Moved to Monument Valley

Yesterday's move from Dolores to here was very uneventful.  And, Buddy did great - did not get sick at all.  I hope we have figured out just how to keep him calm.  Time - and moves - will tell.

The McPhee Reservoir in Dolores is at an all-time low, hope have bad winter to replenish

Passed the Sleeping Ute Mountain near Cortez

And Ute Casino, last year no camping, now they have it

Turned west, saw Shiprock in distance

Wide open, nothingness 

Dropping down to cross the San Juan River, major river to Colorado

4 Corners area was packed with tourists

Crossed over the 4 Corners area which is inside the Navajo Nation territory.  Saw some very pretty scenery, and watched the temperature climb from 42 to 87 when we got here.  That's okay, time to put the heaters away.  Sad to say that we also said goodbye to hardwood trees - oak, maple, evergreen.  No more trees for awhile.

Welcome to Navajo Nation

And Arizona

Called Baby Rocks, they were cute!

Tried to get into a different campground than the one we are in (a KOA which we try not to use) but they were booked.  Most campgrounds will close by the end of the month so people are getting in their last look.  Monument Valley is an area we have wanted to visit, just never had the chance to venture into it.  Always was moving either to the west past or to the east.  Bucket list - check.

We have booked 2 separate tours, you cannot venture into most of the area, it is private.  But with a licensed tour guide, you go where they go and pretty much anywhere.  Today's visit will be in an area called Mystery Valley.  We are not sure when we will do the second tour, weather dependent.  Seems there is a remnant of a hurricane creeping up the Baja California coast into Arizona.

The KOA is right near the left butte in the distance

The view through kitchen window this morning

3 of the donkeys who were serenading us last night

We were serenaded all night with donkeys who roam around.  The first time I heard them had no idea what we were listening to.  Then all night they roamed around, baying.  Got to be a nuisance after awhile.  We are nestled right near some beautiful sand sculptures.  Impressive.

Sand Canyon Trail

Yesterday we went west of Cortez (where Mesa Verde National Park is) to Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.  This area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.  We had stopped by this area last year in May, but we were too tired to take any of the trails, we had spent the day at Hovenweep National Monument walking their trails.

These rocks are known as the Castle Rock Ruins

Once we parked the car on slick rock which was a bit dicey to do, we started up the incline to the trailhead, following the huge cairns as guides.  We stopped and chatted with a hiker coming down and asked about what there was to see.  He explained that every so ofter you will see a spur marker where a small trail takes off from the main trail.  This is an indication of a ruin to view.

The cairns were huge, could not miss seeing them

Junipers were very healthy

Spur marker, again, could not miss seeing these

Stone hogan

Dramatic rock formations

Once we got on top of the mesa, we started along the trail and came to a stone hogan.  Clearly was from ancient times.  Our next find was along a spur trail, and was pretty neat to see.

Heading into one of the spur trails

Could get near the ruins

If we would have hiked the whole trail, we would have gone 7 1/2 miles.  The temperature was beginning to climb and although the trail was easy, relative, the heat got to us.  We had lots of water and food but the dryness and sweating from the exertion of being in the desert, a little too much.  As it was we made it to 4 ruins and then turned around and headed back.  Did about 3 miles of hiking.

If we had more time, and another day, there is another trail in the same area that hugs the cliffs to the west, and supposed to be many more ruins.  Maybe another day.

Impressive

Geyser Spring Trail

After talking with the Forest Rangers in Dolores, they steered us to 2 different places to hike.  Tuesday we drove up into the foothills of the Durango/Silverton area to Bear Creek Trail.  Was nothing spectacular regarding scenery, the aspens are at the peak of changing and with the brilliant blue sky, driving along on the Forest Service dirt road, was pleasant.  Found the trail, saw where the trail is impassible due to the damage from the 416 (Durango) Fire earlier this summer so we decided to just go a bit, enjoy the aspens and the leaves, and head back.  Did not go far, the trail went steadily down and we knew we had to climb back up.

Common site around this area

I like how the gold of the aspens frames out the road

Came across the Jersey Jim Fire Tower

All the luxuries included

These guys hanging around right at the base of tower - should have named it Jersey Kids

Pretty

Wednesday it rained all day, a welcome change from the extreme draught conditions.  We hunkered down for the day.  But yesterday, we wanted to get out since we were cooped up all the day and headed to the only geyser in Colorado, the Geyser Spring.  We were not sure if we could even go on the trail thinking it would be muddy.  Located about 25 north and east of Dolores, we traveled on another Forest Service Road, but the views were spectacular.

Checking out the Bear Creek Trail

Trail went down, easy going, but tough coming back up

Nice walk in the woods

Saw many RVs - we think they are hunters

Found the trail head, changed and off we went.  Climbed steadily up 500 feet from our start of 8800 feet, by the time we got to the geyser area, we were huffing and puffing.  We would go a bit, stop, rest, get our breathe, and keep going.  At one stop we heard something weird and right by us was a bubbling open pit with the foulest smelling air - sulfur!  We found one small geyser.

Yeah, I could live there!

Small geyser - could smell it and hear it before we saw it

On we trekked up into the mountains, could really smell the sulfur. Phew.  Came across a sign that said foot traffic only (definitely the trail was used by horseback riders), dropped down 500 feet and saw the large geyser.  This was not like Yellowstone's geysers, but still was active, quite aqua blue, stinky, and bubbling.  The information said that the geyser erupts (bubbles) every 20 to 30 minutes, so we stayed put watching the pool for about an hour.  Did see the cycles where the water was very turbulent and then calmed down.

Could just peak ahead and see the turquoise pool

If you faint, leave.  Duh.

"Erupting"

And calm

A little rustic, someone was living there

Dunton Hot Springs, right near geyser

Continued to drive north on the FS road

At Lizard Head Pass

Bicyclists, wow

After getting back down to the car, we decided to continue on the Forest Service Road to where it met back up with Route 145, the route the campground is on.  Saw some lovely scenery, the Lizard Head Mountains and Pass right in front of us.  Little dicey to drop back down, but again, the car did great.

Saw more hunters

Almost down to highway and turn to home. about 10,000 feet altitude