Utah Travel Guide 2012 - S7

This Region includes Grand
and San Juan, and parts of
Wayne and Garfield Counties.
SCENIC BYWAYS:
For more information on Utah’s Scenic Byways visit
www.visitutah.com/scenic-byways.
1
Trail of the Ancients National Byway
A drive through the Trail of the Ancients
Heritage Area, ancient rock art panels and
ruins from Monticello to Monument Valley,
and Blanding to Mexican Hat via Natural
Bridges NM, and Bluff to Hovenweep
National Monument and East to Colorado
2
3
4
5
6
7
5
2
6
7
8
9
Utah’s Bicentennial Highway
Hwy 95 from Hite to Blanding
Dead Horse Point Scenic Byway
Hwy 313 from Moab to Dead Horse Point SP
Indian Creek Scenic Byway
Hwy 211, 14 mi N of Monticello,
to Needles District of Canyonlands NP
Potash-Lower Colorado River Scenic Byway
Hwy 279, 3 mi N of Moab,
West along the river to end of pavement
Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway
Hwy 128, 2 mi N of Moab,
East along the river to junction with I-70
La Sal Loop Road
37-mile through La Sal Mtns, SE of Moab
ANCESTRAL PUEBLOAN
RUINS & ROCK ART:
Grand Gulch Primitive Area
15 mi SW of Natural Bridges, off Hwy 261
(Permit Required), Archaeology,
(435) 587-1500, www.blm.gov/ut
Sand Island Petroglyphs
4 mi SW of Bluff, Archaeology
(435) 587-1500, www.blm.gov/ut
Butler Wash, Mule Canyon &
Cave Towers Ruins
SW of Blanding, off Hwy 95, Archaeology,
(435) 587-1500, www.blm.gov/ut
Newspaper Rock
27 mi NW of Monticello, Archaeology,
Petroglyphs, 587-1500, www.blm.gov/ut
Sego Canyon Petroglyphs
3.5 mi N of Thompson Springs off I-70
American Indian History, Archaeology
(435) 587-1500, www.blm.gov/ut
MAJOR AREA EVENTS:
View the Utah Office of Tourism’s Utah Events
Guide online at www.visitutah.com/events.
1
2
1
1
1
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
2
International Balloon Festival (January)
Bluff, (435) 672-2341, www.bluffutah.org
Blue Mountain Triathlon (February)
Monticello, (435) 587-2271,www.monticello.org
Canyonlands Half Marathon (March)
Hwy 128 to 191, Moab, (435) 259-4525,
www.moabhalfmarathon.org
Annual Jeep Safari (March)
Moab, (435) 259-7625, www.rr4w.com
Moab Skinny Tire Festival (March)
Moab, (435) 259-3193,
www.skinnytireevents.com
White Mesa Ute Bear Dance (May)
Blanding, (435) 678-3397
Moab Arts Festival (May)
Swanny City Park, Moab
(435) 259-2742, www.moabartsfestival.org
Huff to Bluff Marathon (May)
Blanding to Bluff, (435) 678-3966,
www.hufftobluffmarathon.com
Desert Rocks Music Festival (June)
Moab, www.desertrocks.org
Canyonlands PRCA Rodeo (June)
Moab, www.moabcanyonlandsrodeo.com
Utah Navajo Fair (September)
Bluff, (928) 871-6000,
www.bluffutah.org/calendar.htm
Moab Music Festival (September)
Moab, (435) 259-7003,
www.moabmusicfest.org
San Juan ATV Safari (September)
Monticello & Blanding
(800) 574-4386, www.sanjuansafari.com
10
9
6
7
8
9
3
4
5
SCENIC PLACES:
National Parks, Monuments & Rec Areas
1
2
Arches National Park
Over 2,000 natural stone arches, 5 mi N of Moab
Biking, Camping, Canyoneering, Hiking
(435) 719-2299, www.nps.gov/arch
Canyonlands National Park
Island in the Sky & Needles Districts
Geology and grand vistas, 30 mi W of Moab
Biking, Camping, Climbing, Hiking
(435) 719-2313, www.nps.gov/cany
Hovenweep National Monument
Anasazi Indian towers and ruins, 42 mi E of Bluff
(970) 562-4282, www.nps.gov/hove
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
A sacred American Indian land with mesas and buttes
made famous in films, 24 mi SW of Mexican Hat
Geology, Hiking, Horseback Riding, (435) 727-5870
www.navajonationparks.org/htm/monumentvalley.htm
Natural Bridges National Monument
Three gigantic stone bridges in a deep scenic canyon
35 mi W of Blanding on Hwy 95, Camping, Hiking
(435) 692-1234, www.nps.gov/nabr
Manti-La Sal National Forest
La Sal & Abajo mountain ranges, Moab Ranger District
(435) 259-7155, www.fs.usda.gov/mantilasal
Bureau of Land Management
Areas throughout region, Moab Field Office
(435) 259-2100, www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab.html
Valley of the Gods
A scenic 17-mile dirt road drive thru desert landscape
10 mi NE of Mexican Hat, Geology, Hiking
(435) 587-1500, www.blm.gov/ut
Fisher Towers
Sandstone towering above the Colorado River
20 mi E of Moab, Camping, Geology, Rock Climbing
(800) 635-6622, www.blm.gov/ut
STATE PARKS:
To make reservations at a STATE PARK, call (801) 322-3770
within Salt Lake City or (800) 322-3770 toll free, or visit
www.stateparks.utah.gov.
