http-equiv='refresh'/> Tin TeePee/Log Cabin: Eight Ruins, Lots Of Water, Views and an Arch

Saturday, May 2, 2015

Eight Ruins, Lots Of Water, Views and an Arch

Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1

Geri and I went to Blanding early Thursday morning to do laundry and a bit of grocery shopping.  We were back at the rigs by 10am and packed, ready to go riding by 11am.  The cowboy chose the Arch Canyon trail for our ride.  Twenty miles, eight ruins, Cathedral Arch outstanding views and about twenty water crossings later our senses were in shock!  Red rocks, ruins, running water, a massive arch—amazing!!

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The trail traveled alongside a creek and was lined with cottonwood trees making for a pleasant ride. This trail is a little more used and well known—we met up with more people on this trail than on any other we’ve traveled.

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IMG_1828Hand prints in the clay and shelving—something we’ve not see before.IMG_1830

IMG_1836Mushroom rock.

IMG_1841IMG_1850This one was WAY up on the cliff side—is it not amazing the wood structures are still standing after so many hundreds of years??

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IMG_1878And Cathedral Arch—massive, the pine tree is on the other side of the arch.

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Access to Cathedral Arch is over a well used trail but suitable for high clearance four wheel drive or ATV only. 

Friday morning dawned with beautiful clear skies once again.  We were attempting a ride onto the mesa above Arch Canyon where we rode on Thursday.  Nope—not happening!  Once we left the county road the trail quickly became a serious black diamond pile of rocks—even Larry and Geri with all their experience decided this wasn’t the trail for us.  I have some video I will post when my internet connection improves.

We called it a day shortly after lunch and spent the rest of Friday taking it easy.  After another delicious dinner Geri and I drove up the road to the Mule Canyon Ruin site—an Anasazi site occupied from AD 750 to about AD 1200.  The state of Utah and the BLM have preserved this site—

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DSCN0906When viewing all the ruins we’ve been privileged to see all four of us have speculated as to why the Anasazi disappeared.

IMG_1917Geri being Geri!

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IMG_1928Checking out the trail—that’s my rig at the bottom—we decided not to attempt this particular hill—it only got worse!IMG_1933

On Saturday, we are heading north toward Moab, Utah.

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2 comments:

  1. Jodee GravelMay 3, 2015 at 7:44 AM

    You're really seeing some spectacular country on those ATV trails! Sure makes me miss mine :-) The mystery of the Anasazi has always fascinated me, and I'm looking forward to seeing their homes. That intact kiva is amazing. The colors in the pic of Geri on the quad are gorgeous.

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  2. John and Pam (ohtheplacestheygo.wordpress.com)May 3, 2015 at 10:58 AM

    This area is an ATV heaven! You need to get back again and spend a much longer time. There is just so much to see and every visit brings new ruins. Our best ruin visits were from hiking trails, though, of at least ten miles. The Grand Gulch area has the best well preserved wild ruins. So glad you had a wonderful time:)

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