The Husband and I took a trip out West to visit 5 national parks, 4 in Utah and one in Colorado. This was the first time for me in that part of the country and boy is it beautiful. And vast. And way less populated than where I live. One day we drove for miles and miles and miles and there was nothing around. Nothing! No rest stops, no stores, no towns and worst of all, no cell service. It gave me the creeps a little bit.
Our first (and my favorite) National Park was Bryce Canyon in Utah. The erosion of frost-wedging and the dissolving power of rainwater have shaped the colorful limestone rock into bizarre shapes, including slot canyons, windows, fins, and spires called “hoodoos”.
But the native peoples have a better story. The evil people of their time were frozen and made into hoodoos. I like that story better. You can sorta see people frozen in the hoodoos, looking at you. Watching you. Making sure you stay on the paths and don’t fall to your deaths when you accidentally take a wrong step and fall off a cliff into the abyss below.
We did a lot of hikes while on vacation (we hiked, but we did not camp) and our first hike was the Navajo Trail which begins at Sunset Point and travels down into the main amphitheater. This is one of the more popular trails and extra caution was advised due to the fact that more rocks fall on this trail than any other trail in the park! A major rock slide occurred in 2006, and subsequent rockslides occurred in 2010 and 2011. YIKES. The total distance is 1.3 miles which doesn’t seem bad if you’re walking on flat sidewalks and at sea-level. Both of which we were not doing. Add in an elevation change of 550 feet both down into the canyon and then back up and you’ve got yourself a pretty good workout. But it was amazing and beautiful and breathtaking and most interesting of all…there were more French and German tourists here (and the other 4 National Parks) than I’ve ever seen in my life. They sure like hiking the outdoors. When they’re not smoking. (The French, that is.) What’s up with that?
Next stop: Zion National Park and Kolob Canyons!
28 comments
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October 2, 2012 at 12:27 pm
Deb
Sounds like you had a great time, Carol…Love the painting!
October 3, 2012 at 12:35 pm
Carol King
Hi Deb, we had a wonderful time. I’ll be posting more paintings and info on our trip in the weeks to come.
October 2, 2012 at 12:56 pm
kk2n777
I know how much you enjoy outdoor activities so I am glad that you have not only survived your national park trip but also enjoyed the hike(s). Can’t wait to see more images and/or paintings from the trip.
October 3, 2012 at 12:36 pm
Carol King
I’m moving from the great indoorswoman to a sometimes owtiside person. But we all know that OWTSIDE begins with “OW”.
October 2, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Jim
Beautiful !! Next stop: KOLOB!! How many million light years away is it?
October 3, 2012 at 12:36 pm
Carol King
Kolob was beautiful. it wasn’t as many light years away as I thought it would be! LOL
October 2, 2012 at 4:30 pm
sam
Glad to hear you visited our planet. Sounds like you did it right. More pictures!
October 3, 2012 at 12:49 pm
Carol King
hey Sam! I was on your planet and I loved it. Will be in Colorado again in April. Looking forward to it. Am working on more pictures from my trip which will be posted within the next few weeks.
October 2, 2012 at 7:42 pm
lindahalcombfineart
I love the brilliant blue sky and the rust color of the rocks. So real. I’ve never been in this area and am really jealous. Can’t wait to see more paintings.
October 4, 2012 at 8:33 am
Carol King
thanks so much Linda. I do have more paintings coming…unfortunately I’m back to work and that gets in the way!
October 3, 2012 at 10:52 am
lesliepaints
I see the “hoodoo” in your painting and I like stories that remind us of an area and the local culture. You captured the orange and yellow colors, Carol. ..and that blue sky.
I don’t remember what State it was but I took an alternate route to visit my parents in Tucson, one year. On the way, I drove through some of the countryside given to the Native Americans. It was mile after mile of nothing, like you describe above, but every so often there would be a table or two set by the roadside with a woman or man selling their home-made novelties. I saw no car at these roadside tables and no home or shop or buildings. They were in the middle of nowhere!!!!! It was really strange and a bit eerie like you describe.
