2025 - West - UT - Kanab - Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Sand Caves, & Belly of the Dragon - March 31

 3/30 - Drove to one of our favorite places - Kanab Utah

3/31 - This was a very full day. It began with the Coral Pink Sand Dunes. It was a very beautiful but very difficult walk through deep sand.

The three on the right are Vaughan, Jill & Jim.

Next we went to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary which on any given day is home to around 1700 animals of all kinds. They care for these animals until they can be adopted. 

Vaughan decided he wanted to hike up to the Sand Caves which is just outside the entrance to Best Friends.  These caves were man-made when they began mining sand. Sounds silly.

Vaughan climbing up a steep wall to get to the caves - 

From here it was a short drive to the Belly of the Dragon. First you climb down into the mouth.

next you are hiking through its throat. It gets very dark and narrow. I had to trun on my flashlight to get through but what a blast.

and out the other end.

and then back through.

2025 - West - UT - Harrisburg - Red Reef Trail - March 29

 3/29 - Hiked the Red Reef Trail today just a few miles north of St George.  Unfortunately it is still spring break and there are kids everywhere. It has made parking and hiking difficult some days. We still manage to enjoy this gorgeous country of ours. 

Along the trail is a big dead cottonwood tree in the shape of an elephant head.

Inside the elephant - 

Vaughan, Jim & Jazzy under a cottonwood.

This alcove was sacred to the people of this area. You can hear someone raising the flute and a drum throughout the canyon.

We finally reached the pools but there were so many trying to climb to the next level that we did not want to wait.

Instead we climbed up into the alcove.

Here was our flute player and drummer. The music was beautiful and haunting. He said he was playing a song to celebrate the sacred place.

Our drive back took us past Quail Creek State Park and dam.

Tonight was dinner at the Black Bear Diner. Tomorrow we head on to Kanab UT.

2025 - West - UT -St George - Hiking Snow Canyon - March 28

 3/28 - Snow Canyon gets its name from a Mormon pioneer, Erastus Snow. It rarely gets even a dusting of snow. We hiked a 3 mile loop. Gorgeous!!

Can you spot the rock climber?

Almost got the Raptor stuck in a spider web - 

First part of the hike was climbing up the Petrified Dunes - 

Then we were down in the deep red sands - 

Then back up over the hill to a lava tube.

and finally to the Butterfly Trail.

We got to see a few Gambel Quail.

and lots of lava.

Another amazing hike.