1
2
3
Dead Horse Point State Park
31 mi W of Moab, Biking, Camping, (435) 259-2614
Edge of the Cedars State Park
Blanding, American Indian History, Museum
(435) 678- 2238
Goosenecks State Park
8 mi NW of Mexican Hat, Camping, Picnicking
(435) 678-2238
ACTIVITIES / MUSEUMS:
1
2
3
4
Dan O’Laurie Canyon Country Museum
Natural & cultural history exhibits of Canyonlands area
Moab, Archaeology, Museum, (435) 259-7985
Goulding’s Museum & Trading Post
1920s trading post, 1940s hangout of western movie
maker John Ford, Monument Valley, Pioneer History,
Museum, (800) 874-0902, www.gouldings.com
The Dinosaur Museum of Blanding
Blanding, Dinosaur Fossils, Museum
(435) 678-3454, www.dinosaur-museum.org
Indian Creek Climbing Area
31 mi NW of Monticello on Hwy 211, (435) 587-1500
RIVER RUNNING:
Check current conditions and consider hiring a professional
outfitter before beginning your river adventure! Visit
www.visitutah.com/guides-outfitters for more information.
COLORADO RIVER:
5
6
7
8
Cataract Canyon, a 212-mile, week-long whitewater
segment from Mineral Bottom to Hite Marina,
permit required, (435) 259-4351
Fisher Towers, a 15-mile, 1-day float, Hittle Bottom
to Sandy Beach, no permit required, (800) 635-6622
Westwater Canyon, a 17-mile, 1-2-day float,
Westwater to Cisco, permit required, (435) 259-7012
GREEN RIVER:
Labyrinth & Stillwater Canyons, a 70-mile, 3-8-day
flatwater trip from Green to Mineral Bottom or
Colorado River, permit required, (801) 564-3526
SAN JUAN RIVER:
Sand Island to Mexican Hat, a 26-mile, 1-3-day
whitewater float, permit required, (435) 587-1500
Mexican Hat to Lake Powell, a 54-mile, 3-6-day
mild whitewater trip, permit required, (435) 587-1500
When I was a teenager,
I read Edward Abbey’s
Desert Solitaire, which told
of the writer’s time as a park
ranger in what is present
day Arches National Park.
His vivid description of the
solitude and splendor of the area had me dreaming of
the wide open spaces of the west, far from the hustle and
bustle of my East Coast upbringing. Of course, life gets
in the way, and many years have passed. However, earlier
this year while browsing eBooks for my commute, I came
across Abbey’s masterpiece again. Before I even finished
the book, I had convinced my old college roommate to take
an early autumn trip to Arches National Park. Arriving late
in the evening, we grabbed a room in Moab, only five miles
from the park. The next morning, we entered the park early.
We decided to go straight to Delicate Arch, easily one of
the most recognizable formations in Utah. The trail to the
arch is a three mile round-trip hike that ends in a dramatic
bowl of red Navajo sandstone the size of a football field –
the arch is perched on the bowl’s rim, where it frames the
snow-capped La Sal Mountains.We spent an entire
morning in quiet contemplation of the impossible beauty
of this view. It was a long time coming, but worth the wait.
3
TRIP
N O T E S
A Hike to Delicate Arch
1
For more information about Arches National Park and
traveling in the Moab area call (435) 259-1370, or go to
www.discovermoab.com.
14
13
Last May, on a motorcoach
adventure through the four
corners area, we ventured
into Utah from the Navajo
Nation at Monument
Valley Navajo Tribal Park.
Coming from Hong Kong,
we couldn’t believe the beautiful red rock and wide open
spaces that we had only seen in the movies!We stopped at
Goulding’s Lodge and visited their Movie Museum, then
headed east to take a jeep tour through Monument
Valley. The driver was native to the area and had a wealth
of knowledge about the valley and its culture.We made
several stops at viewpoints on the valley floor where we
could also buy local Native American jewelry and handicraft
first-hand from the artists who made them. When it was
time for supper we drove northward to the town of Bluff,
where we enjoyed exploring historic Bluff Fort and
stayed for the night! Bright and early we drove out to
Hovenweep National Monument, which features a
canyon full of ancient ruins. Then we spent the afternoon
at Natural Bridges National Monument and its three
gigantic natural rock bridges formed by the power of water
erosion. They are named after ancient native people who
at one time made this area their home: “Kachina,”
“Owachomo” and “Sipapu.” To close out the day we visited
Edge of the Cedars State Park in Blanding, which
houses a large collection of Anasazi artifacts, where we
had dinner and a good night’s rest. What an amazing two
days, spent exploring the varied scenery and colorful
history of Utah’s Canyon Country.
#2 The Magic of San Juan County
4
TRIP
N O T E S
For more information about Monument Valley and the
Bluff area call (435) 587-3235 ext. 4139 or
visit www.utahscanyoncountry.com and
www.navajonationparks.org/ htm/monumentvalley.htm.
MOUNTAIN BIKING:
There are many mountain and road bike trails in the region.
Go to www.discovermoab.com and www.utahscanyoncountry.com.
12
11
Kokopelli Trail
140-mile hiking and extreme mountain bike trail from
Loma, Colorado to Moab, (435) 259-2100, www.blm.gov/ut
Slickrock Bike Trail
Legendary 11-mile trail through sandstone domes and fins
(Fee Area), E of Moab, (435) 259-2100
www.discovermoab.com/biking.htm
White Rim Trail
100-mile support road follows the plateau rim with
panoramic views, SW of Moab, (435) 719-2313
www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/whiterimroad.htm
Intrepid Trail System
Improved trails near Dead Horse Point State Park
30 mi W of Moab, (435) 259-2100
www.discovermoab.com/stateparks.htm
WILDLIFE VIEWING:
4
Scott M.Matheson Wetlands Preserve
Colorado River Wetlands, Moab, (435) 259-4629
BRET EDGE
BILL CRNKOVITCH
Utah Travel Guide 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Utah Travel Guide 2012
