Blogs from Moab, Utah, United States, North America

I drove across the Colorado River on the North side of Moab, Utah about fourteen miles NW on US Hwy. 191. Then I turned SW on US Hwy. 313 through BLM (Bureau of Land Management) property. My destination was Canyonlands National Park (I-Sky Division). I wanted to visit the great overlooks there to Grandview Point, then walk the trails on top of the large mesa rim. Also my plan was to drive the narrow dirt Shaffer Trail down to the White Rim Trail to enjoy the colourful canyons going upward, and downward to the Colorado River. Then I would drive down the Potash Road and make my camp on BLM land. (I never camp on National Park campgrounds cuz of their many silly strict rules, and possible harsh enforcement.) The fault of my plan happened when ... read more

I drove South from Interstate Hwy 70 on Utah Hwy 128. The last approx. twenty five miles to Moab, the highway followed the Colorado River downstream. On the North side of the river is Arches National Park. When I reached the North Side of Moab, Utah, they had a very nice walking and bicycle bridge over Colorado River at a City of Moab (free) Park. I made my stop in Moab for supplies then drove North up the Colorado River to Castle Valley junction and to my next camp in the La Sal Mountains. Comment: When I first started my travel adventures in Utah all that area by the Colorado was free backcountry camping; and I had a number of good camps by the river. Well times change and the only legal camps are in a ... read more

Sunday, 12 July, 2020 Yesterday morning we were getting ready to leave Stillwater campground when all our electrical systems in the camper quit. No lights, no water pump, no refrigerator. We were less than pleased, but decided we would find an RV place on the way to Moab, though I had my doubts about finding one open on a Saturday. Lucky for us Centennial RV in Grand Junction not only had a service department that was open, but Kevin, the man we spoke with, knew right away what was causing our problems. It was a blown 40 amp fuse in the truck that was preventing the camper battery from charging. Kevin replaced the fuse and had us on the road in no time, and in spite of the 100 degree temps, didn’t charge us anything. What ... read more

After a great nights sleep, and a leisurely breakfast, we headed out for a scenic ride along Rt 128 which meanders along the Colorado River. During the first few miles it began to rain. Actually we were looking forward to a little rain to wash off the mud that was covering our van. Plus we knew it was only going to be a short shower and would not ruin our day. We stopped at a movie museum that was located at the Red Cliffs Lodge. It was filled with memorabilia from the hundred plus movies, and thousands of commercials that have been filmed in the Moab area. We were surprised to find that some of our favorites, like the Eiger Sanction and City Slickers had been filmed here. After finishing our visit to the museum we ... read more

Perhaps no more iconic scenic landscape exists in the American west than Monument Valley, Utah. It appears in auto commercials, travel advertisements, and most notably, the Forrest Gump movie. I think it is the most "American" of all American scenes. Besides an iconic symbol of the American west, Monument Valley is the "sacred heart" of the Navajo Nation. Is it the pure beauty, the ruggedness, or the Navajo spirits that draw us here? Yet, it looks so familiar since we have seen it so many times on TV, and the internet. And those who know say it looks the same, whether 300 or 3000 years ago. The sky might be a different shade of blue, since we are ruining the environment, but the canyons are as deep and the sandstone buttes as towering. The magic of ... read more