5577.  However, this area is extremely tight, even for just our dually truck.  It is a very busy area and trying to maneuver around all the people was difficult.  We were frustrated and a little tense on the narrowness of some of the roads and the amount of traffic and people.  We were grateful we had not tried this area with a travel trailer.  We may have missed some boondocking opportunities in this area due to our frustration.  However, we simply skipped our hikes and continued to travel north after we thankfully reached highway 15 again.

Christmas Meadows Campground

Campendium App

GPS: 40.825, -110.802

This area in the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest is amazing.  We stayed at the Christmas Meadows Campground.  However, there is a lot of boondocking in this area.  It is free to stay if you are primitive camping, as we were in our truck.  However, our America the Beautiful Pass would have covered the fee with our travel trailer.

Although the Verizon cellservice was not good in this area, we enjoyed our stay of several days.  We saw lots of moose early in the morning and late in the afternoon.  Christmas Meadows is a long gravel road that also has permanent summer homes on it.  The road traffic can be a little much sometimes.  However, there is a lot of other boondocking sites besides the Christmas Meadows area.  Some boondocking sites are nearer the wetter areas where we saw moose.

This is a beautiful area with plenty of campsites for larger rigs.  Just make sure and check out the fees for staying here and check in with the office.  We stopped and chatted with the Ranger who told us about the camping regulations and fees and when and where to see moose.