Utah- Part 7: B-UTAH-ful Drive through Canyonlands

We took a little run at the motel in Midvale. There was a huge grass area. After that, I packed up the car and we headed for Canyonlands National Park.

 It was a good three plus hours drive, so I stopped in Green River for a burger at Chow Hound, which I blogged about here.
In my non-existant rating system that makes no sense, I would give this National Park a 7. It earned 2 'whoa!'s, 2 "Omg!s" and four "Wow!s". Those are all good. The pictures, once again, aren't fair. I couldn't really get close to the canyon.

 The vastness of the canyon is hard to see, but it's deep and it winds. And it's very colorful.

 Most of the viewpoints were short hikes. There were signs that said No Dogs.

And the ground was super hot. It was only in the high 80s, but there was no shade and the sun felt really hot, as did the ground. It would make River hop around, and because the ground was also rocky, it increased the amount of times he stepped on sharp stones. In this video, I was panning fast because I was aware that River's feet were burning. And then I rushed over to the shade of the sign where River stood comfortably while I filmed. Until he didn't...

 For shots like this, I bring a blanket and we walk quickly to the fence separating the parking area from the wilderness. I throw the blanket up on a pedestal and he hops up on it.
Again, we couldn't see the best views of this place, but he could smell it.

This one looked cool, but the sign said no dogs, so I drove on.

I can't remember if this was a wow or a whoa. I think it was a wow.

I left River in the car while I ran out to get the best shot I could.

The drive through the park, doggie style, took about 45 minutes. It's a great place for camping and hiking, but not for exploring by car, or with a dog. The most breathtaking moments were during the drive. Not only in the park, but through Utah. 

US-6 and US-161 in particular. Also parts of I-15 are spectacular. 

The mountains and rocks are charactery and colorful. 

At one point, on the highway leading to Canyonlands, it feels as if one giant boulder is swallowing the road. For a moment there is no sky or trees; nothing but the inside of that one boulder.

And driving through the park, I caught glimpses of some of the canyons, which were incredible. And I saw the biggest hoodoo I've ever seen! Couldn't get the camera out in time, though.