Scenic Mtn Drive / Great Sand Dunes Nat Park

Beautiful drive through the Rockies.

Made a stop at Great Sand Dunes National Park - super wild and cool place. I climbed to the top of some dunes for a view of mountains and more sand.

Ouray, CO

I was planning to go south through Telluride, but since it's supposed to snow there I opted for a similar route through the town of Ouray where it's a little rainy but not snowing. Apparently Ouray is called the Switzerland of America, and it's so beautiful.










kinda want to live here someday




lots of great rock colors

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

This is a really cool, lesser crowded park. Super tall, narrow canyon with river running through it. I'm starting to get back on my feet after my bike crash, though still pretty sore!








driving through the desert with snow covered mountains in background


this morning I got a wilderness permit so that I could hike down into the canyon - super, super steep, and the trail was mostly either loose rocks or large boulders.




part of the "trail" - pictures just can't convey how steep it is

A week in Moab!

I've been in Moab for a week now.... and I'm not sure if I'll be able to leave. Had a friend come and visit for a few days and then I got sick, so I haven't been able to do the longer Canyonlands hikes that I wanted to.... but I guess that just means that I'll have to come back here! And the mountain biking is out of this world.

Some pics from Arches


double O arch


delicate arch, the one on every utah postcard


cool view from the top of a large rock


cool colors


this isn't in the national parks, just a cool little hike outside Moab. little water runoff

and now Canyonlands!!


they call it Utah's grand canyon


sunrise at Mesa Arch


classic Utah


here we see the crowd gathered under the arch




enjoying the view at Murphy Point (super bummed about not going down into the canyons, but those are all 8-10 mile hikes with brutal elevation gains, which I just can't do while I'm sick)

Dixie National Forest / Bryce Canyon / Capitol Reef

In between Zion and Bryce I escaped the crowds for a couple of days in the quiet and peaceful Dixie National Forest, which is a hidden gem. Full of lakes and bike trails.






also in the forest is Cedar Breaks National Monument which is pretty cool




Now on to Bryce! A magical hoodoo wonderland.














you can see the Fairyland Loop trail snaking down into the canyon. great 8 mile hike.

Stayed a night at Capitol Reef National Park. Super cool! Did a couple little canyon hikes and some biking. Wild rock formations...what's new













I'm now in Moab and will stay here for at least a few days... Lots to explore with Arches on one side and Canyonlands on the other! I've set up camp right on the Colorado River.