Month: May 2019

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First Time Hiking Little Wild Horse Canyon

Every time we are with Deb we end up doing a hike that we normally wouldn’t try.  This time since it was Deb’s birthday we decided to hike two canyons near Goblin Valley State Park.  We all love slot canyons and the only way we learned about this one was when we went into the visitors center and saw T-Shirts for it.  Turns out there was a slot canyon nearby and a second canyon as well.  The only downside was there was a 1-1/2 mile stretch of dirt ATV road between them so to do both it was a 10 mile hike.   Most of us hadn’t hiked that far before, but we were all game to try it and headed out pretty early on Sunday morning. the starting point was the parking area at the bottom of the map, and the dirt ATV road was the section of black dots between the two arrows at the top of the map. The two canyon hikes are the red dots on either side.

The map sign shows the loop we were planning on making.

 

The entrance was a dry creek bed

 

With really pretty rock formations

 

Gorgeous colors

 

And there were a couple of really cool, old trees that I just loved.

 

Deb chose to do Wild Horse Canyon first and in retrospect we are glad we did it that way.  Turns out there would have been more uphill if we would have done Bell Canyon first so I am glad we did it.  Also if you don’t feel up to the full 10 miles you can hike Wild Horse up and back.  That canyon is pretty special and well worth just hiking that if you don’t want to do the whole thing.

Pretty quickly we got into the slot portion of the canyon and it was spectacular,

 

It was really good being with a group because we could help each other over the rougher sections.

 

The farther we went the tighter it got, but claustrophobia didn’t bother me at all.  The ceiling was clear, which really helped and I loved the challenge of scrambling over the rocks.  It was also almost completely flat, which made a world of difference to me.  I can hike pretty far as long as there is no incline, and really enjoyed myself.

I used my foot so you can see how narrow it was in some places!

 

 

There was also some beautiful rock formations along the way.  That is what I like so much about canyons is the water has carved great shapes into the rocks.

Some really cool marks in the stones

 

Fossilized wood in a hole in the rock.

 

Loved the multiple layers of rocks

 

We took absolutely amazing pictures, but I did want to mention one thing.  I have seen canyon pictures that are all warm and glowing and as cool as the canyon was it did NOT look like that.  I could get that effect by selecting Vivid Warm on my Iphone and took several pictures with that setting because they look so cool.  I am going to show those here, but please keep in mind the rocks just weren’t that color.  Didn’t matter to me though because of the shape of them.

Picture as it was

 

Picture with Vivid Warm filter

I took so many pictures, but here some of my favorites from the canyon.

Lee had to turn sideways a bit to get his pack through. We all wore hydration packs and were glad of the extra water.

 

We reached the end of the canyon and decided to stop for lunch.

After lunch we headed over to Bell Canyon.  This canyon had less slot features and I found the trail much harder.  The worst part though was walking 1-1/2 miles in full sun, mostly uphill, on a road to get to it. There was a slight incline and we all were struggling with it, although the canyon itself was also nice.  If I had to choose just one though, definitely Wild Horse canyon but we all felt great about meeting the challenge of hiking both.

This one had more climbing and maybe because we were getting tired it seemed harder.

 

Thank heavens for this sign or we would have kept going.

There actually were a couple of cars on the road which was surprising

 

This particular section was the worst as we all slipped down it a bit.

 

Here are some of Lee’s favorite pictures from what he took, and of course there’s a video!!!

From Left in front : Tracy, Lee, Cori. From Left back row: Deb, Steve, and Greg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was an amazing day but we were all really glad to finally see the parking lot and be done.  It was the perfect way to celebrate Deb’s birthday and I know it is a memory we will all treasure.

Supporting our Blog

We very much appreciate your support of our blog. You can help by doing any or all the following:

  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links.  There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds help support our blog.  Search Amazon.com here.
  • Purchase the ebook telling the story of how we became full-time RVers.
  • Purchase our recipe book filled with 80 recipes we have cooked in our RV and taste tested by Lee himself. You can purchase the kindle or paperback version on Amazon or buy the Apple version on Itunes.

 

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Boondocking Outside of Goblin Valley

We had so much fun at Goblin Valley that we definitely didn’t want to leave the area, but we also knew we wouldn’t be able to extend our stay in the campground.  Thankfully Lee learned that there are VAST amounts of BLM land surrounding the State park and we could boondock anywhere we wanted.  We also learned there was a long hike in a canyon close by, which seemed like the perfect thing to do for Deb’s birthday.  Over the years we have been really lucky to celebrate birthdays with our friends and although we rarely plan to be together during those times, it often turns out we are.  It’s pretty easy to make a birthday special on the road.  Cook a nice meal and plan an excursion that works with your friend’s interests.  In Deb’s case that is definitely hiking and the Wild Horse Canyon hike seemed perfect.

