Carpacking light in the Southwest

Last year we had spent about three weeks traveling around Utah and Colorado, and we enjoyed it so much we spent another three weeks there this year, and added in some time in New Mexico and Arizona as well

The itinerary took us South to Barstow, then East to Valley of Fire and Snow Canyon State Parks, then a few days at Zion to hike what we had missed last year.  Then Page, Lees Ferry, and Second Mesa, followed by a few days in Chaco Canyon.  That was amazing.  Then back to Mesa Verde and Hovenweep to see what we had missed last time, and a visit to Canyons of the Ancients and the Needles District of Canyonlands, since last year we only saw the Islands in the Sky section.

And to wrap it up, we went back through Blanding and Edge of the Cedars, Natural Bridges to hike the canyon, Torrey, and then a great day and a half at Fremont Indian State Park

It was a great trip. we managed about a hundred miles of hiking, despite my wife’s aching heel, and all but two nights were spent sleeping in Le Vin Blanc, our Ford E-350.   Saw more petroglyphs and pictographs than we could count—and far more than we had seen last time.   And the ruins at Chaco Canyon, Mesa Verde, Aztec, and Hovenweep were absolutely stunning

But there were also some less famous places that knocked us out.  Coal Mine Canyon in Arizona.  Fremont Indian State Park.  Valley of Fire.  Lost City Museum in Overton NV.  Who knew?

So yeah, we saw almost everything on our list.  But now we have a new list of cool things that we missed this time.  Next year…

photos and more details trip logs are on our website.  Here’s the link to part one:

https://sites.google.com/site/backpackthesierra/home/our-blog/southwesttrippartibarstowtoleesferry</p>

Thanks, those give me some ideas for future trips.

I’ve been to half of those places but I don’t see Walnut Canyon on your list.  It’s not large or as impressive as Chaco Canyon, etc, but to me it felt more intimate – like I was walking through Native American suburbs.  A dwelling 6 feet to your left, another one up ahead.

I also enjoyed taking the kids to Meteor Crater 5 months ago.  While operated by a private foundation, it is educational and non-tacky enough that I’d remembered it, from 25 years prior, as a US National Monument.

Yes!  We were at Walnut Canyon and Wupatki earlier this year.  They were terrific.  And we’ve driven by Meteor Crater twice now without stopping–same is true of Petrified Forest.