USA Fam Trip Day 3: 16th November 2015

Another good nights sleep but up before sunrise to get ready for another busy day - had time for a quick Skype chat with my Mam though so that was a good way to start the day. Another good way to start the day is with a hearty breakfast and the Red Rock Grill didn't disappoint and with the snow lying I thought porridge was a good idea with loads of fruit and a big mug of tea. These buffet breakfasts are a great idea when you're travelling as you can stock up for the day but they're not good for the waistline! Pancakes with bacon, waffles and syrup - oh my word, glad I stuck to my porridge lol The snow has made everything look so different and, I think more beautiful as it highlights the contours of the rocks. The old tree is looking particularly lovely this morning too, it's a Fremont Cottonwood which are all over this area and provide food, roosting and nesting for all kinds of wildlife in the park from fish to birds, insects, deer and beaver. The one on the main lawn is one of the oldest in the canyon and measures over 25 metres tall...

We loaded up the mini bus and headed deeper into the National Park along the zig zag road above Pine Creek to Checkerboard Mesa...

The snow really makes the cross-hatch pattern stand out. Navajo sandstone is the most widespread rock layer in the western US and in Zion Canyon reaches it's greatest strength (over 700 metres) and is thought to be the thickest sediment layer in the world. The checkered pattern is a result of thousands of years of repeated thawing and refreezing of snow and melt water along with erosion. We continued on the Zion to Mount Carmel Highway through the 1.1 mile long tunnel which was built in the 1920's on to Kanab before dropping back into Arizona at Wahweap Overlook where there wasn't the slightest hint of snow as we stopped to look over Lake Powell with lovely blue sky and sunshine...

Lake Powell is actually a reservoir on the Colorado River which sits between Utah and Arizona and is named after the one-armed explorer John Wesley Powell, a Civil War veteran who was the first explorer in wooden boats back in 1869. It was created as a result of the building of the Glen Canyon Dam (1956 - 1966) and a few minutes south we saw it for ourselves, all 710 feet of it! ...

The original idea came about in 1924 but was shelved in favour of a dam in Black Canyon - the Hoover Dam. Despite producing over 4 billion kilowatt hours of hydroelectricity per year and all the recreational activities such as fishing and water-skiing, it is still criticised for it's impact on the environment and ecology of the Grand Canyon. The bridge was originally built to transport materials for the dam and when it was completed in 1959 was the highest arch bridge in the world. It has a little peep hole in the fencing where you can take unobstructed photos of the dam wall.

At the end of the bridge is the Carl Hayden Visitors Centre, which sits on top of the dam power plant (I wish we'd had time to do the guided tour - I know, I'm weird). It was built in 1963 and now has over a million visitors each year. There are a couple of memorials just outside the main building: a fountain for 8 co-workers who were killed in a plane crash and a bronze plaque dedicated to the 18 men who were killed during the building of the dam. Just outside the main entrance are some fossilised dinosaur footprints which came from a nearby side canyon...

About 5 miles south is one of the most photographed and breathtaking views in the area: Horseshoe Bend. A large parking area leads to a wide path over a flat-topped hill which leads down to an un-fenced view of almost sheer cliffs, down the 1,100 feet drop to the river below...

I've wanted to photograph here for a long time and whilst I was taking this shot, Curtis was having kittens!!! And Kevin was taking this one of me...

I don't think Curtis will ever forgive me for that! Good job it wasn't this year as I'd never have been able to do it with my knee problems :) From here we headed north to Page where we had lunch and then continued our journey into the Navajo Tribal Park. By the time we arrived at the Navajo National Monument - Betatakin Ruins the weather had taken a turn for the worst so it was back on with the layers and a hike through the snow to the viewpoint...

High on the Shonto plateau are three cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloan People - Kits'iil (Broken Pottery), Ts'ah Bii' Kin (Inscription House) and Bitat'ahkin (Ledge House). These little villages, built in sandstone, mud mortar and wood date as far back as 1250AD and have remain unchanged since these times. There are various hikes and trails in the area as well as camping and picnic grounds but we only had time to do the Sandal Trail from the visitors centre to the overlook at the Ledge House. There are trails which take you right into the settlements themselves, but I'd rather view from afar...

A little over an hour later and we were back in Utah and checking in at Goulding's Lodge. Literally on the edge of the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Goulding's Trading Post was set up in the early 1920's by Harry and Leone Goulding. Working with the local Navajo people, trading jewellery and rugs for food etc, it wasn't long before they were able to build a permanent building which is now the site museum. The Navajo Reservation suffered greatly during the Great Depression in the 1930's and The Goulding's heard of a company looking for film locations in the Southwest, so used their last $60 to head to Hollywood and meet with film director John Ford. As soon as he saw it, he knew it was the perfect location for his next movie "Stagecoach" starring John Wayne. In the following years, more and more people came to film, photograph, paint and experience the stunning surroundings and the Goulding's built the lodge and dining facilities and now hosts thousands of people every year from all over the world who come to marvel at Monument Valley.

Thanks to Judith for her picture from her room :) It was a bit of a rush as we needed to head out on the tour bus before the light faded, but our Navajo guide quickly got us across the road and in among the huge sandstone buttes...

We didn't have enough time to complete the 17 mile "Valley Drive" but we did get to see Sentinel Mesa...

East and West Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte...

Elephant Butte...

The Three Sisters and Mitchell Mesa...

and The Thumb...

We did have time for some fun in the fading light, and tried to do some perspective pictures but (as always) mine failed miserably lol...

We also made a stop at John Ford's Point for iconic photos of this amazing natural landscape. I took this one of Stacey who was brave enough to get on the horse!...

John Ford was a famous American film director most known for his Western films and his use of rugged locations. His first film shot in Monument Valley was Stagecoach in 1939 starring John Wayne and Claire Trevor. We made it back to the hotel in the dark and crossed the car park to the dining room behind the hotel for dinner. A bit of an odd place to say the least but we ate well and headed off to bed. Early start in the morning for sunrise at The View Hotel / Visitor Centre.