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[DirtyDog]

Entering the Bentonite Hills:


These hills were pretty spectacular but unfortunately the light was really bad this day and capturing them in a photo was difficult.

Entering Capitol Reef National Park by the back door:

[DirtyDog]

Lower South Desert Overlook:

[DirtyDog]

We had a good stop at Cathedral Valley Campground - this remote campground was free, uncrowded, and offered a great view of Cathedral Valley:

The next morning we made our descent into Cathedral Valley:

[DirtyDog]

Morrell Cabin:

Cathedral Valley:

[DirtyDog]

Glass mountain - this is a mound of large, pure gypsum crystals:



Temple of the Sun and Moon, Glass Mountain lower right:

[DirtyDog]

Spring in Cathedral Valley:


Making the return trip on Caineville Wash Road:


Finally got mike to quit doing donuts long enough to get a photo here.

[DirtyDog]

After completing the Cathedral Valley loop, we decided to head south on Notom Road and setup camp at the Cedar Mesa Campground. This is also a free backcountry campground but is much easier to access than Cathedral Valley CG, so it was pretty full. We squeezed 3 trucks into one spot:


The boyz:

[DirtyDog]

Next day, heading south on Notom Road:


Where we turned and drove up the Burr Trail Road switchbacks:

[DirtyDog]

The Burr Trail Road is gravel while in Capitol Reef but is paved in the Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument section of the road. Despite the pavement (blech!), it's a great drive:

[DirtyDog]

We popped into Deer Creek Campground just to give it a look and discovered the world's largest cottonwood tree:


At the intersection of the Burr Trail road and highway 12, in the town of Boulder, there is a restauraunt called the Burr Trail Cafe - THIS IS A MUST STOP! I was blown away by the food here. Some of the best I have ever had. Serious chefy stuff going on here.

With our Burr Trail adventure complete, we decided to hit the Devil's Backbone loop west of Boulder:


The Devil's Backbone Bridge was amazing - it spanned the jagged intersection of two canyons and there was nothing but amazing canyon views on both sides.