2025 - West - UT - Bluff, Valley of the Gods, Moki Dugway, Mexican Hat, Monument Valley - April 23

 4/23 - Today we needed a break from hiking.

First a picture of my favorite rock formation in Bluff - Navajo Twins

Next stop - Valley of the Gods

At the end of Valley of the Gods if you turn right you head up the Moki Dugway, a 3 mile unpaved section carved into a Cedar Mesa cliff wall back in the 1950s. We climbed to the top point in the picture below - 1200 feet.

Way out of my comfort zone.

Next was a trip to Mexican Hat for some Navajo Tacos - an open faced taco made on fry bread.

The hills near there look like a piece of material with a chevron pattern.

Below is why they call the town Mexican Hat

A view from another angle - 

We did get to see a Wild Burro in Mexican hat.

If you have ever seen the Forest Gump movie, this is the point overlooking Monument Valley where Forest ended his monumental run. There is a sign there and people come from all over to see where it happened.

2025 - West - UT - Blanding - House on Fire - April 22

 4/22 - Moved on today to Blanding Utah. The drive took us through the upper part of Lake Powell which was no longer there. The lake was dried up with the exception of the Colorado River that flows through it. Unbelievable! 

Once in Blanding we grabbed a quick lunch and away we went to hike House on Fire, one of the Anasazi Ruins. This ruin is believed to have been a granary where they stored corn probably over 800 years ago.

When the sun hits it just right the the overhang lights up like flames. Unfortunately we were not there at the right time but it was still beautiful.

This is what it looks like from below when the sun isn't reflecting on the overhang.

Big difference

2025 - West - UT - Hanksville - Moonscape Overlook, Long Dong Spire, & Bentonite Hills - April 21

 4/21 - Vaughan & I got up very early (7AM) to drive out to Moonscape Overlook to get the early morning sun. We were told that this was the best time to photograph the canyon.

The sun had just come up and the slight cloud cover really made for quite a show.

Vaughan can't resist walking out on every point he sees. This drop was considerably more than he was used to - over a 1000 feet. You definitely don't want to slip. 

A 19 year old fell to his death in January when the ground he was standing on crumbled. 

I'm not quite the daredevil.

He took some amazing pictures from the drone.

- including one of us.

This is Factory Butte - the clouds were really cooperating.

Our next hike was to Long Dong Spire.

This was the first spire we came to which was very impressive but it was not Long Dong.

Then off in the distance we saw this spire - Long Dong. This shot was taken from our drone.

That is the 2 of us down below.

Next we drove out to see the Bentonite Hills and the Mars Research Station.

We drove a little past Mars and upon our return we spotted them at Mars.

So, while we were at Long Dong, Jim & Jill went out to Moonscape and then came out here.

so here is a picture of Jim, Jill, and Jazzy on Mars.