Southern Colorado and Utah
  PHOTOS AND INFO
     

 

  Some fantastic lodging establishments were carefully selected for this journey...    
      Far View Lodge - Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - Nestled within Mesa Verde's amazing scenery and rich history, quiet Far View Lodge features fine dining and peaceful seclusion.    
      Best Western East Zion Lodge - Mount Carmel Jct., Utah - Located on a golf course just outside the entrance to Zion National Park, this comfortable hotel is the perfect location for exploring Utah's National Parks and scenic attractions.    
      Best Western Greenwell Inn - Moab, Utah - Moab is a lush, green oasis surrounded by  rugged, barren... but nonetheless beautiful terrain. And Best Western Greenwell Inn is among the most comfortable and professional lodging that this beautiful area has to offer.    
       
       
  Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado (NPS WEBSITE)    
  Most are not aware that North America's tallest sand dunes are located in central Colorado. The park is a little off the beaten path. My early morning visit was fraught with overcast skies, but the majestic dunes were still a sight to behold. The public is invited to explore any part of the 30 square mile dunefield. Early morning and late evening are the best times to explore the dunes. The sun is closer to the horizon casting dramatic shadows and the dunes are not as hot.    
           
  PARK ENTRANCE AND DUNES   DUNES   DUNES   DUNES    
                   
               
  FALL COLORS   DUNES            
                   
       
  Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado (NPS WEBSITE)    
  I drove over 200 miles out of the way to visit this park only to discover thick high-elevation fog when I arrived. Consequently, I was unable to view this western Colorado park's most dramatic scenery.    
           
  PARK ENTRANCE   DEER   VISITOR CENTER   VISITOR CENTER    
                   
             
  BLACK CANYON   BLACK CANYON   FOG        
                   
       
  Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado (NPS WEBSITE)    
  Located in extreme southwest Colorado near Four Corners, this beautiful park is spectacular for its beautiful scenery and well-preserved history. Many of the over 400 cliff dwellings may be viewed by park visitors. The largest, Cliff Palace, is accessible via guided tour. The park has limited lodging facilities and a fantastic restaurant. The Native American themed Metate Room offers a peaceful and unique fine dining experience miles from civilization.    
         
  PARK ENTRANCE   SCENERY   CLIFF PALACE   CLIFF PALACE   BALCONY HOUSE
                   
               
      MUSEUM       WORLD HERITAGE SITE PLAQUE    
                   
         
  FAR VIEW LODGE   FAR VIEW LODGE   METATE ROOM AT FAR VIEW LODGE   TEQUILA-MARINATED SALMON -  METATE ROOM   ELK TENDERLOIN - METATE ROOM
                   
       
  Four Corners Monument, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico (WEBSITE)    
  Marking the only point in the United States shared by four states, Four Corners Monument is neither owned nor operated by the US Government nor the National Park System. It is a Tribal Park of the Navajo Nation. While many US National Parks feature Native American ruins and history, it is ironic that this Native American Park exists solely because of the artificial political boundaries placed here by European settlers. Located on an extremely remote, relatively unspectacular patch of desert. Four Corners Monument is all about taking pictures and saying you were there. A stainless steel BLM marker designates the exact spot. The marker is situated in the center of a square stone pedestal about 15 feet across. The flag of each of the four states flies in its respective corner. Native American food and souvenirs are available.    
         
  ENTRANCE   EXACT FOUR CORNERS POINT   BIG TOE IN FOUR STATES AT ONCE   WHERE FOUR STATES MEET   FOUR CORNERS
                   
         
  FOUR CORNERS   COLORADO STATE LINE   NEW MEXICO STATE LINE   ARIZONA STATE LINE   UTAH STATE LINE
                   
       
  Moab, Utah (WEBSITE)    
  Located within a few minutes drive of the spectacular Canyonlands and Arches National Parks, this little town is situated upon a green oasis in the middle of a sparsely vegetated landscape characterized by huge sandstone formations. Moab has countless hotels and restaurants for all budgets. There are plenty of family friendly attractions. Its numerous shops and art galleries give Moab a touristy, yet slightly upscale atmosphere.    
           
  HOLE IN THE ROCK   MOAB   MOAB   MOAB - NORTH END BY COLORADO RIVER    
           
  BEST WESTERN GREENWELL INN - MOAB   BEST WESTERN GREENWELL INN   BEST WESTERN GREENWELL INN   BEST WESTERN GREENWELL INN    
                   
       
  Canyonlands National Park, Utah (NPS WEBSITE)    
  One of the most underrated scenic areas in the US, Canyonlands National Park is marked by vast high-relief landscapes carved out of sandstone by millions of years of erosion. The views from Island in the Sky Visitor Center and Grand Viewpoint are among the most breathtaking you'll ever see.    
         
