Our next day of exploring the hinterland in Utah takes us about 3 hours south of Moab to Natural Bridges National Monument. We've just got to get through this notch first.
Natural Bridges is know for 3 main stone bridges. The first of these is Sipapu, a Hopi name meaning "Place of Emergence" believed to be the entranceway where the ancients entered the world. Or, "don't fall off", there's a bit of debate about the literal meaning.
Here's a closer look. Bridges are stone arches where water runs under the arch. They're called arches when no water is present.
After all the driving and walking, it's time for lunch. Why do you always have a good appetite in the outdoors?
On to the next world famous bridge. This one is called Kachina Bridge.
Again, a closer view. Kachina is named for some rock art symbols found there that resemble figures found on kachina dolls. Or is Hopi for "don't fall off".
The last of the 3 famous bridges is the Brooklyn Bridge. Sorry, google gave me the wrong info. It's actually Owachomo Bridge. Which is a Hopi word for rock mound, that bump on the very left side of which I cut most of it off cause I didn't know at the time that was important. To me this is the most spectacular; it's long and much more slender. Hope you can make it out. I don't know why they didn't call this one "don't fall off". I guess they assumed no one would be stupid enough to try crossing it.
Our next destination is Valley of the Gods which is a few miles south of here. But, to get to the valley, we must climb down off the top of the plateau we're on. Fortunately a narrow 4 wheel drive gravel descent road is provided.
Go 5 miles an hour, ride your brakes and hug the cliff side, piece of cake.
We are down and in the Valley of the Gods. That is the wall we descended. I'm glad we don't have to go back up that way.
The road through Valley of the Gods is also a 4 wheel drive only dirt road, impassable when it's wet. Once we're on it I can see why, but the scenery is worth it.
This formation is called "Lady in a Tub". Kinda looks like it doesn't it.
I couldn't find the name for this formation in the brochure but I really think it looks like Winnie the Pooh and his Hunney pot. If you can enlarge the very central formation, you'll see what I mean. Or maybe it's just me.
This is part of the trail we're driving on. This was a washout until it was repaired enough for us off roaders a couple of days ago. A big rain had washed it out; apparently part of the system that had given us the snow in the mountains a few days ago. It's amazing how all of this is connected somehow.
The 17 miles of the Valley of the Gods trail has taken us about an hour and a half. And I loved the drive. It's the first time that I've really taken the Jeep on an off road adventure worth it's salt. Grammie, not quite so excited. Now to find lodging worthy of this adventure and live to blog another day. PS, if you can zoom in on the formation sort of central left, it's called setting hen butte. I've seen a setting hen and that's a very apt name for it. More Utah to come.
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