Continue on over yesterday’s 9300 ft mountain pass and in the distance are great expanses of white.  White ??  Sand dunes ??………………

Nope.  As you go past the long drawn out community of Boulder, there’s a farming area at the south end………..boxed in by these white cliffs.  Kinda neat.  Utah doesn’t seem to have many of those raggedy-ass dumps (ranches/farms/homes) full of junk and trash that are so common else-where.  Most of what I’ve seen has been much neater and cleaner.  This - Boulder, UT - is a picture postcard community……………..

Things change fast.  Come around a curve and along the edge of a canyon and suddenly you realize just how rugged this is……………….

The road goes on up a rise and around more curves and suddenly you’re looking out at a huge expanse of cliffs and canyons.  This is really something and goes for many miles…………..

I couldn’t believe my eyes.  A sign informed me I’d entered the Grand Staircase - Escalanté National Monument.  Ahhh, OK, I’ve heard about it but seen very little.  This was a total surprise………I’d been focused on reaching Bryce Canyon National Park.  Rivers here carved huge canyons……………..

Downstream it turned into the sorta familiar canyon tangle so common here………………..

Not to forget, we’re still coming down from that high mountain pass and the road is a little - rough ?? in places……………..

At some of the viewpoints the heavy truck was right on the edge of the cliff.  I did check carefully before leaving it, making sure the wheels were on rock and not just dirt.  Looking down into 1 of the canyons I was amazed to see a road along the creek.  What a place for the quad, I thought………………

Farther along, I saw 1 of the neatest campgrounds ever.  Turned out to be Calf Creek Campground.  Being Sunday, it was full, but sure would be a nice place to spend a few days.  All these people agreed with me.  Beautiful………………

Going on past, the road demands attention and caution………………

Climbing out of the canyon, heading for the small community of Escalanté, a look back shows the ruggedness.  The campground is in the upper portion, just left of center………………..

At the campground, a conversation with the manager told me that there are 3800 miles of ATV trails in Garfield County alone and it’s a big thing here.  Hmmm………..I think that could pretty much keep a guy busy for a summer, eh ??  Lots of lakes, lots of streams, solitude…………..I like it.  Hmmm……………???                       Lar.
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Larry Bourne
Santa Fe, NM
www.gogittum.com
www.gogittum.com/blog

Posted: July 28th, 2009 under 09 Vacation, 09-6-28 Grand Staircase - Escalanté.
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