USA 2019: Torrey to Moab

We continued further east today, driving from Torrey to our next base at the Days Inn in Moab. The trip was around 160 miles but a detour along the way probably took that distance up to close to 200. Most of the time we were driving through a relatively barren landscape - fantastic views but barren. No towns of any size, very little in the way of agriculture and, because of the geology, very little in the way of vegetation. Yes, there were a few green spots where there was obviously a good supply of water but, on the whole, barren. By chance I'd come across a mention of a State Park on the way, so we called off at Goblin Valley State Park. And we were glad that we did. read all about below.

Some more pteroglyphs. What's the difference between a pteroglyph and a pterograph? The former is carved or scraped into the surface, whereas the latter is drawn. The former last longer than the latter.

We get deer in our garden but not like these. These are Mule Deer and we've been seeing them off and on wherever we've been. Always great to see some fauna in the wild. Always great to see them on the menu, as well.  Mmmm, Mule Deer steaks. I'll look out for that.

Changing geology means changing colours.

We passed through miles and miles of grey barren rocks, going through an aptly named area called Luna Vista. Not a lot there, apart from piles of grey stuff. And some rather suspect looking locals. Duelling banjos anyone?

But we were never far from the red rock that we had grown accunstomed to and which adhered to our boots.

Whilst in the Goblin Valley State Park we hiked the Mount Carmel Trail. The first half or so was over mounds of the red stuff overlooking the river valley. Then we followed a stream bed that got narrower....

........and narrower.......

........and narrower......

......and narrower still.

But we did get out and could enjoy walking around the field of Goblins, which were, in actual fact, sort of mini-hoodoos. There were hundreds of them and, collectively, they were a rather weird spectacle.

More Goblins that you can shake a stick at, should you ever want to shake a stick at a goblin.

This formation is known as the Three Sisters. Before I read that I thought the name Three Chessman was be appropriate.