SEPTEMBER 10 - Bus Tour of DEAD HORSE POINT ST. PK, CANYONLAND NP

MONDAY

SEPTEMBER 10, 2012

 

This morning was like the first day of School.
We were up early, and rareing to go.
I even had time to take this picture at 6:50 AM.

 

 

Like school kids, we boarded our two mini-buses

at 8 AM to head to Dead Horse Point State Park.
 

We arrived at the visitors center by 9 AM,

and had time to walk to the top of Dead Horse Point

with our driver/guide,

between 9:30 and 10:05AM.

We had a magnificant view of the

Colorado River, 2,000 feet below.

Our driver, David pointed out the
"DEAD HORSE"
which is a rock formation
for which the Park is named.
See if you can see it in this photo.

I had to really use my imagination to
see a Bear that supposedly
frightened the horse
and caused him to go over the Cliff
to his death,
so I will not bore you with
that picture.

Our bus tour moved right along to
CANYONLAND NATIONAL PARK by 10:30 AM,
when we stopped at the Island District Visitors Center.

The view from there was gorgeous.

,   

Shafer Canyon from the Neck,
Island in the Sky,
Canyonland, NP.

"Views from Island in the Sky reach from the depths
 of the Green and Colorado rivers
 to the  mountaintops and above.
Across canyon after canyon,
they stretch  to the horizon 100 miles distant."
(quote in the NP brochure)



The grand finale of our Tour today was
our stop at Mesa Arch.
We walked a 1/2 mile trail to the
hilltop overlooking this
spectacular scene.
Of course we all wanted to have our
pictures taken in the frame of the Arch.

After that hike, we were so glad
Fantasy had bottles of
ice cold water for us.

We headed back to town for a
simple sandwich buffet lunch.
Another nice opportunity to get
better acquainted with our traveling
companions

.
In the afternoon,
our Western National Parks Band
 rehearsed in preparation
for entertaining us,
after our Steak Dinner,
tomorrow evening.

I took a much needed Nap,
and then spent time on the phone,
checking in with family and friends.