Utah - Arizona
November 2012
Maybe you remember - our electrical starter is broken down and we are waiting for a new one from Germany. In the meantime we stay in Kanab and do some trips with a rental vehicle.
If you want to see more pictures about the area click the link to our German report: Utah - Arizona
First of all we go to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. It is a Sunday, but there aren't too many people. The next day we drive to Zion National Park. Here it is very busy and crowded, that's why we do not take the shuttle service to the canyon. But we enjoy our time in this park, we are able to watch a flock of bighorn sheep pretty close. Last but not least we visit Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.
On Monday morning our friends at home buy a new starter, take it to UPS the same morning - and on Wednesday shortly after noon the parcel arrives in Kanab. Great! Peter installs it - and everything works well. We can continue our trip.
We take the chance and drive the dirt road to Toroweap Overlook in Grand Canyon National Park. The first about 60 miles are in good condition, but then for the last five or six miles the road deteriorates. High clearance is required and 4WD is at least recommended. But the view into the canyon and onto the Colorado River is spectacular. You can spend the night at the nice, small campground and enjoy the wonderful landscape there.
Back in Kanab we do some shopping and go to the BLM-office to get a permit for Coyote Buttes South. We do not try the lottery for the Wave (on some days there are about 120 people - and there are only ten permits a day!), we were lucky to go there two years ago. Coyote Buttes South is a very remarkable area and absolutely worth a visit. But access is not as easy as to the northern section. The trip is much longer and because of deep sand you need a 4WD-vehicle. That's the reason why it is much easier to get a permit. Last time we hiked from Paw Hole Trailhead, this time we choose Cottonwood Cove trailhead. But before that we drive to White Pocket. The track is very sandy and for our big vehicle a little narrow. So we hike the last two miles. Driving and hiking takes a lot of time, that is the reason why we cannot explore the complete region.
The next morning we start before sunrise at the Cottonwood Teepees and spend a wonderful day in this spectacular area.
We follow 89A and go to Lee's Ferry. Along the roadside now and again balanced rocks. Soon we reach Page. Here we hike Lower Antelope Slot Canyon again. We can go without a guide, because we have two tripods and good cameras - thus we get a photo pass.
Lone Rock Campground is a good location to spend the night. Nearby a bumpy dirt road takes us up to Stud Horse Point with its nice hoodoos.
As we did last time we spend several days in the Valley of the Gods - a sort of miniature Monument Valley.