  PARK ENTRANCE   ISLAND IN THE SKY VISITOR CENTER   VIEW FROM ISLAND IN THE SKY VISITOR CENTER   GREEN RIVER OVERLOOK   VIEW FROM ISLAND IN THE SKY VISITOR CENTER
                   
         
  VIEW FROM ISLAND IN THE SKY VISITOR CENTER   GRAND VIEW POINT   SHAFER TRAIL ROAD   SHAFER TRAIL ROAD   GRAND VIEW POINT
                   
               
  GRAND VIEW POINT   GRAND VIEW POINT            
                   
       
  Arches National Park, Utah (NPS WEBSITE)    
  Like Canyonlands, Arches National Park features unusual rock formations and beautiful landscapes carved from the native sandstone.    
         
  PARK ENTRANCE   VISITOR CENTER   COURTHOUSE TOWERS   COURTHOUSE TOWERS   BALANCED ROCK
                   
         
  PARK AVENUE   PARK AVENUE       NORTH WINDOW   NORTH WINDOW
                   
             
  FAMOUS DELICATE ARCH   DELICATE ARCH   DOUBLE ARCH        
                   

 

  Capitol Reef National Park, Utah (NPS WEBSITE)    
         
  PARK ENTRANCE   VISITOR CENTER   CAPITOL GORGE   CAPITOL GORGE   CAPITOL GORGE
                   
         
  CAPITOL GORGE   CAPITOL GORGE   CAPITOL GORGE - VINTAGE PHOTO FROM PARK SIGN   SCENERY   SCENERY
                   
         
  "SCENIC DRIVE"   "SCENIC DRIVE"   "SCENIC DRIVE"   "SCENIC DRIVE"   SCENERY
                   
         
  SCENERY   FRUITA   FRUITA   DEER   SCENERY
                   

 

  Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument, Utah (BLM WEBSITE)    
         
  PARK SIGN   VISITOR CENTER - ESCALANTE   VISITOR CENTER - ESCALANTE   ROUTE 12   SCENERY
                   
               
  BOYNTON OVERLOOK   ROUTE 12            
                   

 

  Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah (NPS WEBSITE)    
         
  PARK ENTRANCE   VISITOR CENTER   VISITOR CENTER   BRYCE CANYON   BRYCE CANYON
                   
         
  BRYCE CANYON   BRYCE CANYON   BRYCE CANYON   BRYCE CANYON   BRYCE CANYON
                   
         
  BRYCE CANYON   BRYCE CANYON   BRYCE CANYON   BRYCE CANYON   BRYCE CANYON
                   
         
  BRYCE CANYON   BRYCE CANYON   BRYCE CANYON   BRYCE CANYON   PANHANDLING RAVEN
                   

 

  Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah (NPS WEBSITE)    
         
  PARK ENTRANCE   POINT SUPREME   CEDAR BREAKS   CEDAR BREAKS   CEDAR BREAKS
                   
           
  CEDAR BREAKS   CEDAR BREAKS   CEDAR BREAKS   CEDAR BREAKS    
                   

 

  Zion National Park, Utah (NPS WEBSITE)    
         
 

PARK ENTRANCE

   SMALL TUNNEL - WESTBOUND ENTRANCE   LARGE 1.1 MILE TUNNEL - EASTBOUND ENTRANCE   CHECKERBOARD MESA   SCENERY - ROUTE 9 EAST OF TUNNEL
                   
         
  SHUTTLE AT TEMPLE OF SINAWAVA   ZION CANYON - TEMPLE OF SINAWAVA   ZION CANYON   ZION CANYON   SCENERY
                   
         
  ZION CANYON   ZION CANYON   ZION CANYON   ZION CANYON   ZION CANYON
                   
         
  ZION CANYON VISITOR CENTER   VIEW FROM VISITOR CENTER   VIEW FROM ZION-MT. CARMEL HIGHWAY - WEST OF TUNNEL   VIEW FROM ZION-MT. CARMEL HIGHWAY - WEST OF TUNNEL   VIEW FROM ZION-MT. CARMEL HIGHWAY - WEST OF TUNNEL
                   
                 
          VIEW FROM ZION-MT. CARMEL HIGHWAY - WEST OF TUNNEL        
                   

 

  Great Basin National Park, Nevada (NPS WEBSITE)    
         
 

PARK ENTRANCE

   NEVADA STATE LINE   GREAT BASIN VISITOR CENTER - BAKER   GREAT BASIN VISITOR CENTER   GREAT BASIN VISITOR CENTER
                   
         
  VIEW FROM WHEELER PEAK SCENIC DRIVE   SCENERY   VIEW FROM WHEELER PEAK SCENIC DRIVE   ROADSIDE ART   ROADSIDE ART
                   
                 
          GREAT BASIN N.P. -  HOME OF THE V.I.P. BIRDS