IntrepidXJ
Explorer
Memorial Day Weekend | Friday - Monday, May 23-26, 2014
It's been over three years since I have been to the Maze District of Canyonlands National Park and I have been wanting to get back. Earlier this year I decided to try out Canyonlands' new online permit system and got a permit for a few campsites in The Maze over Memorial Day weekend. The last time I was in The Maze we camped in the Land of Standing Rocks, but this time I wanted to make sure we spent a night at the Maze Overlook. I also wanted to check out the Millard Campsite along the Green River since it seems like a pretty remote area of the park and I haven't heard about too many people driving out to it.
After work on Friday, I picked up Diane and we headed west into Utah. I topped off my fuel tank in Green River and we grabbed a bite to eat for dinner before heading south on Highway 24 through a very heavy storm that dumped a lot of rain in the area and caused some flash flooding. It left wet road conditions behind and even some deep water holes in the roads. These conditions slowed us down a little, but didn't stop us. We would find minor washed out sections of the roads and trails we drove for the rest of the weekend, but luckily none were completely washed out. We made the long, wet and bumpy ride out to the High Spur campsite atop the Orange Cliffs overlooking Millard Canyon and setup camp in the twilight. It had stopped raining by the time we were setting up camp, so at least we didn't have to deal with getting wet. We wanted to try and watch the Camelopardalids meteor shower this evening, but the clouds that still filled the sky prevented that. As we went to sleep we could see flashes of lightning off in the distance, but they were far enough away that we didn't even hear any thunder. I had a hard time falling asleep this evening and ended up not getting much sleep at all.
Ready to start our adventure on this stormy evening as we turn off Highway 24 onto the Hans Flat Road.
The Beginning by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
I don't recall it raining overnight, but the tent was soaked in the morning, so maybe I slept through it? Even without much sleep I woke up before sunrise and hiked over to the rim of Millard Canyon to shoot a few sunrise photos. The clouds had cleared out and the sky was mostly clear by now.
Looking down from the rim as the sunlight strikes the edge of the sandstone below.
Millard Below by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Cool rock formations near the High Spur campsite.
Morning Rocks by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
High Spur Camp by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
High Spur Sunrise by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
The Buttes of the Cross are on the other side of Millard Canyon. We will be getting a better view of those later in the day.
Over Millard Canyon by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Cleopatra's Chair is the prominent sandstone formation in the middle at the top of this photo.
Cleopatra's Chair by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Millard Canyon Sunrise by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
After we broke down camp and loaded it into the Jeep, we drove a little further on The Spur to the beginnign of the Deadmans Trail. The road appeared recently washed out in a few places, but it wasn't anything my Jeep couldn't handle. I've hiked to the Great Gallery in Horseshoe Canyon from the typical trailhead a few times before but have always wanted to hike down to it from the Deadmans Trail. When I first planned this trip I was hoping to hike down in the dark and photograph the Great Gallery while it was still in the shade, but thanks to a lack of sleep and catching the sunrise at camp I will have to try that another time in the future. Some of the pictographs were still in the shade when we arrived, but not all of them. We were the first and only people at the panel this morning which was nice and relaxing. After sitting and studying the panel for a while we started the climb back out of the canyon to the Jeep so we could continue on our journey.
Leaving High Spur camp.
Leaving High Spur by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Ready to start our hike down the Deadmans Trail.
Deadmans Trail by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A nice view down into Horseshoe Canyon.
Horseshoe Canyon by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Hills & Light by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Ghosts of the Great Gallery.
Great Gallery Ghosts by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Amazing detailed pictographs.
Details by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
The Holy Ghost Panel.
Holy Ghost by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A steep climb back up the Deadmans Trail.
Steep by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Sandstone formations inside a shallow alcove along the trail.
Alcove Design by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
It's been over three years since I have been to the Maze District of Canyonlands National Park and I have been wanting to get back. Earlier this year I decided to try out Canyonlands' new online permit system and got a permit for a few campsites in The Maze over Memorial Day weekend. The last time I was in The Maze we camped in the Land of Standing Rocks, but this time I wanted to make sure we spent a night at the Maze Overlook. I also wanted to check out the Millard Campsite along the Green River since it seems like a pretty remote area of the park and I haven't heard about too many people driving out to it.
After work on Friday, I picked up Diane and we headed west into Utah. I topped off my fuel tank in Green River and we grabbed a bite to eat for dinner before heading south on Highway 24 through a very heavy storm that dumped a lot of rain in the area and caused some flash flooding. It left wet road conditions behind and even some deep water holes in the roads. These conditions slowed us down a little, but didn't stop us. We would find minor washed out sections of the roads and trails we drove for the rest of the weekend, but luckily none were completely washed out. We made the long, wet and bumpy ride out to the High Spur campsite atop the Orange Cliffs overlooking Millard Canyon and setup camp in the twilight. It had stopped raining by the time we were setting up camp, so at least we didn't have to deal with getting wet. We wanted to try and watch the Camelopardalids meteor shower this evening, but the clouds that still filled the sky prevented that. As we went to sleep we could see flashes of lightning off in the distance, but they were far enough away that we didn't even hear any thunder. I had a hard time falling asleep this evening and ended up not getting much sleep at all.
Ready to start our adventure on this stormy evening as we turn off Highway 24 onto the Hans Flat Road.
The Beginning by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
I don't recall it raining overnight, but the tent was soaked in the morning, so maybe I slept through it? Even without much sleep I woke up before sunrise and hiked over to the rim of Millard Canyon to shoot a few sunrise photos. The clouds had cleared out and the sky was mostly clear by now.
Looking down from the rim as the sunlight strikes the edge of the sandstone below.
Millard Below by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Cool rock formations near the High Spur campsite.
Morning Rocks by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
High Spur Camp by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
High Spur Sunrise by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
The Buttes of the Cross are on the other side of Millard Canyon. We will be getting a better view of those later in the day.
Over Millard Canyon by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Cleopatra's Chair is the prominent sandstone formation in the middle at the top of this photo.
Cleopatra's Chair by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Millard Canyon Sunrise by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
After we broke down camp and loaded it into the Jeep, we drove a little further on The Spur to the beginnign of the Deadmans Trail. The road appeared recently washed out in a few places, but it wasn't anything my Jeep couldn't handle. I've hiked to the Great Gallery in Horseshoe Canyon from the typical trailhead a few times before but have always wanted to hike down to it from the Deadmans Trail. When I first planned this trip I was hoping to hike down in the dark and photograph the Great Gallery while it was still in the shade, but thanks to a lack of sleep and catching the sunrise at camp I will have to try that another time in the future. Some of the pictographs were still in the shade when we arrived, but not all of them. We were the first and only people at the panel this morning which was nice and relaxing. After sitting and studying the panel for a while we started the climb back out of the canyon to the Jeep so we could continue on our journey.
Leaving High Spur camp.
Leaving High Spur by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Ready to start our hike down the Deadmans Trail.
Deadmans Trail by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A nice view down into Horseshoe Canyon.
Horseshoe Canyon by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Hills & Light by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Ghosts of the Great Gallery.
Great Gallery Ghosts by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Amazing detailed pictographs.
Details by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
The Holy Ghost Panel.
Holy Ghost by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A steep climb back up the Deadmans Trail.
Steep by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Sandstone formations inside a shallow alcove along the trail.
Alcove Design by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr