Book Description

This is Book 4, of four books, that tours the Grand Circle Adventure parks in southern Utah and northern Arizona. The areas covered in this book are shown on the front cover and the Table of Contents. An e-book, with color photographs, is also available.Book purchase site: www.southutahparks.com This book is a combination of driving, hiking, Mountain-Biking and other tours such as horseback riding. There are suggestions of what to see and do for each tour. We also identify free dry-camp (no facilities) sites and Hostels to reduce travel expenses. Your exact location is known by using a meticulous identification of MPs (mile posts along the road indicating mileage) located at each mile (1.6 km) on every improved road. Where those MPs are not available, we use actual miles from a designated reference point. Where applicable, Global Positioning data (GPS) is supplied to complement walking tours in remote areas. Using this collection of information, you will always know your exact location. Book organization starts with the Table of Contents. Under each major Trip there are many individual Tours. Within each Tour, there are other sections: 1.0 Information, 2-Visitor Center; 3-Services; 4-Lodging; 5-Camping, 6-Hiking; 7-Other Tours (Biking, Horse, Rafting, etc.) and 8-Driving Tours.Park Introduction> Canyonlands-Needles District - Tall multicolored Cedar Mesa Sandstone spires (needles) are unique to this park. Needles is primarily a hiking adventure that lures backcountry hikers from around the world to marvel at its geology along its 60 miles (96 km) of trails. It also has challenging 4-Wheel Drive (4-WD) roads of which Elephant Hill is considered one of the most challenging roads in Utah. Within Needles there are many natural arches and ancient Indian ruins and their rock art consisting of petroglyphs and pictographs. Unique to Needles, are the pictographs of faces and especially the All American Man, who is hidden in a small cave.> National Bridges National Monument - This primary attraction consists of three massive natural bridges created by water erosion, unlike arches that are created by wind erosion and natural decomposition. There is a driving loop coupled with a short walk to an overlook of each of these bridges. The charm is a canyon hike that passes under each bridge. Along this trail are ancient Anasazi Ruins and rock art.> Gooseneck State Park - The San Juan River twists 6 miles (9.7 km) while only traversing 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east to west. The river is almost 1,500 feet (457 m) below the cliff edge. > Hovenweep National Monument - This trip goes to an area where over 2,500 people lived in four separate villages arriving here about 900 A.D. All their dwellings were on an open mesa or in a shallow canyon, that are easily accessible. What makes these ruins very unique, are their artistic designs. > Monument Valley - No area on earth is more representative of America's wild west era of cowboys and Indians. There is a 17-mile (27 km) driving tour along these buttes (mittens). Individual Navajo guided tours are also available that includes horse rides. This park is owned by the Navajo Indian nation.> Navajo National Monument - This 'park' hosts the finest preserved ancient Anasazi Indian ruin village in the U.S. - Keet Seel. Another adjacent ancient village is Betaken. Both villages are open to hikers guided by a Ranger. Keet Seel is a suggested overnight hike. There are two excellent park campgrounds.> Grand Gulch Indian Ruins - This general area hosts over 2,500 ancient Indian ruins and unlimited hiking. The most concentrated and grandeur are in Grand Gulch whose distance to the San Juan River is 50 miles (80 km). Near this gulch are other ruins in various canyons. The most significant is Moon House Ruin known for its broad white banner, with an image of a moon within it. > Valley of the Gods - This area hosts magnificent buttes on a smaller scale than those at Monument Valley.