First we had to find a place and that turned out to be a little more challenging than expected.  Yes, there are tons and tons of spots in the area, but there were also a surprising number of people boondocking.  We also needed a spot that was big enough for three rigs, and relatively flat, which was a little more challenging.  Ultimately we just started driving down the road out of Goblin Valley and turned left at the first dirt route after the sign that tells you you have left the state park.  Once we were on that road we kept going until we found a spot that would work for us.  In retrospect after exploring the area, I would actually recommend going father on the paved road rather than turning off on the first dirt road. But that’s personal preference, it’s pretty wide open and there are lots of places to go.

Right outside of the state Park boundaries we turned down a dirt road

 

Little conference when Lee’s preferred spot was already full

 

We thought this spot might work.  GPS coordinates 38.567311,-110.748183

 

Nice!!

 

We set up our chairs and enjoyed some warm temps.

 

And Jack enjoyed this dog rug Steve and Deb bought him

 

After a while the dogs took advantage of this shady spot.

After a while Lee got bored and went exploring and found a fantastic hollow back in the rocks.  It was perfect for a campfire at night and we all took our chairs and our portable fire pit up there.  It provided some nice wind break in the evenings and was a really cool vibe.

Lee walking up to the cave.

 

How cool is that!

Goblin Valley is one of the darkest places in the US. I stink at taking night photos but managed to get this shot through the cave opening.

We knew we were staying Saturday and Sunday and weren’t sure which day to do the hike.  Ultimately we decided Sunday would be the best day based on weather, so I took Saturday to make a pot roast dinner for Deb.  Because we were boondocking and I was using the Instant Pot I needed to stay with the rig, so we all took a day to chill and folks did their own thing until dinner time.  What I have found while boondocking is I have to run the generator until the Instant Pot comes to pressure.  Once it starts counting down I turn off the generator and run the rest on our batteries, because while the Instant Pot is a high wattage device, once it’s at pressure it doesn’t use the high wattage continuously, it cycles on and off, so it doesn’t completely kill the batteries. Plus with all that fabulous Utah sun we were making more power than we were using!  Thankfully the pot roast was a big hit and I even had some Ghirardelli brownie mix for desert.  Steve found a candle and we sang Happy birthday to Deb for her birthday under the big sky.  Doesn’t get much better than that!

Lee spent some time offering tech support in our RV. The lack of internet made it a little difficult.

 

Deb, Cori, and Steve have Verizon so they took a short ride up a hill to get signal and check in. No ATT to be found anywhere so we didn’t bother.

 

Steve gave us this door grill from his RV which he couldn’t use because he got new stairs. It was perfect for us because we need to stop Jack from scratching the screen.

 

Functional and looks great. So sweet of Steve to think of us!

 

Yummy brownie sundaes with low-fat syrup and ice cream provided by Cori. The brownies were all fat though but DEE-licious!

 

Nice view!

 

And another fire as a perfect end to a birthday celebration!

 

 

 

 

Supporting our Blog

We very much appreciate your support of our blog. You can help by doing any or all the following:

  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links.  There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds help support our blog.  Search Amazon.com here.
  • Purchase the ebook telling the story of how we became full-time RVers.
  • Purchase our recipe book filled with 80 recipes we have cooked in our RV and taste tested by Lee himself. You can purchase the kindle or paperback version on Amazon or buy the Apple version on Itunes.
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First Time Hiking in Goblin Valley

A few things you should know about Goblin Valley before I show you the pictures.  First, the  “Goblins” are actually hoodoos, they are just called something different by the locals.  Second, this whole valley was near an ancient sea which may account why there are so many of them in a concentrated area.  Third, you simply cannot take a bad picture here.  It was amazing and other wordly.

Did I mention part of the 1999 movie Galaxy Quest was filmed here, because it looks like an alien planet? (It’s actually surprising that more movies haven’t been filmed here, considering the unique look. Prior to the film, access to the park from the nearest highway was a dirt road. The fees the production paid for filming at the park paid for paving the entire access road. If you’ve never seen the film, it’s really a lot of fun, especially if you grew up in the 60’s or 70’s, or are a Sci-Fi fan. Useless trivia; it was the film debut for Rainn Wilson of The Office, and Justin Long, of the “I’m a Mac/I’m a PC commercials. – Lee) Here’s a quick edit that Lee did of the best shots from the movie that were filmed in the same valley that we walked in –

Lastly, it’s not so much a hike as a “wander”.  There are no set trails, and you can get up close and personal with the goblins.  We loved it, the dogs loved it, and kids would love it.  It’s a special place and I highly recommend visiting, despite it’s remote location.

View from the parking lot

As you walk down into the first valley (there are actually three) there is so much to see

 

Lee’s pic

Initially we kept the dogs on leashes but when we got further back we just let them go.

 

And they had a blast

 

 

Even Hobie got into the action

 

We had fun too especially with the rocks that looked like other things. Like this shark.

 

A frog

Brontosauraus

 

And a turtle.

 

And whatever this was!  A duck with an Adam’s apple??

Lee saw this spooky one

Creepy …looks like a guy is stuck in the rocks.

 

I was super jealous of how Deb got Hurley to pose for her. Jack was way too excited.

This was the best we could do.  He didn’t want to sit he just wanted to run and run.

