2010 Summer Travels part "the last"

There are two sections of Capitol Reef National Park, creatively called the south section and the north section.  The two sections are separated by highway 24.  In this post we will be traveling in the north section. This is  vast, wild, desolate, lonely, big and beautiful country.  My kind of place.  Even though we were here at the height of the tourist season, we saw a total of two other vehicles all day long.  It is the kind of area that you always carry several gallons of water, extra food and extra gear to spend several days if you break down.  The nearest cell phone service may be 40 miles or more away.

 

 

The mountains in the far background are the Henry Mountains; the last mountain range added to the map of the lower US.

This hill reminds me of a bowl of ice cream.  Of course,  most things remind me of ice cream.

There are strange rock formations called hoodoos.

Can you see the Indian?

The ridge in the background is the northern section of the Waterpocket Fold;  the formation in which the rock layers are folded back over themselves.  Up here in the north it is more eroded than the southern part.

Can you see Pat? 

She is standing on the white shelf in the lower right.

When we left Capitol Reef we traveled Utah Route 12, one of the most scenic roads in the US.  We made our way to St. George, UT where there is a big pickleball tournament every year.  After two weeks there we went to Las Vegas for a few days and finally found our way back to Surprise, AZ.  We put on a lot of miles last summer, saw a lot of interesting stuff and enjoyed every minute of it.  We will probably be here until mid April when we will be off for another  Irwin adventure.

Later

John