Adventures in Abbeyland

[hoyden]

Part 01 (forum said I have too many pictures, so making two separate posts)

After plans fell through for a long weekend in California campering, I decided to head up to my beloved Southern Utah and visit Abbeyland with the dogs.
Pugsly was an excellent navigator.

As we headed toward Thursday nights camping spot outside of Mormon Lake, Az, a downed tree blocked our way! Oh no!

I summoned my super-powers and moved the tree out of the way with brute strength! (Pugsly might have helped a little)

We found a nice spot to overnight and settled in.

Friday travels took us through John Wayne country: Monument Valley.

It's pretty amazing area.

Fridays plan was to go up Moki Dugway (it was constructed in 1958 by Texas Zinc, a mining company, to transport uranium ore from the "Happy Jack" mine in Fry Canyon to the processing mill in Mexican Hat.) Instead, I decided to explore a bit. There is a road at the base of the climb up Moki Dugway called "Valley of the Gods Road". How could I resist checking that out? The dirt road wound around and parallelish to a pretty major wash. Of course, I wouldn't know about that until after I'd found a beautiful campsite.

It's wonderfully isolated. This was a dirt road off of the dirt Valley of the Gods road.

I checked in with my mom, who mapped my location. She noticed a wash not far. I took Argos for a walk, and found it 100 feet away. After some consultation, and sky-watching, I decided to move camp lest I get washed away in a flash flood. Mom recommended I camp up top of Moki Dugway. That sounded pretty fantastic, so up the crazy, scary switch-backs I drove.
We took a pit-stop on the twisty-turny hair-piny road and Argos took survey of the land below.

Unfortunately, as I drove up the Moki Dugway (SR261), a storm was approaching. My mom who has been there before was helping me navigate via phone. She instructed me to turn left down the dirt road off the SR261 and drive on it for three miles, where it would open up to an amazing view.
The road did indeed open up to an amazing, and vertigo inducing, view. However, right after I got parked and camper set up, it started to rain. Then pour. The storm finally cleared, with enough daylight for me to enjoy the beautiful vista.

 

[hoyden]

Set up for the night on top of Moki Dugway

That night, the wind blew something fierce, and I had imaginings of being blown right off of the cliff. It caused some pretty good anxiety. Luckily for me (not so much for my dear friend who was on the receiving end) I had cell service. We texted back and forth for a while and she sent me articles about how rare it was for a camper to actually blow over. And it would take some gale-force winds. Of course, in my mind, this was close to hurricane level, so I was only somewhat comforted. Finally, not long after midnight, the wind blew itself out and I was able to get to sleep.

I woke up to a beautiful morning.

After breakfast and walking the dogs, I left to head north to meet a friend of mine outside of Moab. Unfortunately, while I was getting camp broken down, a dense fog rolled in.
This weekend I had one job for this adventure up to southern Utah. It was to trek up one of the most dangerous roads in the U.S. and get a photo of the sign to Muley Point.
I left into the fog and kept watch for a sign for Mulay Point, but didn't see any signs.
I had one job. One stinking job....
Saturday morning meant visiting with my friend Melissa! When my plans changed suddenly last week, I scrambled to make new plans. Melissa lives up in Logan, Utah, and I thought she might be crazy enough to drop everything and meet me halfway-ish, so I sent her a note on Wednesday (I planned to leave my cottage Thursday after work). She was up for the adventure! However, because of work, she couldn't leave until Saturday. We arranged to meet at a rest stop about 30 miles south of Moab around 11am. That's as far as our planning went.
I left the Moki Dugway and had a very uneventful drive down the backside - still SR261 and drove North, East, then North again back on 191 towards Monticello, past turn offs for Canyonlands. It was difficult to drive by, but Canyonalands was for another day.
Our meeting location was right next to Hole n" the Rock. Which isn't near as interesting as I thought it would be. Well, it is pretty neat, but I thought there would be a hole. in a rock. Turns out, it was a home carved into the rock, and a tourist trap.

Fortuitously, I had actually missed the turn for our meetup rest area and had to drive an extra 2.3 miles before I found a turn-around spot. I turned right into what looked like a trailhead for horse riders. I did a u-turn in the parking area, and was getting ready to pull back on the highway when I saw a car with a camper trailer pulling out from a dirt road across the way. Curious....
It was early afternoon by the time Melissa arrived at the rest stop next to Hole N" The Rock. I made some lunch and we took a walk through the sagebrush to see what this rock hole was. When we got back to our vehicles, it was later afternoon and we talked about where to camp. I mentioned the dirt road and so we left her car at the rest stop, and piled into my truck for a scouting mission.
The dirt road was BLM land and appeared to be a popular OHV area. Kane Creek Canyon Rim. Past that "2 miles" of no camping, there were some nice camping areas!

