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Menu
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        • Jerome
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        • Oak Creek Canyon
        • Painted Desert
        • Pipe Springs National Monument
        • Prescott
        • Quartzsite
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Category: Utah

16 August 2023

Leaving Utah and on to Nevada

sign Mt Meadow Massacre UTAfter visiting with friends in St George, Utah it was time to head on my way in Nevada with a couple stops along the way.  Signs for public lands and overlooks hook me like fish on a worm.  And could be one of the reasons I don’t put down many miles in a day.  Only mid-June and still in the desert Southwest.

Mt Meadow Massacre UTHaving studied the cultural history of northern Arizona and southern Utah plus visited Lees Ferry many times over the years, I’d heard about the Mountain Meadow Massacre.  So when I saw a sign for an overlook, just had to stop and check it out though I did not visit any of the other sites.  In early September 1857, about 140 people camped in Ox Valley, families from Arkansas who were headed to California with all their worldly belongings in wagons, herding cattle, mules, horses, and oxen.  On September 7th, a group of Mormon militiamen and Paiute Indians attacked the camp and the emigrants fought for five days to protect their families.  Under a false white flag of truce, the militiamen entered the camp, collected weapons, and separated the emigrants into three groups marching them out of camp.  Then, at a prearranged signal, militiamen shot the men, older boys, and some of the wounded before massacring the women and most of the children.  The last 17 small children were stripped of clothing and left to die.  Two years later, United States Army soldiers buried the scattered remains.  Yet it took 17 years for a federal grand jury to indict nine Mormon militiamen for these crimes and only one, John D. Lee, was brought to trial, convicted, and executed on March 23, 1877.  This National Historic Landmark memorial site was completed/established in 2011.

old rd orange Globe Mallow flowers storm clouds SR319 NVOrange Mallow covered hillsides welcomed to Nevada

St Geo UT to Cathedral Gorge SP NVFrom there I continued on SR18 north to SR56 west which became SR319 in Nevada then north on US93 which gets its start in Wickenburg, Arizona (near my home base).  Are you lost yet?

Cathedral Gorge SP NV PanoAfter watching Carolyn’s RV Life video about Cathedral Gorge State Park I decided to see it for myself.

sticker & pin Cathedral Gorge SP NVFirst stopped at the Regional Information station where I asked questions and bought a hat pin and sticker.  Non-residents of Nevada pay a $10 day use fee and $20 to dry camp which includes entry.

storm clouds Cathedral Gorge SP NVI thought about staying in the campground yet slipped right past the electronic iron ranger, missed the campground turn off, and ended up at day use parking.

rock dark clouds Cathedral Gorge SP NVAt 90° it was too hot to hike much even though there are six developed trails from .05 to 3 miles long.

Cathedral Gorge SP NVslot canyon Cathedral Gorge SP NV

slot canyon Cathedral Gorge SP NVslot canyon Cathedral Gorge SP NV

I did poke my nose, and camera, into a couple almost slot like canyons that ended rather quickly.

rock Cathedral Gorge SP NV

white Primrose flower Cathedral Gorge SP NVThis badlands landscape began tens of millions of years ago during volcanic activity that left behind ash altered into silt and clay then later deposited by rivers, streams, and fluctuating lake levels about 2.5 million years ago.  Add erosion and you have the continuingly sculpted formations with deeply incised canyons seen today.  In 1935, Cathedral Gorge became one of the first state parks in Nevada.  Sadly, I didn’t wander far enough to see the CCC built picnic facilities, stone water tower and rest room.

mts rain clouds SR320 Pioche NVAlthough the formations were interesting, especially with the dramatic sky, I didn’t think the park was worth the price of admission.  So being late in the afternoon and still needing a place to camp, preferably through the coming weekend, I continued north under threatening skies to explore more of Nevada.

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Cathedral Gorge State Park, Nevada, Places I've been, United States, Utah road trip, summer 2023 21 Comments
02 August 2023

Visiting friends along the way

FR & SR67 Kaibab NF AZAfter visiting the Grand Canyon and friends on both sides of the big ditch I continued this summer journey north into Utah to visit more friends.

