Utah Canyons. November 2004

My vacation was many times postponed but finally I broke everyday rush and spent wonderful couple of weeks in Utah canyons. I would say that traveling off-season has many advantages: no crowd, plenty of space on campgrounds, sometimes you are alone even on very popular trails. It provides completely different experience of solitude and let mind to wonder freely when soul is overwhelmed by nature wonders.

Initially I was slightly disappointed by shortness of day light but then I started enjoying long quiet evening hours: muscles are aching; supper is cooking; and darkness leave no choice but reflect on day events and think about various subjects.

I recommend repeating my loop to everybody who is not afraid of single digit night temperature and sometimes less than perfect weather.

The loop: start in LasVegas and go to

- Zion National Park, from there to Bryce Canyon, then Escalante area (check out Escalante Petrified Forest state park), then proceed to Capitol Reef, then Arches, Canyonland Needles area, Bridges NP, stop by San Juan Goosenecks observation point and then come to The Grand Canyon ( note: you might want to start in the opposite direction because experiencing vastness of Utah deserts and canyons may spoil your Grand Canyon admiration).

And now some photos (they link to quite big originals ):

	Zion. Narrovs
	Zion. Subways area.
	Zion. View from campground.
	Bryce Canyon.
	Bryce Canyon. Below its rim. Queen's Garden Trail.
	Bryce Canyon area.
	Canyonland. Needles area.
	Goosenecks on San Juan river .