Today's planned route: Torrey, UT to Capital Reef National Park to Goblin Valley State Park to Grand Junction, CO
Today's actual route: Torrey, UT to Capital Reef National Park to Colorado National Monument to Grand Junction, CO
The route I am taking today has been modified since I reviewed the plan last night. Although I don’t expect a change, I’ll stop at the Capital Reef Visitor’s Center to see if the scenic drive has reopened. If it’s still closed, I’ll move on to a few other sites attached to Capital Reef that are on the main highway, UT-24. And instead of Goblin Valley State Park, which is an hour out of the way and an hour back to spend a half-hour viewing a plain of toadstool shaped rocks, I have opted to stop at Colorado National Monument, only 15 minutes off of I-70, and proudly advertised in the tourista literature for Grand Junction.
When I arrive, I note that the sign on the Visitor’s Center door announcing the closure of the scenic drive is still in place. I get back in the car and head back to the highway, seeking a turnout for some petroglyphs that were carved into the cliffsides by the ancient native peoples,. There I find a couple of short walkways with railing that separates the visitor from the cliffs, and some heavy duty, pedestal-mounted binoculars like you’d find on the San Francisco wharf facing Alcatraz.
I locate a couple of sets of petroglyphs half-way up the cliff wall, and take plenty of photos. Walking down the trail for a piece, I find a half-dozen more. Here’s an example:
I find these ancient art objects fascinating and intriguing, and wonder, like the experts, what the significance of the pictures was.
From the National Park’s Capital Reef website http://www.nps.gov/care/ :
Pictographs (painted) and petroglyphs (carved or pecked) are depictions of people, animals and other shapes and forms left on rock surfaces. Anthropomorphic (human-like) figures usually have trapezoidal shaped bodies with arms, legs and fingers. The figures are often elaborately decorated with headdresses, ear bobs, necklaces, clothing items and facial expressions. A wide variety of zoomorphic (animal-like) figures include bighorn sheep, deer, dogs, birds, snakes and lizards. Abstract designs, geometric shapes and handprints are also common.
The meaning of rock art is unknown. The designs may have recorded religious or mythological events, migrations, hunting trips, resource locations, travel routes, celestial information and other important knowledge. Many archeologists propose that rock art uses symbolic concepts that provide the observer with important information and that was not simply artistic expression or doodling.
With the mysteries of rock art unsolved, I move on down the road, my mind unchanged that the Native Americans where attempting to document alien visits. My next stop along UT-24 is the Hickman Bridge turnout, also a component of Capital Reef NP, where I hike a bit along the Fremont River.
Before we leave Capital Reef, I know some of you are asking, “What the … is a capital reef?” Again, from the National Park’s Capital Reef website:
Early settlers noted that the white domes of Navajo Sandstone resemble the dome of the Capitol building in Washington, DC. Prospectors visiting the area (many with nautical backgrounds) referred to the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile long ridge in the earth’s crust, as a reef, since it was a formidable barrier to transportation.
Follow this link to more photos of Capital Reef National Park:
http://community.webshots.com/album/560877603opgYRh
I follow UT-24 through Hanksville, a small town west of Capital Reef. There along the highway (and the town’s not much bigger than the highway) is and abandoned gas station, and the price displayed on the sign shows 1.499 for regular. I stop to take a photo, and wonder how long the place has been closed!
UT-24 heading east is not as scenic as UT-12. As I approach the I-70 and the Colorado border, I note the increase in low lying scrub bushes and, similar to the border at Arizona, I watch the earth tones morph from reddish tones to muted grays.
I find the turnoff to the Colorado National Monument easily. It’s off of I-70 around 10 miles west of Grand Junction, at Fruita, CO. I stop at Subway and pick up a turkey sandwich to eat at a viewpoint in the park, while gazing at whatever nature presents me there.
My annual pass to the national parks works at national monuments too. The woman who works at the entrance asks if it’s my first visit there, and of course I say yes. Her enthusiasm at what I’ll find is apparent, so I don’t tell her I’ve been to Zion and Bryce Canyon over the last few days.
The scenic drive along 15 miles or so climbs up to 6500 feet (88°) from around 4000, and winds around several canyons that are neither as colorful nor as spectacular as the national parks – but it’s great to have a view for lunch. After a half-dozen turnouts which overlook canyons and distinctive rock formations, I leave the southern end of the park and wind my way back up towards I-70 and Grand Junction.
More pictures from Colorado National Monument can be found with this link:
http://community.webshots.com/album/560926039cbnRcF
I added Grand Junction to this Utah route because on my trip into Denver last year the town nestled in by the Colorado River really appealed to me, and I want to scout around to assess the place as a retirement possibility.
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open." -- Jawaharal Nehru
Because I missed out on the Capital Reef scenic drive, and skipped the Goblin Valley visit, I arrive in Grand Junction early to plan. Greeting me in front of the Hampton Inn on Main ST is a bronze angel rising amid the flowers. I see another sculpture across the street, and one in front of the hotel next door, and yet another on the corner. I decide to take a walk around downtown after I’ve checked in and unpacked.
Main ST in Grand Junction is about 6 or 7 blocks long. On every corner, and along the sidewalk, are sculptures. Some are modern and streamlined, some are colorful and fun, some are realistic and life-size. Subject matter is all over the map, but many showed off the themes of the city: dinosaurs, bison, bicycling. The display gives the sidewalks, mostly empty of people at this time of day, a festive air and I enjoy my half-hour stroll immensely.
I’ve supplied a link to a representative sample that should give you an idea of the Mains ST atmosphere: http://community.webshots.com/album/560940602WixUXG
Back in the room, I reflect on my trip so far. I am really happy I put the stop in Grand Junction in the middle, because starting out I felt like I might have packed too much viewing and driving into a day, and so was doing nothing but chasing rock formations from one NP to another. I learned a few things about taking long driving trips by myself, even though this was by no means my first. So far I like Grand Junction a lot, too.
I decide to try out a Creole restaurant listed in the hotel’s directory of services. I find the building on a corner across town, but it’s empty. Drat, I was looking forward to mudbugs for dinner. I settle for a Mexican restaurant I passed 2 blocks back, and as I eat the immense and tasty portion of chicken and cheese with mushrooms, onions and olives in a salsa verde, I peruse some literature on homes in the area. It looks very affordable to me.
Today’s drive:
Torrey, UT to Grand Junction, CO via Capital Reef NP and Colorado NM
215 miles, just short of 3 ½ hours (excludes in-park time)
Tomorrow:
Hanging around Grand Junction
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