9/10 Head’em off at the Shortcut

As we headed toward Brice Canyon we drove past the entrance to Mesa Verde NP. We did the east coast 4 hour tour of a park that most people spend days in.

We took the classic western “shortcut” and ended up on 50 miles of gravel, dirt and rock ranch roads. We stumbled onto the Hovenweep National Monument. Here was 1,200 year old Pueblo towers and building ruins on the rim of a canyon that were equal to and in some ways more inspiring than Mesa Verda, and nearly unknown to the general public.

We realized we would not make it to Bryce Canyon, so we set out toward Cataract Canyon in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Traveling on back roads we drove through our first big canyons. For 2 ½ hours we experienced incredible bluffs, huge rock walls and breathtaking vistas. Finally we reached the Dirty Devil confluence with the Colorado River. We read the Glen Canyon rules very carefully and determined we could camp wherever we chose. We ended on the banks of the Colorado surrounded by 1,000 ft red canyon walls at a take out point for river rafters. We watched an unequaled sunset and sunrise. I had to fly the kite before leaving. Thanks Hope and Steve. We did not see another soul until we hit the road again.