Heading to Star Valley

After a day of rest, rain and laundry, Bob and I decide that on Tuesday, April 30th, we will check out hikes and canyons on west side of Escalante since tomorrow we move on to another dry camp spot on Hole in the Wall Rd. on east side of Escalante.

The day started great.  Deer in the park just in front of Motorhome.

Then we take off for the day.

Willow Canyon

 

Fancy Rock in Canyon

This was around 5.5 miles in and out. 1st hike of the day. Next we drive to Grosvenor  Arch.  We were half way there and had to pass it on the way to the next hike. Cottonwood Narrows.

Grosvenor Double Arch

Now on down the road, not paved and really rough, high clearance and muddy from the rains. Don't need 4x4, but glad we're in a jeep with higher clearance. 

Park jeep on road at Trailhead.

this is really a narrows. Not an easy trail

Trail ends and we have to climb over rocks to get out of narrows

Climb out and walk road back to Punky( our jeep)

 The beautiful colors of the rocks made the 3.5 mile hike worth it.  Really a great day.  Head back to the park for the evening.

If you're ever in Escalante, be sure and eat at Circle D restaurant.  Great Bar-B-Que.  Also, The 4th W. Pub was a great hangout.

Next morning, we pack up and head to dry camp for hopefully a week, depending on weather, the is Wednesday, May 1st.  After getting settled, we drive out to Devils Garden and to the Dinosaur tracks.  Road is still muddy, but passable.  The Hole in the Rock road is 56 miles unpaved and rutted. Devils Garden was 10 miles out and Dinosaur was 12 miles out.

Before we leave, we're treated to these passing thru the park.

Where to park, just pick a site, that is a space.

View from our site

Devils garden reminded me of Goblin State park.  You can imagine anything from the shape of the rocks

See the faces in the rocks

A row of Aliens

Took a while to find the tracks, this was one of many. Mostly, the area is not protected and tracks are not indented in the rock, but raised. 

Back to the RV to relax for the evening and a fire.  We even had smores. No noise or lights

The next day, Bob wants to head back out Hole in the Rock Road for Peek-a-boo, Dry Gulch, and Spooky Slot Canyons.  I'm a little leery, review shows that Peek-a-boo has a 12 ft. steep climb to enter and Spooky has places that are 10 inches wide.  However, we have to go 26.5 miles out to the trailheads.

Peek-a-Book is up to the left. Photos don't show depth, but this is 12 ft straight up

Bob makes the 1st level

But, where are the handholes or foot holes. We should of watched others first

Getting down would have been a problem for me, but I didn't have to worry since Bob at 6'1" couldn't make it

Next we went up to Spooky Slot.

Entrance doesn't look bad

It does get narrow

And narroweer

I couldn't go any further, Guess I need to get skinny

You really can't tell, but the end goes up and you have to climb out

 Next we go over to Dry Gulch Slot Canyon.  All at the same trailhead.  The parking for this was above the trailhead.  You had to walk on Sandstone, either pretty much straight down or to get back, straight up.  Believe it or not going up is easier.

Entrance to Dry Gulch

Nice Canyon

 

Did get narrow, but wide in comparison

Dry Gulch wasn't dry.  Had to turn around too deep

The cars were at the top

After we left there, although hairy, not much mileage.  We decided to go on to the 34.7 mile marker to Hurricane Wash.  A 4 mile hike, but must not have been very interesting since I didn't take any pictures.

The next day, we wanted to not ride on a bumpy road, so we headed to Upper and Lower Calf Creek Falls.  The Upper Falls was almost to Boulder, UT. on Highway 12.  We took it first, only 1 mile out and 1 mile back.  No problem, except it was down sandstone approximately 600 ft. in that mile.  So of course you had to climb out. Well worth it.

On the way down.  Since I have a height fear, I didn't take alot of pictures

Upper Calf Falls

At the bottom of the falls

Had to concentrate on footing

Next we drove on up to Boulder.  We were planning on going that way the next day with the rig to  Torrey and then to Vernal.  We wanted to see how it was.  If you've never made the drive between Escalante and Boulder, UT on Highway 12, It's a must.  One of the most beautiful drives in this area. But with 14 percent grades and winding narrow roads, I question the RV.  

Pictures don't do it justice

What did I say.  4 miles of it.

Then on to Lower Calf Creek Falls.  This is only a 6.4 mile round trip and easy to moderate hike and really really worth it. 

Beautiful scenery along trail

Falls at the end of trail

See guard rail on road above

Pictographs on cliff walls

Ice water to cool the feet down

We were packing up to head out, yes down to Boulder and then to Torrey.  This is Sunday and the weather by Tuesday was going to be rainy and cold, so we were moving on.  However, when we brought the slide it, it made a really bad pop.  Bob checked and guess what, it didn't come in all the way.  A gap at the top in the front.  This had happened before and we knew the bolt on the in the middle of the slide had broke.  So now what do we do.  Decided to head to Ogden to have it fixed.  Maybe God knew we shouldn't take that road at a 14 percent grade.  Oh, well, that's life.  When you live in an RV, change is the norm.

So we make it to Ogden on Sunday evening.  Stay in the same park that our friends Nadine and Mike are in, but too tired and disgusted to really be social.  Planned to see them the next day depending on the rig problem.  Left the rig at Ray Citte Motors the next morning (they had fixed before, in different spot) it would be afternoon before we could get going.  So, we headed to the pickleball courts just to say hi to anyone we knew.  Made plans with Jeff and Lynn Gardner and Mike and Nadine for lunch and went to Walmart.  By 10:30, got call that rig was fixed.  Cancelled plans, and headed out by noon.  Since weather was moving in, we wanted to get to Star Valley and set up before the rain. (and snow).  Made it.  Now in Star Valley and between the rain days, were able to make our first hike of the year.  We were also getting some pickleball in everyday until the last 2.  Cold and wet, but will get better. 

No moose on the hike, but we did see Mountain Goats. And deer in the park.

Last look at the deer leaving the RV Park

UP high on the cliffs

Goose didn't leave her eggs unprotected

 Well, you're up to date and we're set up for the summer.  Building a new flower bed and improving our lot.  Love it up here even if it is cold and rainy.  The views of the mountains, especially snow covered are great.