May 29,2013 Len,Wen,& OTIS view Canyonlands & Dead Horse Point Park

Last night after the rain, when Lennie took Otis out, he told me it was pretty chilly out! Not enough to use the extra blanket, but come morning time when I heard Lennie up, I was chilly enough I thought we needed the electric heater on!?! I heard noise in the kitchen, I thought for sure he was setting it up, but nope, he was just making coffee. I laid in bed till I heard him finish his shower. I knew then for sure if he showered without the heater, I didn't stand a chance to have it on!!! By the time I finished breakfast I was brave enough to get in the shower, besides the fact it was already warming up!!!
Today we are going to visit Canyonlands National Park & Dead Horse Point State Park.They are both relatively small parks & close making it possible to visit both parks in a day.Canyonlands National Park was  established in 1964. Only Indians, cowboys, river explorers, & uranium prospectors had dared enter this rugged corner of southeastern Utah. Canyonlands remains largely untrammeled, its roads mostly unpaved, trails primitive, & rivers free-flowing.Big horn sheep, coyotes, & other native animals roam its 527 square miles, tho....we didn't see any of these species!?!

We stopped first at the visitor's Center so I could get some postcards!

There are so many ways to view  Canyonlands. By Trail, including short & long hikes. By River, motorboats, rafts,& canoes use the Colorado & Green River, There are 4-wheel-drive guided tours, mountain bike tours, hiking trips, & river float trips year round. We did see some Jeepers & ATVers having fun!

But......if you've got a dog, you drive the whole park, miss the trails you have to walk on(no dogs allowed) & just view the overlooks that are close enough you're comfortable leaving your dog in the car. Otis wasn't the only dog waiting in a car, we saw other dogs too!

The park has sooooo much natural beauty we didn't feel cheated by having to take the shorter version!

                                          See what I mean!?!

and......

                       there's always a picnic

which gave Lennie the energy to make it up this mountain !

He must be tired after all that climbing!?!

Lennie wasn't the only one climbing, Otis did a little mountain climbing himself. I better take these tired boys out of here, we still have another park to visit!

This is how Otis rides when we're sightseeing, but somehow he knows THAT lap is off limits when we're in the RV!?!

Leaving Canyonlands, heading to Dead Horse Point State Park just a short distance away.

                           This is a State Park, Get your wallet out Len!

THE LEGENDS OF DEAD HORSE POINT
In the 1800s, cowboys used Dead Horse Point to catch wild horses. With sheer cliffs on all sides & an access only 30 yards wide, the point made a perfect horse trap. According to legend, a band of horses left corralled on the waterless point died of thirst within view of the Colorado River 2,000 feet below.

   The Colorado River blends in with the rest of the decor, so look close!           

I loved this mountain range & probably have way too many pictures of them!

Otis was allowed in this park, the only place he wasn't allowed was on trails we weren't going on anyhow, rated STRENUOUS!

If you've never been to Dead Horse Point State Park in real life, maybe you've been there in the movies!?! Dead Horse Point State Park is where the movie Thelma & Louise filmed the scene where they drove their car off the cliff !?!

Today's weather was "dog friendly" notice at times we even had a sweatshirt jacket on? We've had a full day, my eyes are ready to burst! Tomorrow they'll be all refreshed ready to start looking all over again.

Sorry Otis.....you're not coming with us tomorrow!!!