5.17.14 - 5.25.14 - Arizona

5.17.14 – 5.19.14                The OK RV Park in Holbrook, AZ is about 20 miles from the Petrified Forrest and Painted Desert National Parks.  This area is pretty barren and devoid of much in the way of trees and bushes, except in our campground they do have some trees which they water, via underground irrigation, every day. 

On our way to Holbrook, we stopped at the Meteor Crater, just a few miles off I-40.  After paying the $32.00 entry fee ($16 ea. Senior price which I thought was a bit steep for a self guided tour that lasted less than 1 hour), we watched a 10 minute movie about the meteor that created this impact crater nearly one mile across.  Walking outside along the edge of the crater we were nearly blown away – the wind was extremely strong out there. It was hard to walk or talk or even hold the camera for these pics, but it was pretty awesome - and; once inside, we realized we had been here before; probably back in the early 70's.

Meteor Crater - Nearly one mile across

You can't see it in this pic, but the wind was so strong it was really hard to walk outside

 

On day two in Holbrook we drove to the Petrified Forrest Park entrance 20 miles away and then the 28 mile drive through the Forrest and ending at the Painted Desert Visitors Center.  Some pretty impressive scenery.

 

Throughout the Petrified Forrest there are thousands of pieces lying on the ground.  It is a crime to pick up or disturb any of these within the park, although there are gift shops that sell pieces found outside the boundaries of the park.

 

Painted Desert

Painted Desert

Painted Desert Petroglyphs

 

5.19.14 – 5.25.14  -  We spent 6 nights in Page, AZ which is just 6 miles from the Utah state border and the Glen Canyon Dam which holds the water that forms Lake Powell.  What a gorgeous area!   

Glen Canyon Dam

This bridge crosses the gorge in front of the dam

 

Lake Powell - Horseshoe Bend

 

Lake Powell

 

Lone Rock - Lake Powell

We spent one day driving to the Utah side, only six miles North of Page, and headed out on a gravel road 24 miles to Alstrom Point which overlooks Lake Powell.  The area in Utah is in "The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument".  The road narrows about 10 miles in and turns to a purely Four wheel drive road the last two miles.  On our 24 mile drive, we encountered only 4 other vehicles. At one point I considered stopping, but we were too close to quit and I’m glad we did. There was one point that I thought was too narrow for my truck, but with June looking out the passenger side window, we creeped past a rocky tire cutter ledge by less than an inch.

Lake Powel views from Utah, Alstrom Point

 

 

To date, this trip, this is the best scenery we've seen.  Weather is great; life is good! Relocating  to Panguitch, Utah tomorrow.....