We saw a number of four-wheelers and dirt bikes riding around. We also found a perfect camping spot with a gorgeous view of snow-capped mountains. Mount Peale?
We had to retrieve Melissa's car. What happens when you put two Chicagoans in the woods? They save their camping spot with a chair, of course!

We got her car, and set up camp. I wish I had a picture that could capture how beautiful this spot was, but this is the best I got.

I've gotten to where when I pull the truck up, I can tell if it's level - or close to it. This time, I was spot on!

There was enough daylight left for us to explore the area some. Argos and Pugsly enjoyed getting out of the truck!

After nightfall, it drizzled some, so we hung out in the camper, played cards, and enjoyed some single-malt scotch. We headed to our respective beds and slept soundly.
Today, Sunday, was a driving day. After a freakishly good breakfast at Eklecticafe in Moab, UT (seriously, if you go to Moab, eat at this place. Enormous, delicious portions and super nice staff even with a line going out the door) we said our good-byes and headed in opposite directions.
I didn't make it to Arches, or to Canyonlands, but it's foolish to try to jam that much into one long weekend. This was a fantastic trip, even with the night of insomnia due to fear of being thrown off a cliff by Mother Nature. There are so many places to boondock in these beautiful areas, I could easily spend weeks (or much more) exploring. One day....

 

[Cayuse]

Missed you by a day at the top of the Moki Dugway. I was there Thurday night and camped just about where you were at Muley Point.

Still working on getting photos out of the camera and phone and writing a post but here are a couple from Muley.

 

[ski3pin]

What a wonderful trip you had! Even with being called a luddite on occasion, I did enjoy the tale about Mom directing you via phone to your camp spot. We are planning our return and you should see the stack of books on southern Utah on the table right now that the Lady is going through and making lists. Thanks for sharing your adventure! Very nice story telling.

Oh, and the Lady's Mom worked for the Tribune during the war years and the Lady remembers the breaker bums and going to games at Wrigley!

 

[hoyden]

Cayuse - Just missed ya! I was going to go back up on Thursday too to get that picture of the sign to Muley Point but I was tired and wanted to get north to meet my friend, so I just left. I might have seen you if I had! Figures. I plan to go back up there in the not-too-distant future to get that picture! It's only about 5.5 hrs, so can go up for a regular weekend and still have a nice campover.

Did you experience windy on your over-night up there? Looking forward to your pics!

 

[hoyden]

What a wonderful trip you had! Even with being called a luddite on occasion, I did enjoy the tale about Mom directing you via phone to your camp spot. We are planning our return and you should see the stack of books on southern Utah on the table right now that the Lady is going through and making lists. Thanks for sharing your adventure! Very nice story telling.

Oh, and the Lady's Mom worked for the Tribune during the war years and the Lady remembers the breaker bums and going to games at Wrigley!

I was pretty happy to have cell service and fancy hands-free through my Tacoma. My mom and I were on the phone as I drove up the Moki Dugway. I should have included this part in the write-up - I was so scared driving up with the cliffs (midwest girl here) that when she suggested she get off the phone and let me concentrate, I made her stay on the phone because having her talking at me was helping me not be scared of the sheer drop offs next to me. Ha!

Utah is fantastic! It is very easy to find places to boondock!
From what my friend told me, Arches is pretty built up (kinda like South Rim of Grand Canyon, if you've been there) Still beautiful, but waiting in line or viewing arches with a crowd... Apparently, Canyonlands is less traffic and less commercial.
Go to Moki Dugway and Muley Point. Worth the white knuckles :-D

 

[takesiteasy]

I enjoyed your story and the photos- sounds like a great weekend. Thanks for posting your report.

 

[highz]

Thanks for the Trip Report. I enjoyed the read. I think I'm ready for a return trip to that area.

 

[hoyden]

"Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit." Abbey really said it. And in many ways.

I fell in love with the SouthWest when I was a kid. Visited Four Corners with my mom and grandparents. We rolled down the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, found scorpions under rocks (well, my grandpa and I did ), chased turquoise, ate fry bread and sopapillas, saw a rainbow on the opposite side of the Grand Canyon, and gazed into the never-ending sky.

