SW Utah- Capitol Reef Nat'l Park & Cedar Mesa Campground

Petroglyphs along  HWY 24  in Capitol Reef National Park

  After exploring Capitol Reef National Park for awhile, we checked in at the Visitor's Center to learn about the weather forecast and road conditions.  We orginally wanted to stay at the Cathedral Valley campground, but when we found out the drive would take hours due to severely rough road conditions, we opted to go to Cedar Mesa campground instead.  The Fruita Campground, nearest to the Visitor's Center and all of the popular sights,  is large, green and nice but it is more like you are camping in a big grassy park and there is a lot of traffic and large RV's.  The dear were nice, but we decided that adventure and privacy was what we were after.

Colorful view of a ranch with the waterpocket fold and mountains beyond
along the road to Cedar Mesa

  The drive to Cedar Mesa Campground on Notom Bullfrog road is short, very wash-board-y, and beautiful.  You don't need 4-wheel drive on this road unless there has been recent rain, always check in at the Visitor's Center, because they can inform you of closures due to flash floods.  Be sure to bring plenty of water and firewood with you as Cedar Mesa has only picnic tables, fire rings, and an outhouse, but NO WATER is available and if weather causes road damage, you could be stuck there for longer than you planned.

Chris under the tarp we rigged in case of rain

We were elated to find that we were the only campers upon arrival and were able to pick the best of the 5 spots.  A few of the sites are rather close together with only sparse shrubs and low trees for cover.
The views on all sides are spectacular though, and you are treated to a variety of color schemed based on the time of day.

Eastern ridge and mountains beyond at the beginning of the sunset

Another view to the NE at the beginning of the sunset

The Waterpocket Fold at sunset

    We had a few too many yellow jackets around our campsite, but we were determined to have a great time and enjoy the beauty and serenity. Delicious food, good beer, a nice fire, a snuggly bed, and each other were all we needed to have an excellent anniversary. We spent 4 days at Cedar Mesa, exploring, chilling and enjoying the solitude.

  The next installment will cover the drive from Cedar Mesa campground to Boulder, Utah.

SW Utah- Goblin Valley State Park

  At the end of summer 2011 we took a road trip to explore Southwestern Utah for 2 weeks.  We had both been to Moab and the surrounding area when we were younger so we decided to skip the ever-popular Arches and Canyonlands and begin our adventure a bit farther West.

The view from Goblin Valley State Park Campground 

  Our first stop was at Goblin Valley State Park, near Hanksville, Utah and about a 50 minute drive South from I-70 on Hwy 24.  The campground there was very open and not very private at all.  The scenery surrounding the campsite was wonderful but you could hear every word the neighbors uttered and one couldn't help but feeling watched.  The campground sits at 5,098 ft. above sea level so at the end of August, it was still in the high 80's (F) at night, which, added on to the noisy neighbors, made for a rather unfruitful night of sleep.  The one bonus was heated restrooms with electricity and showers which is nice when you've been on the road for a while.  The campsites cost $16 USD a night and include the $7 USD day use Park entry fee.  Each campsite has a fire ring, picnic table, and shelter of sorts to keep the sun and rain out.  Because the campground is relatively flat, finding a good spot for the tent was not a problem, but be sure not to set up in the flash-flood wash areas!  If you are able to plan ahead, we would recommend reserving sites GO18, GO19, & GO12 through ReserveAmerica.com as these are the sites with the most privacy.  This campground also has a few yurts (sort of tent/cabin hybrids) that you can rent for $60 USD a night.

Panoramic view of Campground

One of the yurts you can rent

  After a quick breakfast and tearing town our campsite, we headed off to the Goblin Valley, made up of thousands of hoodoos (eroded sandstone formations).   There are a few trails that lead down into the Valley, but once you are down there, you can go anywhere to explore and take photos.  As with most places in Utah, early morning and late evening are the best times to get the "money shots".   We were there mid-morning and were still able to get lots of good photos.  Make sure to wear sunscreen and a hat and bring lots of water as it gets very hot down in the valley.

Goblin Valley

Once we'd explored to our heart's content, we took off and headed to the Little Wildhorse Canyon (part of the San Rafael Swell). The turn off for the trailhead is back towards Hwy. 24, about 2 miles past the State Park fee station. We only did the short, first loop of the Canyon due to time restraints but we're already planning on going back to do the whole thing. This is a great introductory slot canyon and there aren't too many sketchy/tight sections to worry about, but I would still not recommend taking dogs or small children on this "trail". Bring a snack and lots of water as the heat can be very intense during the day.

  After our jaunt into the canyon, we got back on the road and headed to Capitol Reef National Monument, which is a beautiful drive so take your time and enjoy the scenery.


  The next installment will cover Capitol Reef National Park and camping at Cedar Mesa campground.