After my close brush with forestry, I wasn’t feeling much like playing tourist while towing my trailer. I drove by Monument Valley. I might have stayed over, but the attendant at the park entrance couldn’t tell me if they had any room in the campground. I didn’t feel like paying the $20 entrance fee to find out. Besides, There were lots of formations visible from the highway.
I was fascinated by the pinkish color in the clouds.
I assume it was caused by the light reflecting off the red sand and rocks.
I guess I will just have to add Monument Valley to the “next time” list.
I chugged on out of Arizona and back into Utah. I crossed the San Juan River at Mexican Hat, which is a very small town. According to the 2010 census, 31 hearty souls lived there at an elevation of 4,244 feet. I’m not 100% positive, but I think that it was just a one lane bridge crossing the San Juan River, with a tight turn right after I crossed. I kept both hands on the wheel and both eyes on the road.
I did glance up and spy the rock formation that gives the town it’s name.
I borrowed this shot from the internet, just to let you know why the town was named Mexican Hat. I was too busy driving to snap a photo!
Just a few more miles and I arrived at my destination: Goosenecks State Park. It is named after the goosenecks that the San Juan River created as it headed downstream.
This is my first attempt at a panoramic view using my iPhone. The from the start of the goosenecks to the end, there is six miles of river. That six miles meanders back and forth within a space of four miles. At least, that’s what I remember reading someplace.
It’s 1000 feet from the edge down to the water.
I was amused by the cross section sign that has a little stick figure at the rim.
This sign drove the message home if the other sign was not explicit enough.
This was the view out the door of my trailer.
If you look carefully, you can see rafters heading downstream in this shot.
I suppose I could have parked a little closer to the edge…but why?
This is a popular park for people just to drive in and visit and then drive back out. When I arrived, I was the only person there. I made camp and fixed a little dinner. When I looked outside again, the park had filled up!
Many people came and stayed one night. There were a large number of rental campers and vans at this park. Some were your usual campers. Others were more interesting.
This company is called Jucy RV Rentals and they bill themselves as having “everything including the kitchen sink.” The people using this camper were visiting from Switzerland and they were kind enough to show me the kitchen sink, which is in the back. The rear lift gate opens up to show the kitchen area.
The pod on the top opens up to create a tent. It was cold and the wind was strong, so they just slept inside the night they were there. Of course, I had to show them Flo, too. I gave tours to people from France and Germany as well as a couple American states while I was there.
The price was right and I had a little bit stronger cell phone signal, so that I could continue working on my repair issues, so I decided to make Gooseneck State Park my home base while I was in the area.
After all, I was at the end of the road.