When I was 19, I stayed outside of Albuquerque, house-sitting in a new mostly empty development called Rio Rancho (now indistinguishable from any other suburb). The watermelon mountain was in the front yard, and tumbleweeds rolled across the back. I lounged in known-by-locals-only hot springs, ate sopapillas and fry bread, and gazed into the never-ending sky.

I read Edward Abbey and remembered where my passions lived, but it took another number of years to make it to his land.

In 2008, I moved to Phoenix, Arizona to escape the cold of Chicago winter. I was back in my beloved SouthWest, but not quite as I'd imagined. I'm finally in a position to explore this amazing area. Not from the New Mexico side as I'd envisioned, but that hardly matters. It is a mere 6 hour drive to Canyonlands. Abbey would probably scoff at having any kind of camper, I embrace his love of the desert and hope to do as much exploring as possible in the near future.

 

[ski3pin]

Nothing better than a love affair with the land. Enjoy your journeys and discoveries.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Nothing better than a love affair with the land. Enjoy your journeys and discoveries.

2X-Got that right ski! Without it , where would we be? Welcome aboard Hoyden!

Smoke

 

[Cayuse]

Utah is fantastic! It is very easy to find places to boondock!
From what my friend told me, Arches is pretty built up (kinda like South Rim of Grand Canyon, if you've been there) Still beautiful, but waiting in line or viewing arches with a crowd... Apparently, Canyonlands is less traffic and less commercial.
Go to Moki Dugway and Muley Point. Worth the white knuckles :-D

If you got to Arches take the old entrance road from Balanced Rock out of the park. This is the road that Abbey talks about in Desert Solitaire, there is some great camping as soon as you get outside the park boundary. The road continues on out and intersects 191 as Willow Springs (Canyon, Creek?).

I think I could spend the rest of my life quite content exploring from the Swell south and DV / JTree east to Big Bend and never get bored.

Always try to keep at least one Abbey book in the camper...

 

[hoyden]

If you got to Arches take the old entrance road from Balanced Rock out of the park. This is the road that Abbey talks about in Desert Solitaire, there is some great camping as soon as you get outside the park boundary. The road continues on out and intersects 191 as Willow Springs (Canyon, Creek?).

I think I could spend the rest of my life quite content exploring from the Swell south and DV / JTree east to Big Bend and never get bored.

Always try to keep at least one Abbey book in the camper...

Oh! AWESOME! I want to go NOW!
Shoot... stoopid work.

I just re-re-re-re...read MonkeyWrench Gang. Have Desert Solitaire and The Brave Cowboy in camper too.

( plus a few other books. I really should use the space for kitchen items or somesuch.... )

 

[Cayuse]

Oh! AWESOME! I want to go NOW!
Shoot... stoopid work.

I just re-re-re-re...read MonkeyWrench Gang. Have Desert Solitaire and The Brave Cowboy in camper too.

( plus a few other books. I really should use the space for kitchen items or somesuch.... )

Good use of that space, I need a library in the Grandby Guidebooks and maps have another location altogether.

Lent out Desert Solitaire on this last trip to a friend's daughter. Currently reading Brave Cowboy. Trip through Monterey, CA prompted me to order Cannery Row as the next one for trip reading. For some reason I prefer books to Kindle while in the camper.

Now back to the regularly scheduled thread.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

With all the interest in Abbeyland, it's time for a reminder about the Abbey quote thread

http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/4515-edward-abbey-quote-thread/

 

[Grand Whazoo]

Awesome shots of an equally awesome area! You were lucky to get such a nice view off Muley Point, the air is typically hazy these days. Cedar Mesa has some outstanding hiking and ruins, should you ever go back. Thanks for the morning treat!

 

[Tuff Guy 62]

Great TR and some beautiful photos. I know the area well and your report is making me itch to go back soon.

Missed you at the Spring Rally, but it looks like you put your time to good use.

 

[hoyden]

Great TR and some beautiful photos. I know the area well and your report is making me itch to go back soon.

Missed you at the Spring Rally, but it looks like you put your time to good use.

Thanks! The SouthWest really is wonderful! Maybe we need a rally up southern Utah...

Looks like the Spring Rally was great! I'll get there next year

 

[hoyden]

Awesome shots of an equally awesome area! You were lucky to get such a nice view off Muley Point, the air is typically hazy these days. Cedar Mesa has some outstanding hiking and ruins, should you ever go back. Thanks for the morning treat!

I think I lucked out with the storm - cleared up beautifully. And the first thing in the morning was lovely, then fog rolled in.
I'll look up Cedar Mesa! thanks!

 

[GroovyDad]

What beautiful scenery you all had. I could almost see Abbey's old Ford truck chugging along behind you...