Road Trip to Mesa Verde & Southern Utah

Vaughn and I took a great trip to Mesa Verde National Park and Southern Utah on the 6th, 7th & 8th of February. Mesa Verde is preserving the Ancestral Pueblo Indian cliff dwellings. Because it was winter, much of the Park was closed to us, but we were still able to see some amazing cliff dwellings. There were also Petroglyphs, with a possible explanation of what the petroglyphs might mean according to some Native American experts.

We left Mesa Verde and drove to Four Corners, taking a picture of us in 4 states simultaneously. We also saw some amazing Navajo jewelry and art. We then drove to Monument Valley, which is where all of the great desert scenery was taken. We were in awe as we drove through that landscape. Literally we drove for hours and hours through hundreds of miles of amazing redrock canyons and monuments and spires and cliffs. We felt very small indeed, and amazed once again at God's marvelous creations.

After Monument Valley we stayed at the San Juan Motel on the banks of the San Juan River in Mexican Hat, Utah. In the morning we went to the Mexican Hat Branch for Sacrament Meeting. They had dearth of priesthood holders that morning, so Vaughn helped bless the sacrament, and I was the only one passing the sacrament to the 25 people who attended the service. It was great to feel such a strong spirit in that desolate part of the world.

We made a short stop at the Goose Necks of the San Juan, where the San Juan River has carved out an amazing twisting path that curves back on itself many times. I wish I had a wide angle lense to get the whole thing in one shot. The picture included here does not do it justice. It was truly an amazing sight.

Finally we went to National Bridges National Monument, where water has created some gigantic bridges. The one shown here is the smallest, but the only one where we went all the way down and got a good shot of it.

We had an amazing trip. I am grateful to have a good friend to share such experiences with, and grateful to a merciful God who is such a fabulous artist.