Today was a good day. A tip from a photographer in the Grand Canyon yesterday led me to one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen, the Horseshoe Bend Overlook of the Colorado River just outside of Page. But before I get ahead of myself, the scenery along the highways out here is incredible. The drive from Flagstaff up to Page on 89 and then on to Kayenta on 98 and 160 feels like driving inside the Grand Canyon. There's a mountain pass just after the 89alt split that is carved straight through the rock. There's so much to see and it just never gets old. You never know what kind of landscape you'll get around each bend. It's also fun to watch the subtle shifts as you traverse a couple hundred miles.
Anyway, back to the Horseshoe Overlook. There's a bit of a hike to get to it (1.5 miles roundtrip), it only took about 45 minutes. The catch is the climb back out is up a soft sandy slope, and it's at 4200ft. I took several opportunities to catch one last look before continuing up the slope :) The overlook itself is impressive, you look down on the Colorado River, several hundred feet down carved out of the red rock. Along the river banks there's a bunch of vegetation so you've got greens and reds and the sky today was unreal, a perfect deep blue. Well worth the effort to get out to see it and I had timed it just right so when I got there there were only 2 other people at the overlook. On the way out a busload of people was coming down the trail.
A Park Ranger at the Horseshoe Bend had tipped me off to the Glen Canyon Dam overlook behind the park service headquarters so that was my next stop. The view here is quite good too. There were a few boats out on the river and someone fly-fishing. I'd love to know where you get the tour boats from because they were down around the Bend too.
After that I got on to the reason I had come to Page in the first place, Antelope Canyon. I found the sign for it at Hwy98 (there IS a sign ;) and got on a 1pm tour to the upper canyon. It's a short ride down a dry riverbed (not so dry when there are flash floods) to the canyon opening. It's a very cool place to visit, a narrow slot canyon carved out of the sandstone. Lots of interesting views looking straight up at how the wind and water have made their way through the rock. I would have liked to have more time for pictures (and less people) so I'll be making a return trip at some point. I'd be going back for another look anyway :)
I motored on from Page to Kayenta and got checked in to the hotel around 5:30. I had hoped to make it into town with enough time to head to Monument Valley and it worked out perfectly. I had done the drive through the Valley last year but this time I planned to keep it a bit simpler (and less abusive to the TT) and just shoot the sunset from the visitor center. The sky was very clear and there was great light into the valley except for one short cloud layer that briefly dimmed the show. I have been hoping to get some sunset shots somewhere on this trip and wasn't disappointed with the show this evening. Watching the light change and the shadows crawling across the valley floor as the sun went down, it would be hard to improve on that finish to today.
All of the pics. It's getting harder and harder to pic out which ones to post.
Trip Stats:
322 miles
5hrs 20 minutes of driving
61mph average speed
32mpg
12k ft climbed
one stop for gas (with a bunch of dogs wandering around the gas station)
2 comments:
oh man..... beautiful shots! I always tell people I love it out west in the desert of the 4 corners area states and I don't think they understand why. You do though, don't you. I could explore there forever.
I don't think you can understand until you've been here. Some of the sights yesterday were just so overwhelming. That first view of the Colorado, driving down 163 with the setting sun over my left shoulder. Can't wait to see what the rest of the week brings :)
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