October 4, 2012 at 8:35 am
Carol King
Leslie, the hoodoos were incredible. A sight that I will never forget. The vastness of empty space was also incredible. Especially since I am always surrounded by people and buildings and cars and …
October 3, 2012 at 11:33 am
Joan T
Aren’t the hoodoos amazing! I loved being out in that part of the country…very different from what we see here in NY. You nailed the textures and shapes of these rocks!!! Can’t wait fo the next installment. Have fun!
October 4, 2012 at 8:36 am
Carol King
Yes! The hoodoos were amazing. And yes, so different than NY. Thanks for your comments. I can’t wait to finish my other paintings of this beautiful area.
October 3, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Beth Parker
Nice painting, Carol! I grew up part of the time in Colorado and Utah. You captured the earthy warmth of the area in your painting. How can someone smoke AND hike? Did they carry oxygen tanks? Smoking sucks the breath outta you. I’m glad you had fun!
October 4, 2012 at 8:37 am
Carol King
Thank you for your comments Beth. I honestly don’t know how someone could both smoke and hike. I guess they took smoke breaks and then continued on with the hike.
October 3, 2012 at 5:51 pm
Cathyann Burgess
It is awesome isn’t it? Had that weird feeling in Wyoming…no one or thing around for too long a time.
Glad you are back and had the experience. Our country is HUGE and beautiful. We met Europeans often too! They do love the parks.
October 4, 2012 at 8:38 am
Carol King
Our country certainly is huge and beautiful and I think that’s why there were so many Europeans, there’s nothing like our National Parks over there.
October 4, 2012 at 3:01 pm
hannekekoop
Sounds great, Carol (and tempting 🙂 ). Love the story and looking at your hoodoos. They look like giants to me.
October 6, 2012 at 7:50 pm
Carol King
Hi Hanneke, they do seem like giants, don’t they! If you ever get out that way you must visit.
October 5, 2012 at 11:40 am
pointypix
I envy you so much being able to visit every kind of landscape known to mankind without having to leave your own continent. Makes me wish more than ever that I’d done the whole greyhound bus cross country travelling round America thing as a young 20 something. I’d love to vist so many parts of America – I can imagine how unihabited and quiet those amazing landscapes must’ve seemed after New York! love your illustration to this post – that deep blue sky is amazing!
October 6, 2012 at 7:54 pm
Carol King
Hi Nicola, It really was amazing and beautiful and completely different than NYC. I have no doubt that you and S will be back to the States and will be able to visit “from sea to shining sea”. I know we would love to have you.
October 6, 2012 at 11:18 pm
candy7
Very nice job on the painting, Carol. You’ve got the colors down. The next time you’re out this way, I hope you make it to Nevada. It’s gorgeous, too, especially Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire.
October 7, 2012 at 12:20 am
Carol King
Hi Candy, I’ve seen Red Rock Canyon, but not the valley of fire. I guess I need to go back. Thanks for your comment.
October 6, 2012 at 11:31 pm
padmaja
I liked the way you enlarged a portion and brought out the essence of the rocks and the place through this lovely work..your details brought me back memories of my trips to a few places in Arizona and Nevada, including the Grand Canyons and Sedona..It is a great feeling to feel all alone in the vastness with nothing around though it is sort of creepy:-)
Thanks for your visit and kind comment Carol!
October 7, 2012 at 12:26 am
Carol King
Thank you so much for your kind comments Padmaja. And for your visit. I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon but I have been to Sedona and it’s really beautiful. Coming from a city, I’m a little anxious when there’s not a soul around.
October 8, 2012 at 11:26 am
napabelle
Are you going to make it to California ? I love your colors! And yes, the sky is really that blue out here….
January 14, 2013 at 11:28 am
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