May 10, Needles and Beyond

We get an early start towards The Needles part of Canyonland National Park, stopping briefly at Wilson Arch and Newspaper Rock. 

Wilson arch

Newspaper Rock

Newspaper Rock is an amalgamation of “art” and inscriptions over the past 2,000 years which includes some names from 1800’s travelers.

We stop at the Visitor’s Center and get some advice before setting off to Pothole Point Trail.  Nice views from this rocky area covered with pockmarks, some holding recent rainwater.  Trail marked by small piles of rock.

These formations look like iced cup cakes.

The needles in the distance.

Next is Big Spring Canyon Overlook where we walk another rocky trail.  Just can’t capture the immensity and grandeur of the area with a camera! Look closely for Greg in the first picture below.

When we go back to the Trek we are visited by this huge and apparently hungry raven.  He perches on Greg’s side mirror,  and after I get out to walk around and take his picture, he switches to my side.  I left the side door open and he perches there, craning his neck to look inside. 

I think he was very close to joining us and exploring the inside of the Trek!   He was dissuaded, however, and I threw him a part of a granola bar as compensation.  He continued to hope for more and even flew beside us for a few yards as we drove off.

We drove down by the campground for a better view of the Needles, and after talking with a ranger there, decided to take Elephant Hill Road, which a previous ranger had advised we not do.   The sign said no vehicles over 21’ and we are just a tad more with the bikes on the back.   No problems, and we stopped about a mile in for a great view and breakfast. 

Heavy cloud cover this morning,  but a few breaks now and then as the sunlight acts like a spotlight on various features.  We waited for some light over the needles, which came briefly.  It makes such a difference, as some of the rocks seem to glow in sunlight.

The Needles were formed by a series of rock fractures caused by movement along a deep underlying layer of salt, followed by erosion from rain and snow resulting in the long columnar rock.

We stopped at Wooden Shoe Arch, and then walked a short trail at another stop to see this granary (grain storage bin), well protected and preserved from the Puebloan peoples who lived in this area. 

We travel back to the main highway and continue south through Monticello.  There are many signs, some with flashing lights, warning to watch for deer on the road –“93  crashes involving deer”.  We saw none (deer or crashes), thankfully.

We cross into AZ briefly, before heading east into New Mexico.  We are in Navajo country (Tony Hillerman comes to mind).  We pass several small Navajo towns, and go by Ship Rock, a famous landmark for travelers. Most of the area looks poor, with trailer homes or small one-story box homes.

 

About 3:45 we reach Farmington, the first sizable town, where we do a little shopping and go to an Outback for a nice Mother’s Day Dinner.   Talked with both Matt and Bryan, as well as Greg’s Mom and Gwynne.  Happy Mother's Day!