Dirt roads, natural bridges and a gravel road that winds down a cliff

---

High winds and Alan’s trip to Urgent Care to treat an infection prevented us from exploring the White Pocket area of the Vermillion Cliffs near Page, Arizona. So, we took the day off and waited for Alan’s antibiotics to begin working. By Saturday morning, we were ready to continue our trip through Navajo country to Bluff, Utah and a stay at the Desert Rose Inn and Cabins.

This area teems with outdoor activities in a rugged setting. From geology to history to archaeology, it’s best explored by jeeping, hiking or floating down the San Juan River on a raft.

We start our exploration with a drive on the red dirt of Comb Ridge Road. Bouncing along, Alan and I keep a watch on the jagged ridge to our right looking for cliff dwellings. Later, we learn that they are located on another road on the backside of Comb Ridge.

The road ends at Highway 95. We turn left and continue the scenic drive to Natural Bridges National Monument. It takes an hour to drive the loop road that stops at three natural bridges. A steep trail winds down the canyon to the first bridge, Sippapae. My fear of heights gets the best of me and I wimp out, especially when I learn that climbing down ladders is part of the journey.

It’s the same story at the next bridge, Kachina. But, by the third bridge, Owachomo, I find the trail manageable so Alan and I take the path that delivers us underneath the bridge. While the bridges are amazing geological formations, the colors don’t make for the dramatic photos that we will find later in Arches National Park.

From the monument, we head East on Highway 95 until reaching 261 South which crosses Cedar Mesa. Dirt trails veer off in every direction begging to be explored. We pass Kane Gulch Ranger Station where hikes lead into the Grand Gulch Primitive Area and a multitude of archaeological sites.

Just before the highway becomes the gravel Moki Dugway, Alan turns right on another dirt road that travels five miles to Muley Point Overlook. Crossing rangeland, the road ends at the edge of a cliff. A walk along the rocky edge provides views of Monument Valley and the Goosenecks, a series of twists and turns in the San Juan River.

“We have to come back here for a sunrise or sunset shoot,” Alan says. Our only problem is deciding which time would be best.

After lingering at Muley Point, we take the road back to Highway 261 and the beginning of the Moki Dugway. It seems odd for a paved highway to become a gravel stretch of road that climbs down a 1200’ cliff. According to one of our guidebooks, “a dugway is a means of traversing a steep hillside without sliding down the slope.” With those encouraging words, we make our way down the twisting, turning road while I hold on tightly to one of the jeep straps.

“Isn’t this a great view?” Alan asks.

“View, what view?” I respond through closed eyes. Oh, the joys of being afraid of heights!

---