Happy Campers
I am catching up on the blog since the past couple of months have been a happy whirlwind. Getting back out and exploring has been breath of fresh air. Traveling is a little different than in the past but still good.
Heading west from St George, Utah, we would be passing the 40,000 acres of Valley of Fire State Park. The bright red Aztec sandstone outcrops contain petrified trees
and petroglyphs from the Basket makers era about 2,500 years ago, followed later by the early Puebloans and then Paiutes living in this area in 1865 when Mormons settled.
As we descended into the valley, it was 10 degrees warmer than when we left St George.
There are two campgrounds with a combined total of 72 units, a handful with water and electric. Both are first come first serve and very popular. We arrived by 8:30 am and snagged a great spot and were fine using our solar. Then headed out for some hiking.
Another interesting campsite.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area was our back up plan for boondocking if we weren't able to get a campsite. We preferred the east entrance but there is plenty of room on the west and not far from Las Vegas. There is a lot to explore in the recreation area to keep us happy for quite a few days.
Rainbow Vista Trail to the Fire Canyon Overlook leads through a narrow canyon, over sand and rock, to a drop-off that looks out over the red, bowl-shaped Fire Canyon. Jagged red rocks rise above and fall off below from the viewpoint. Along the way are a number of small arches.
Beehives
The petroglyphs at Atlatl Rock are worth seeing. A long set of metal stairs has been installed along the rock face to allow visitors to reach the petroglyphs. Not many people were out and about when we stopped. Everyone gave each other plenty of space to be on the rock.
Cell coverage is non-existent in most of the park.
Our stop in Valley of Fire was far too brief with so many interesting trails to explore. But I am glad we made the stop.
