#48: Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Parks

Bryce Canyon National Park is not far from Zion, which worked out well given that I didn't leave Springdale until around 4 pm. I almost waited and went the next day, but I wasn't tired and felt like driving.

I booked a campsite near Bryce to have a place to land. I arrived after dusk, so I'm glad I planned a bit and didn't have to drive around in the dark looking for a place to stay. The campground was a little "out there," and the roads getting to it were long and washboard-y. On my way, though, I passed some forest land where other people were camping, so I decided to stay at my reserved site only one night and relocate to the forest land the next day.

A constant challenge with forest land is finding a location with mobile service. One spot may have two bars, and if you move 10 feet to a different spot, it may have no bars. I wanted service because I needed to be in touch with Airstream of Utah and research upcoming destinations.

This particular area was heavily occupied, full of ATV's. I don't love camping near these guys because there are constant sounds of motors running and engines revving, but I sacrificed. It wasn't too bad, especially with this sunset.

Bryce Canyon National Park

I took one day to chill, read, and write. The next day, leaving my Airstream at the campground, Addie and I headed to Bryce Canyon. This was going to be a “drive-and-see”-type visit. The park stretches north to south and is easily drivable. After a trip to the visitor center, we knew what we wanted to see, and we hit the road to see it.

The drive was an out and back, with stops along the way to get out and check out different viewpoints of the canyon. The main points are Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration, and Bryce. The landscape is stunning and, depending on what time of day, can look very different.

I won’t lie…I wanted to hike down into the canyon—however, Addie. Although I did less activity at Bryce, Addie was with me for it, which was enough for me. Plus, you’d be surprised at how exhausting driving a park and getting in and out of the car can be. It makes for a long day!

Capitol Reef National Park

About two hours away from Bryce is Capitol Reef National Park, which was my next destination.

Capitol Reef is a geologic and historic national park. It’s known for it’s “Waterpocket Fold,” a 100-mile long warp in the earth’s crust, formed by a mountain-building event 50-70 million years ago. The name of the park originated from: 

Capitol: The Navajo Sandstone white domes that look like the tops of capitol buildings. 

Reef: The rocky cliffs, like an ocean reef.

Much of the history of the parkland is preserved. The Fruita Historic District hosts what is now known as the Gifford House. The homestead features other buildings and land development appropriate to Utah farm homes of the early 1900s. 

The park’s scenic drive runs east/west and takes you through the Waterpocket Fold. The rock formations are incredible. Addie and I stopped off the road in a few areas for a little fun with my tripod and iPhone camera.

It was Saturday, and time to start making my way back to Salt Lake City. I had one more stop along the way, which was Pando, aka, “The Trembling Giant.” Stay tuned for more on this.

#44: I'm goin' to Jackson (& Grand Teton National Park)

Jackson

Jackson, Wyoming on Labor Day weekend had been a plan in the works for a while. I had to think ahead for this particular weekend, as I was to have a very specific visitor.

Remember when COVID first hit and I sheltered-in-place in Texas for a few months? Well, I left this detail out, but I stayed with a significant someone. While in Marfa, TX, I met a gentleman. I kept it under wraps for a while because who knew what would become of it, but now, since something did come of it, I figure it’s time to let the cat out of the bag.

His name is Beau, and he is a smart, loving, funny, caring, sensitive stud of a guy. And he is a cowboy in West Texas - quite exotic for this Connecticut-born-and-raised girl. But sometimes, things click. And that is precisely what happened to us.

So, Beau came to visit me in Jackson for a long weekend. I found a pretty prime campground called Curtis Canyon about ten miles outside of Jackson: close enough to explore the city, but remote and rustic enough that Beau could get an idea of what my Airstream life was all about. We didn’t make any specific plans. We just walked around, enjoyed some local restaurants, and relaxed.

Speaking of local restaurants, an old high school friend of mine, Kevin, is quite the restauranteur in Jackson. He and his wife own and operate three local and tourist favorites: Persephone, Picnic, and Coelette. Beau and I thoroughly enjoyed a breakfast at Persephone and a lunch at Coelette. Both were delicious.

There was one thing that put a small damper on things during Beau’s visit. The Truma water heater/furnace started acting up again. Beau and I went to take showers one evening, and we couldn’t get any hot water. I was so glad I had an upcoming appointment at Airstream of Utah in Salt Lake City because I would need it. Not being able to take a shower when you want or need one is not okay.

Before long, Beau had to head back to Texas, and our holiday weekend had come to an end. Boo. However, fortunately for me, I had Grand Teton National Park to look forward to next.

Grand Teton National Park

The day Beau left, which was early September, some freak weather came through. I stepped outside of the Airstream after a nap to find this:

It was cold, and I had a broken furnace. I needed to get to some hookups. I settled on a more “luxury” RV park than I usually prefer, but it was slim pickings outside and inside Grand Teton National Park. After checking in, Addie and I headed into the park. Luckily by then, the aftermath of the snowpocalypse was melting.

We headed first to Jenny Lake - one of the classic areas of the park. The melting snow added a majestic touch to the scenery.

We stopped at Mormon Row, which you may recognize - the John Moulton Barn and the T. A. Moulton Barn are among the most photographed sites in the park.

We headed out the next morning for more exploring, heading back toward Jenny Lake. We didn’t have a plan other than to let the day happen.

On the way to the Jenny Lake area, I passed by a parking lot that seemed to be filling up quickly - Taggart Lake Trail. I knew this was a quick yet scenic hike and would feel comfortable leaving Addie in the car for the time it took me to go out and back. It’s only about three miles.

With the sun shining and the freshly-fallen snow from the day before, the trail was beautiful. The hike wasn’t too challenging, but the sites of Taggart Lake at the end made it feel like I earned it.

Addie was okay in the car. The temperature was perfect for her to chill in the back seat with the windows open. I started speaking to a few others in the parking lot and heard that the hike to Inspiration Point at Jenny Lake was a can’t-miss. I decided that was what I’d do next.

This one was a little different. I took a 12-minute shuttle boat across Jenny Lake to get to the trailhead, which provided a different perspective. The 1-mile hike to Inspiration Point presented stunning views of Jenny Lake. After checking out Hidden Falls on the way down, I hiked the Jenny Lake Trail along the lake back to the Jenny Lake Visitor Center, where I was parked.

It was a great day in the park, primarily because my plan did not involve a plan.

Later in the day and Addie and I headed to our “bougie” RV park to pack up. The following morning we would leave Jackson and go north towards Yellowstone. But, to get to Yellowstone, we needed to drive through more of Grand Teton. No complaints from me on this, as there was more of Grand Teton to see. Like Morman Row at sunrise.

During the wee hours, we got up to get to the prime location for sunrise shots of the John Moulton Barn. Of course, there were other people there to get good photos. It was a unique situation. We were all there, waiting for the sun to rise. To pass the time, we chatted and laughed together. There was a father and son, a German girl solo traveling, a young married photographer, and an older gentleman (and me). I’m not sure if we had anything in common except for our desire to get the money shot. It was fun. And worth the freezing temperatures.

After making some coffee in the Airstream, Addie and I hit the road north toward Yellowstone, passing more beautiful scenery on the way out.

Between Jackson and Grand Teton, this week was one for the books. Seeing Beau was a breath of fresh air, and, of course, getting out into the mountains was as well. I was on a bit of a Rocky Mountain high, which would continue through my time at Yellowstone National Park.