Headed out last Wednesday morning, arrived in Moab Thursday.

Left Moab this morning and hit Bryce Canyon today, off tomorrow for Williams AZ and the Grand Canyon.

Been taking lots of photos as well as some videos.

Ever get the feeling you are insignificant in the grand scheme?



Overlooking the Colorado River


Shafer Switchbacks





Where the Green River joins the Colorado





Onion Creek Trail





Not sure what to make of this sign. It was in all the National Park restrooms we visited in the Moab area (Arches and Canyonlands)

The sign at Bryce Canyon didn’t have the “Do not stand on toilet” and “Do not shit on floor” admonishments though. I guess Bryce caters to a higher level clientele?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 911Boss,

We have simliar signs in the shitters in parks in NM, too. They are just really deep pits/tanks, so trash would be a PITA to get out.

Watch your sunglasses!

Sounds like you have some really nice plans for the rest of the trip. Williams had some good food. I was just out there a few months back and visited the Grand Canyon for the first time, even though I've been living right next door for nearly 2 decades.

That is some dry country. No doubt getting toasty too.
Better to be there now than in the coming weeks

Our adult son just led a group of HS boy on a rim to rim hike in the Grand Canyon. Took about 12 hours. Youth.

Glad you're enjoying the SW, I've been here for 20 years and it never disappoints. I've got my granddaughter and two friends, all 17 yo, visiting from NJ, we're at Bryce Thursday.

When they had a lot of Asian tour buses,pre Covid, the visitors squatted on the toilets and broke them, it was a huge issue in Yellowstone. I never heard about in Zion but I'm sure it happened here, too.

Great pics thanks for posting them. I need to get back out there...... maybe this fall.

"I can see for miles and miles,I can see for miles and miles"
That song was just on the radio and it's still in my head! Beautiful pictures.

I'd imagine it's to remind them that they shouldn't use it like this one.




I saw this at Canyonlands NP. Apparently, they get a lot of foreign visitors at The Mighty Five.

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
Apparently, they get a lot of foreign visitors at The Mighty Five.

Few years back, I lived in Williams AZ for a little over a year.
It was fun to sit on a bench near the train station and people watch.
The amount of foreign visitors going to the Grand Canyon was more than I expected.

The wife and I stayed there 2 days and rode the train. We loved it!

Nice images @911Boss!

We were at Moab/Arches/Canyons Land/SLC/Park City in December. Weather was perfect, but we couldn’t do Shafer Rd due to it being closed for icy conditions. We’ll most certainly be back!

Went to Flagstaff and surrounding areas, Page, Williams, Grand Canyon, and Sedona back in April. Had an awesome time and marveled at the landscape which is about 180 degrees from N Georgia.

Spent the night in Williams and took the train up to the GC, spent a night, and then train back to Williams. A ton of fun. Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend around Page was great, as well.

When I start to feel insignificant amongst that great landscape I remember that the same God that spoke it into existence made man with His hands and breathed His own breath into him.

That sounds like an awesome trip, and those are some beautiful photos thanks for sharing! I love the southwest.

It does seem like certain visitors to the parks out west don't know how to use a toilet. There were similar signs on our trip to Yellowstone last year. I can't imagine they'd put these up if they didn't need to...

I've squatted on those seats many times and will continue to do so as needed. Ain't no way I'm sitting my nice clean disease free cheeks on those nasty seats. Most of them are covered in shit, piss, and who knows what else. Thank you...no.

Well, the planned events for this trip have come to an end, now just the trip home. Three days to cover about 1450 miles. No real stops planned except for what we might happen to see from the road. Drive, gas, drive, sleep, repeat.

This could just end up being one of my favorite GC pics…






The rest will have to wait til I get home to go through.

quote:

Originally posted by ridewv:
Great pics thanks for posting them. I need to get back out there...... maybe this fall.

quote:

Originally posted by ftttu:
Nice images @911Boss!

We were at Moab/Arches/Canyons Land/SLC/Park City in December. Weather was perfect, but we couldn’t do Shafer Rd due to it being closed for icy conditions. We’ll most certainly be back!

Thanks! Have only gone through a handful so far, I imagine I will be spending next several weeks (months?) going through them all and editing.

Canon mirrorless, iPhone, 360 camera, and drone. Really irks me that even with FAA Part 107 you can’t fly drones in National Parks.

quote:

Originally posted by shikemd:

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
We have simliar signs in the shitters in parks in NM, too. They are just really deep pits/tanks, so trash would be a PITA to get out.

Watch your sunglasses!

And your phone!

Always make sure nothing to fall in, although a couple of them wouldn’t have required much reach for retrieval. Too many deposits and not enough withdrawals.

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:

…

When I start to feel insignificant amongst that great landscape I remember that the same God that spoke it into existence made man with His hands and breathed His own breath into him.

Yup, humbling and inspiring at the same time. God is great and he has given us many treasures.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
That sounds like an awesome trip, and those are some beautiful photos thanks for sharing! I love the southwest…

Thanks! Between all my devices I am probably close to a thousand shots to go through. Lots of multi-shot panos to process.

I absolutely love visiting Bryce Canyon. The wife and I visit at least once a year (typically mid October). Out of curiosity 911Boss, what is your impression of Bryce?

Got a chance to do a little editing today. These are all multi shot panoramas, merged in Photoshop

quote:

Originally posted by Bytes:
I absolutely love visiting Bryce Canyon. The wife and I visit at least once a year (typically mid October). Out of curiosity 911Boss, what is your impression of Bryce?

I like it, haven’t seen much of it other than Rainbow Point though. Both times I’ve gone it was just kind of a “drive through on my way to someplace else”

More great photos...that shot with the lightning is incredible!

Man, you've got me missing the southwest. We're not making it down there this year as we have other stuff planned, but Utah is one of my favorite places, and some of the most memorable hikes I've done have been there. It's a dream of mine to someday build up a 4WD Tahoe or Suburban and really get out in the backcountry for a week or two.

As to the questions about Bryce...it's ok. Definitely, unique,beautiful and worth seeing, but like all the other national parks it's overcrowded and overdeveloped. The real beauty and solitude is out in the backcountry in Grand Staircase National Monument, or the National Forest areas. Harder to get to, but a lot more rewarding, and you'll see landscape like you couldn't even imagine. Slot canyons, hoodoos, arches, natural bridges...you name it. And water sources in the desert are their own little ecosystem , with all kinds of life around them. The stars are incredible at night, too.

Here's a couple of shots from one of our trips a few years back:

Natural Bridges National Monument:


Calf Creek area off of UT12:


Upper Calf Creek Falls. You can jump off the rocks into this pool, and let me tell you it feels amazing after hiking a couple of miles in the heat!


Entrance to a slot canyon outside of Boulder. This is a small one, easily accessible from the road:


Looking up from down inside Bryce Canyon. Interesting for sure, but you notice the camera view doesn't show the ground...that's to avoid including the crowds of other hikers in the photo.


Horseshoe Bend. Yeah it's a crowded tourist trap and about a mile walk in the blazing sun, but worth it for the view.

Nice photos. I love desert scenery. Every time I see photos like this I’m reminded that no matter how awesome that photo looks, it pales in comparison to seeing it in person.