Mileage:  67,946

Superbowl Campground BLM Indian Creek Recreation Area Monticello, Utah

This morning we fixed a pancake breakfast for our guests.  We all had packing and preparing to do for the day, but it was nice to watch the changing morning light and eat together before we took off in opposite directions.

Our first stop today was the Blanding Visitor Center.  I sat in the RV and published yesterday’s blog while Tim got information about camping and travel to Canyonlands National Park.  The ranger recommended a back road to Route 211 where we were afforded spectacular views of the surrounding landscape.

We stopped at Newspaper Rock.  I prefer the Navajo name for this place, “Rock That Tells A Story” or Tse’ Hane.  These are petroglyphs etched into the desert varnish on this sandstone rockface.

We found our overnight spot in Superbowl Campground, a BLM property.  $7.50 each night with our Senior Access Pass…no hookups…but our view…tremendous!

We rested for a while before heading into Canyonlands.  We are in The Needles area of the park. 

Raven in the parking lot.

In the backcountry office, Adam helped us to make decisions about how to spend our time in the park.  He suggested that we take the 4WD trail, Colorado River Overlook, today. 

This trail was mild for the first 5 miles and then the last 2 miles involved a lot of rock climbing…but nothing radical!  The drive was definitely worth it.  When we got to the top…WOW!!!  The pictures truly do not do this justice. This is Meander Canyon.

We needed gas before tomorrow’s planned 4WD trip.  According to the literature we were given we needed to travel 35 miles to the nearest gas station…ugh!  As we were deliberating whether we should go tonight or tomorrow, I saw a sign for an RV park with a convenience store, Needles Outpost and they had GAS!  They closed at 6:00 and we got there at 5:58…they were happy to help us.  The woman and her husband had come here many years ago after living in northern Virginia, near DC.  She doesn’t miss a thing about it…not the hurry or the noise.  She is happier here where it is slower and peaceful and where people are friendlier.  She was certainly kind to us.  Oh, and the gas was $6.00 a gallon…

We had our dinner and again enjoyed watching the light on the surrounding cliffs. 

Home for the night.