Flyabout to Rainbow Bridge over Lake Powell, Utah/Arizona

Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Utah, can be reached by boat, on foot or on horseback but my preferred method of viewing is from the air.

I got up very early to go on a scenic flight at 6am while the sun was rising. We took off from Page Airport and headed over Lake Powell and Glen Canyon National Recreational Area. It's better to go flying early in the morning when it's cooler and generally calmer. The light is quite intriguing as well.

Rainbow Bridge is the largest natural bridge in the world at 290 feet tall and 270 feet across (about 90 metres) and is considered sacred by the Navajo Indians.

When viewed from the ground Rainbow Bridge looks as though it's in the open but from the air you can see that it's tucked away amongst the rocks. Zoom in on the photo so you can see the top part of the bridge in the bottom right foreground.


Fortunately there's no visitor centre on the ground to degrade the spirituality of the place.

After my flight I headed back to Wahweap to catch a day cruise which took us over the large expanse of the lake, into some of the canyons, and to Rainbow Bridge itself. It was a short hike from the jetty but on such a hot day a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water were essential.

This is one place to put on your bucket list but see it from both the ground and the air like I did.

For further information check out Rainbow Bridge National Monument and Glen Canyon National Recreational Area.

Colossal Canyonlands Totally Awes Visitors

The title says it all. Canyonlands National Park is Utah's largest national park and it's colossal. There's mile upon mile of canyons and rockscapes and the state's slogan "Utah Rocks" is a very apt description.

This national park isn't that far from Moab, adventure capital of Utah (it reminds me a bit of New Zealand's Queenstown). There are two sections to the park, Island in the Sky, the northermost area of the park, and the Needles District, in the southernmost section, closer to Monticello.

I didn't have enough time in the southern part but the drive in was absolutely beautiful.

More time was spent in the Island in the Sky section with quite a few different landforms to stop and explore. For a quick visit to the park, you can get to the main attractions by paved road. Then there's the really rugged off road stuff for 4 wheel drives. Hiking, climbing, mountain biking and rafting are other activities to do if you plan to stay a while.

The main paved road ends at the Grand View Point Overlook. That name is an understatement, much like saying the Grand Canyon is grand. You can see canyon after canyon fading into the distance.

I took this photo more for the actual lookout with the piles of wood bordering the path than the scenery. However, if you zoom in on the photo you'll still get some idea of the canyons in the distance. I'll do more posts later to show some of the park's other beauty spots.

When I was in the park it was very hot, so I had on my trusty Akubra hat, sunscreen on my face and arms, and lots of water in the backpack. All essential when you go hiking in the Outback or Utah's desert country.

Check out Canyonlands National Park site for more information.

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Zoom in on Zion's Kolossal Kolob Canyons, Utah

Zion National Park, in southern Utah, is a park which is very spread out, having an east entrance and the main south entrance to Zion Canyon. In the northwest there's another entrance leading to the Kolob Canyons. It involves leaving the southern section of the park and heading west on Route 9 and connecting with the I-15. Well worth the drive.

The weather, while I was in the southern part of the park, was overcast and not ideal for photos, so I decided to head to the Kolob Canyons to see if I could find a patch of blue.

Here there was an excellent visitor centre and landscape much more to my liking. Unlike Zion Canyon, where I felt boxed in and had to look up at the rock formations, the Kolob Canyons were more open and easier to photograph in the landscape format (for my DVD purposes).

The location of the visitor centre is a bit deceiving because it doesn't really prepare you for the spectacular views along the road leading into the canyons. More photos of the Kolob Canyons in a future post.

Read more about the park here http://www.nps.gov/zion

Cruising the Canyons, Lake Powell, Utah/Arizona

One of the many activities to do at Lake Powell, in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, is to take a cruise around the lake and into the canyons.

Usually there are half day and full day cruises, with lunch provided on the full day ventures. On a hot day, if you choose to be on the top deck, drink plenty of water (provided) and take a hat and sunscreen. Just make sure that the hat ties on because someone on our cruise had to wave his hat goodbye as it blew off into the lake.

As you can see from the photo, the boat is right in the canyon. The cruise captain was just so skilled, he was fantastic.

Before we boarded for our cruise I was eyeing off the nice big boats moored at the jetty and was disappointed when we embarked on our smaller vessel.

However, as we proceeded through the canyons, I soon understood that a smaller vessel was more manoeuvrable. Even so, on one of the cruises, the boat was so close to the canyon wall that one of the loud speakers was smashed. No wonder the captain told us to keep inside the boat area.

Zion National Park Springs to Life

Zion National Park, Utah, has a novel way of motivating people to drink the natural spring water.

Rather than buy a new bottle of water every time, increasing the landfill problem, people are encouraged to reuse their water bottles at the bottle filling station.

I wish all water drinking fountains looked like this one.

Not only was the background beautiful but the water, cool and fresh from Zion's natural springs, was free!

Hiking is very thirsty work and people were lining up to fill up. I just managed to catch a moment when there was a break in the traffic.

Beautiful Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

In 2009, one of the best holidays I organised myself was a trip to the Southwest of the USA and southern Utah's national parks.

I started in the west with Zion National Park and followed a tourist route recommended on one of the internet sites.

At Zion Canyon, you have to look up to appreciate the canyon, whereas at Bryce Canyon, you have to look down to view a breathtaking panorama.

There are many drives and walks at the top of the canyon as well as walking and mule trails down into the canyon.

The features of the park are not only the vegetation and wildlife but in particular the rock formations and their various hues.

Sunrise and sunset are brilliant at certain points of the canyon.

One of the places I'd like to return to and explore a bit more.

Check out http://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm and Canyon Country Jigsaw Puzzles.

Houseboat Heaven on Lake Powell, Utah/Arizona

Here's a spectacular view of houseboating on a lake. Not just any lake, but a huge manmade lake, Lake Powell, in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.


The lake overlaps Arizona and Utah and provides both space and secluded spots in the canyons to find your own piece of Heaven.

I only spent a short time in the southwestern corner of the lake where the houseboat moorings are at Wahweap and Antelope Point.


To say that the area is beautiful is an understatement. The huge cliffs, magnificent rock formations and striations of the canyons are not to be missed at lake level or from the air.

Here's more information.

Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah

This photo was taken towards evening in Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah, with a storm brewing in the background.

The colours in the rocks are quite mesmerising.

I arrived late in the afternoon and had just enough time to fit in some sightseeing.

It was so comforting to find my campsite with my name on the site tag.

Booking my accommodation on the internet before I left Australia was a distinct advantage. It meant I could keep travelling for longer and still be assured of a place at the end of the day.

One day is not enough time here because there's so much to see and do. A spot to return to for sure.

My favourite saying for Utah - "Will someone please turn off the scenery!"

Check out Canyon Country Jigsaw Puzzles.

Mule Riding in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

I missed out on a mule ride down into the Grand Canyon, so I jumped at the chance to go mule riding at Bryce Canyon.

My first time on a mule (a bit scary because I don't like heights) but I was assured that my mule Angie knew what she was doing.

She did, I didn't.

All the mules followed our guide, John Henry, who was on horseback.

We followed the narrow winding trail down into the canyon stopping every now and then for photos and commentary. Spectacular scenery with the various colours of the canyon.

I was a bit sore in the backside at the end of the ride and I was definitely walking funny for the rest of the day. Another adventure ticked off the list.

Here's the rest of the story http://pilotyourlife.wordpress.com/2010/04/25/pilot-your-life-7/

Check out Canyon Country Jigsaw Puzzles.