Dead Horse State Park/Canyonlands National Park

October 5-7, 2010


By 11:00 am, we were on our way to Dead Horse State Park, less than 25 miles up the road. Located on a mesa towering 2,000 feet above the Colorado River, it offers breathtaking views of the La Sal Mountains and Canyonlands National Park.

Except for a narrow neck of land, the mesa seems like an island. We both wondered how Dead Horse got its name. According to the legend, at the turn of the century, cowboys used the Point as a corral for wild mustangs roaming the mesa top. After they herded them across the narrow neck onto the point, they fenced off the neck, 30 yards wide, with branches and brush. With sheer cliffs on all sides, the horses had no where to go. The legend states that one time the horses were corralled and left without water where they died of thirst high above the Colorado River.



We found our site 14 and had our lounges out in no time to enjoy the sunny afternoon. It was a treat to have electric hook-ups after dry camping for several days. We took a short hike to Big Horn Overlook before calling it a day.







On Wednesday, we drove from Dead Horse State Park to Canyonlands National Park, established in 1964 and Utah's largest. We went to Island in the Sky, a broad mesa wedged between the Green and Colorado Rivers and one of the three regions of the park. After stopping at the Visitor Center, we went for a hike to Murphy Point with some spectacular views including the Shafer Canyon Trail and the White Rim Trail.






 After our hike, we drove to the Grand View Overlook. It was an amazing 100 mile canyon vista.




 We watched a thunder and lightening storm moving our way and as the wind picked up and the temperature dropped about 20 degrees,we hightailed it to the truck.




 Just a few miles down the road, we heard loud noises as if someone was throwing rocks at Dan and Gail's truck. It did not take long to figure out that it was hail and we got one hell of storm with water cascading down the rocks onto the road. I cannot imaging getting caught in one of their flash floods and hope that I never experience one.



On Friday, after breakfast, we all went on a 5.5 mile hike that looped around the campground. It offered some panoramic views of the canyons and Colorado River.






Our last evening together, we had a salmon feast while watching a lovely sunset.






Tomorrow, we sadly all part ways: the Hicks heading to Bryce Canyon NP, Dan and Gail back to Colorado, and we will be going south to Mesquite, NV. It was a fun week and we enjoyed sharing it with family and friends. Thanks Dan and Gail for all of your planning and being our social directors.