Jacob Lake Inn AZMade a stop along the way at Jacob Lake Inn and bought a dozen cookies to share with friends.

sign border UT

cookie Jacob Lake Inn AZFunny there was only 11 cookies by the time I got to Kanab and my friend’s house.

unidentified dead dragonfly Kanab UTFound dead in the driveway Sad smile 

I’ve known Amanda since 2003 when we worked as Rangers leading cave tours at Oregon Caves.  Her driveway provided an amazingly level friendock (free place to park at a friends) for the night.

sunset Kanab UTI spent two more nights in Kanab in friends Joe and Tom’s backyard.  We walked into town one evening for some great outdoor music.

Kanab UTPainted on a street in Kanab

Monday morning I was at Ramsay Towing & Service Center when they opened at 8 for an oil change.  They don’t make appointments, but I’ve been happy with work done before.  Figured a good idea to have the truck looked over before making this summer journey of at least 3000 miles as semi-planned.  Three hours later I was ready to roll.

truck tabs in fun envelopeBarely mid-June and already pushing 90° at my next friends stop in St. George.  Thankfully she received mail for me that another friend forwarded the license plate tabs that would expire in July.  Almost messed up on that one waiting until three days before leaving home to pay for the tabs.  What would I do without friends to look over me?  Thank you.

hills mts dark clouds SR320 Pioche NVWith temperatures rising, I left Utah and high-tailed it into Nevada to explore some new territory while watching the weather, fire, and free camping apps.  I had so much fun visiting with all these friends, and a few more, but was peopled out and ready for me time.  As I discovered, being alone is real easy in MOAN, Nevada. (#MiddleofAbsolutelyNowhere)

I was going to skip this part of my journey but realized I have many friends because of social media, national parks, blogging and being generally friendly.  Thanks to each of you.  And by the way I’m still up for visiting friends along this summer journey.  I’m currently near central Oregon slowly heading north to Washington.  All plans are subject to change.  My posts are way behind real time, but there’s a box on the sidebar I try to keep up-to-date with current location.

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Arizona, Kanab, Places I've been, Saint George Utah, United States, Utah friendocking, friends 18 Comments
28 June 2023

On the road for summer

Yes, I am far behind blogging, and also posting videos. It’s already a busy summer.  In fact I’m trying to catch them up to at least the same amount of time behind.  I last posted about the amazing pillars of rocks in Chiricahua National Monument visited in April, and that video can be found here.

late light boulders Indian Bread Rocks RA BLM Bowie AZIndian Bread Rocks Recreation Area

The next place I stayed at for two weeks, so lots of photos coming with that story.

trees rainbow storm clouds Skull Valley AZYes, I went home for several weeks to regroup, make plans, and not be on the road for Memorial Day weekend.  Maybe I’m crazy to travel during summer.

First of June I left for summer travels.  First I visited several friends and don’t have much to share from those stops, but do have many wonderful memories.

grass SF Pks rain clouds FR545 Wupatki NM AZSan Francisco Peaks from Wupatki National Monument

I returned to a few familiar places with different views.

Wotons Throne & Cape Royal Desert View SR GRCA NP AZWotons Throne from South Rim

view S Cape Royal NR GRCA NP AZWotons Throne from North Rim

Then I went to the South and North rims of Grand Canyon and that story and pics will be coming, eventually.

view S JP cliffs mt clouds SR320 Pioche NVBLM camp view near Pioche Nevada

Finally got to Utah and visited several more friends before starting to feel the heat of summer and heading into Nevada to several new to me places.

old log cabin Dutch John Well US93 NVDutch John Well

And I’m enthralled with Nevada landscapes.

view N red Paintbrush flowers scrub trees Egan Range sunset clouds White Pine County Rd 3 NVAs a friend said MOAN, for the Middle of ABSOLUTELY Nowhere, along America’s Loneliest Highway.  It’s gorgeous!  And the high elevation keeps me summer cool.

Jakey Valley and Egan Range

And now I find myself waiting for another holiday weekend to pass, avoiding possible rain, and staying in temperatures below 90°.

Kanab UTPainted on a street in Kanab Utah

Where next?  Stay tuned, and I will catch up eventually.  I might even make it to Oregon this summer.

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Arizona, Nevada, Places I've been, RV life, United States, Utah boondocking, friendocking, RV living, summer 17 Comments
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Hi, I’m Gaelyn, the Geogypsy

I retired after 29 summer seasons as a Park Ranger, traveling solo for 40+ years. My passions include travel, connecting to nature, photography, and sharing stories.

I started exploring US National Parks in 1977 and 20 years later became a seasonal Park Ranger.  I’ve lived full-time in a RV for 30 years working summers and playing winters.  I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow old, other than grow up.

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