September October 2024 – Page 4 – Following Joyce & Paul's Travels in Retirement

On Monday morning, another nice day, we headed out on the road for more sightseeing. We had a minor disappointment because it was hazy in the distance. Our suspicion was confirmed at the park entrance that we were seeing smoke from a forest fire in northern Utah.

Our first stop, as we drove along the road into Canyonlands National Park was called Newspaper Rock. It was in Bears Ears National Monument.

On a large rock face were petroglyphs etched in sandstone over a period of about 2000 years, likely from B.C. times until around 1300 A.D.

Scholars have yet to interpret the meanings of the drawings but it is on the National Register of Historic Places.

We drove a bit more and came to Canyonlands National Park. We saw a neat arch called Wooden Shoe Arch.

After a visit to the visitor centre we drove the road through the park. At the end of the road was a view to the canyon floor.

On our way back along the road, we stopped for a short hike. Called Cave Spring Trail, it was a circular trail to show you where cowboys in the area made camp years ago.

Cowboys’ camp in use until about 1975. You can see the rusty tin cans left in place. The roof of the cave is blackened from the fire for cooking.

Another cave where the spring is. There is a small pool of water in the centre and the green across the middle is ferns growing out where the water seeps between the two layers of rock.

I even found fossil evidence on one of the stones in the cave.

Paul hiked the whole loop. I turned around and went back the same way because there were a couple of ladders and slick rock to navigate where Paul was.