Day 22 and 23: Dead Horse Point State Park

We are now at Dead Horse Point State Park, just outside Canyonlands National Park.  It was hard to get a reservation here, so the site we managed is a small one but it has a covered cooking area (which given the weather---first rainy day of the trip) is a good thing.

It was a hot afternoon when we arrived.  We left Ranger for awhile in order to check out the visitors center at the state park and also the one at the national park, about ten miles down the road.  On the way back to the campsite, we drove up to the actual “point” from which you could see for miles, including the very green Colorado River way down in the canyon.

While taking a late afternoon walk, Dan and Ranger saw a kit fox crossing the road in front of them!

When Ranger and I headed out the next morning around 7:00, there was Mr. Fox again, this time about 25 yards from the door of the camper.  He and Ranger stared at one another for a few moments; then Ranger barked.  This did not seem to frighten the fox, as he moved a few yards closer.  Then, as if having second thoughts, he turned and headed off. An hour or so later, he was back, this time right in front of the RV.  He sat nicely while I took his pictures, not intimated at all.

Dan, Ranger, and I went out for a hike in the state park in the early morning, figuring on that being the cooler part of the day. (This proved wrong----more on that later.)  We took the 1.5 mile East Rim Trail, which had great views of the canyons below.  The trail took us back to Dead Horse Point, which Dan and I had visited the previous day.  From there we picked up the 2.5 mile West Rim Trail which led back to the campsite.  Enough hiking to leave all three of us ready for a rest and lunch.

Dan and I left Ranger in the RV in early afternoon so that we see some more of Canyonlands.  However, by now, clouds had moved in, the wind picked up, and the temperature dropped into the mid-60’s.  Not having carried along a jacket or rain gear, we visited a few overlooks and then headed back to the RV.  We did manage to see Mesa Arch, one of the more famous parts of the park.

Although I have been able to pick up email on my phone in this location, it’s still too weak to post photos.  Hoping the next location (in Colorado) will allow me to go back and put some of the pictures up from the past three or four days.