 

Thankfully Deb captured this shot of Jack which is one of my favorite pictures ever.

 

So we just focused on people shots.

The best part was probably when we climbed the hill and entered the second valley and had it all to ourselves.  We just had to be careful to keep an eye on landmarks to find our way back out, because you can’t climb out just anywhere.

Climbing into the next valley

 

Hobie was ready to explore!! He had more energy than I have seen in a long time.

Lee’s pic

 

We used this huge white and red rock as a landmark to find our way back out.

 

Lee loved exploring all the little caves and Hurley was right there with him.

 

I just loved wandering and looking at all the rock formations.

 

Jack and Hobie stayed right with me when I wandered and it was a great off leash lesson for Jack.

 

Probably the funnest part of the day was when Deb decided to climb up on a Hoodoo.  She picked a tall one which was crazy and none of the rest of us was willing to do, but we were more than willing to pose on the little tiny ones.

Deb being super brave.

 

Met not so much

 

Cori

 

Greg

 

Steve

 

Even Lee got into the act, It was that kind of place!

We all had a wonderful time, but it was more tiring than I thought.  In the afternoon the group went on a rim hike but Greg and I bowed out.  I still think the hike along the bottom was the best but I am glad they got to do two hikes.

(Added bonus for those who made it all the way to the end, the entire unedited scene from Galaxy Quest that was shot in Goblin Valley. – Lee) 

Supporting our Blog

We very much appreciate your support of our blog. You can help by doing any or all the following:

  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links.  There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds help support our blog.  Search Amazon.com here.
  • Purchase the ebook telling the story of how we became full-time RVers.
  • Purchase our recipe book filled with 80 recipes we have cooked in our RV and taste tested by Lee himself. You can purchase the kindle or paperback version on Amazon or buy the Apple version on Itunes.
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Driving to Goblin Valley

We spent our couple of days in Torrey fighting the wind and exploring the other half of Route 12.  As windy and cold as it was where we were, we felt lucky that we weren’t farther east.  We looked around for other boondocking spots that might be better, but the weather was pretty bad everywhere, and ultimately decided to just stay where we were.  Thankfully on Thursday it was time to move on to Goblin Valley and we were hoping the lower elevation would bring higher temperatures.

We rarely make campground reservations in advance, but occasionally there are parks where you have to.  Deb had visited Goblin Valley State Park 20 years before with her kids and she was anxious to return.  I had never even heard of it, but was game and she, Cori, and I all got online right when the campsites opened several months ago and snagged three spots.  We knew there wouldn’t be any cell coverage in that remote area, so Steve had taken some vacation days.  Goblin Valley isn’t really close to anything else, so again we had to plan our route.  We ended up going Route 24 right through Capitol Reef which was an absolutely beautiful drive.  Generally I don’t like to blow through national parks, but since our plan was to return and spend more time there, I just sat back and enjoyed the drive.  It was spectacular.

 

During the drive we did run into a couple of 8 percent grades, but nothing we couldn’t handle, and once we left the national park the landscape flattened out quite a bit.  We saw lots of farmland with the occasional stunning outcropping of rock.

Utah is full of remote spaces, but Goblin Valley is on a whole other level.  The closest town was Hanksville, which was 32 miles away, and we stopped to gas up and buy some ice.   What was great about the stop was we got to see a gas station built into the side of a rock and I really loved it. It’s not only super cool, but they had a great selection and the restrooms were very clean.

If you go here grab some popcorn that they make fresh daily. Yummy!

 

When you walk back to the restrooms you go through rock. Fantastic.

 

They just dry walled around the rock and left some of it bare.

Once we stocked up we headed towards the park and eventually made it.  Despite it’s remote location, the park is not cheap, costing $30 to camp (no hookups) and $15 for a day use fee. There is a reason for this though, because the goblins are pretty unique rock formations and the campground is really close to them.  We checked in, and made our way to our spot excited to see what the park had to offer.

Long, lonesome road to get there.

 

The campground is pretty small, which is part of the reason it is hard to get into.

 

It does have a dump station and nice restrooms.

 

And every site has a great pavilion which was nice.

 

And the views were pretty spectacular.

 

The sites closest to the rocks were all tent sites and despite the chilly temps were all full.

 

Jack liked it because more sand and the center section was big enough for him to run around in.

Eventually we all arrived, including Steve and Deb who had a much longer drive from Bryce.  While we were waiting Lee took the truck and drove outside of the park checking out the boondocking opportunities.  After dinner, we called it an early night, excited about going on a hike the next day.  We only had two nights inside the park and definitely wanted to make the most of it.

Gorgeous sunsets.

 

Supporting our Blog

We very much appreciate your support of our blog. You can help by doing any or all the following:

  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links.  There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds help support our blog.  Search Amazon.com here.
  • Purchase the ebook telling the story of how we became full-time RVers.
  • Purchase our recipe book filled with 80 recipes we have cooked in our RV and taste tested by Lee himself. You can purchase the kindle or paperback version on Amazon or buy the Apple version on Itunes.