The Scenic Wonders of Southern Utah

We stay in Cedar City, Utah for 6 nights. It is a great place, tucked into the mountains and surrounded by some of the most spectacular landscapes we have ever seen; truly scenic wonders. It is situated 250 miles south of Salt Lake City on I-15.
We arrange a rental car for late Wednesday.

Our first morning waking up in Cedar City is a cold one - 34F - but it has the promise of turning into a beautiful day. We do some serious cleaning inside the RV - woodwork dusted and polished; floors and mats vacuumed and floors washed; mirrors and glass cleaned. It all looks great. Not that it doesn't ordinarily look great .. it does. But now it looks even greater!!

We also finalise arrangements for our trip to New York in June - flights, car shuttle from/to LaGuardia airport and hotel - booked. We ring Pikes Peak Shuttle and Longterm Parking at Denver Airport. We will probably leave the RV in longterm parking (for oversized vehicles) while we are in New York. That needs a bit more thought as we get closer. First we have got places to go!!


We walk into town for coffee and lunch, then visit the Museum and Visitors Centre.

Frontier Homestead State Park Museum was originally named Iron Mission State Park for the pioneering attempts of Mormon settlers to create an iron industry in the area. The name change reflects the growth of the museum around a collection of horse drawn vehicles and agricultural implements. Items of interest include several historic cabins, a large collection of horse-drawn farm equipment and a replicated pioneer household. One of the displays is a shearing shed!!!

Iron deposits were discovered in southern Utah in the mid 19th century. Mormon leader Brigham Young organised volunteers to colonize the area around what is now called Cedar City - previously Coal Creek. In 1852 a small blast furnace was constructed and an iron foundry began operation.

The history of the area is one of incredible hardship; the difficulties and obstacles faced by the Mormon settlers were enormous; financial difficulties, floods, heavy freezes and furnace failure. Add to that the threat of starvation due to crop failures!!  How did they persevere??

The iron works closed after a few short years though iron mining continued in the area until the 1980's. The Mormon families who remained in the area prospered from sheep ranching.

A shearing shed!

With the completion of a railroad connection  in 1923, Cedar City was established as a tourism gateway to nearby Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park and Grand Canyon National Park in addition to Cedar Breaks National Monument.









Trevor was intrigued with the shearing shed and displays of the history of sheep ranching in the area.

The museum also displays local and regional arts and crafts.





Cedar City is also the home of the Utah Shakespeare Festival, held during the summer and fall on the campus of the Southern Utah University. The Festival was founded in 1961 and produced its first season in 1962 on a makeshift platform on the college campus.

The Adams Shakespearean Theatre was constructed on the University campus and completed in 1977. It is world renowned for its accuracy in duplicating Shakespeare's Globe theatre.
The season runs from mid June to mid October.

As soon as we have the rental car we are off - driving up Hwy 14, a scenic route to Cedar  Breaks. The road to the National Monument is closed. It doesn't open until late May. We climb to 10,000 ft; the temperature drops from a mild 61F to 39F. There is quite a lot of snow on the ground; spectacular views from several stops along the way.





Every turn of the road brings forth 'oohs and aahs'.  Lots of photos as the sun is setting. Then back to Cedar City. It has been a big day!!

 

Leaving California, through Nevada and into Utah

Walking in Death Valley is quite something! I am out early; I don't think there is another person in the world as chuffed as I am with such an experience of isolation and wonder!
Trevor swims - there is a great pool at Furnace Creek.

The Visitors Centre is very comprehensive: a park orientation film -'Seeing Death Valley' - narrated by Donald Sutherland and several video presentations. Displays about the park's geology, climate, wildlife and natural history are all extremely interesting.  Park entrance fees are collected here. We are getting value out of our National Parks card, which we purchased in Virginia for $80.00.

It is another hot day - the temperature goes well above 100F.

A coyote close to the RV park

We enjoy a couple of beers at the Corkscrew Tavern.

Later in the day it becomes very windy. The airconditioner is a must!


The forecast is for even stronger winds tomorrow!

We are limited where we can go  - the RV is not an off road vehicle!!
But that's OK. We are loving just being here.

We explore the Borax Museum and the history of the Harmony Borax Works, a mining operation more than 120 years ago.  After prospectors found borax in 1881, the Harmony plant was built and began to process ore. At capacity it employed 40 men  producing 3 tons of borax daily.

The early miners used the famed 20-mule teams to haul borax 165 miles out of Death Valley to the railroad town of Mojave. The teams averaged 2 miles an hour and it took them about 30 days to complete a round trip!!
The teams included 18 mules and 2 horses attached to large wagons; amongst the largest ever pulled by draft animals. With the mules, the caravan stretched over 180 feet!!


When one considers the nature of the desert landscape, the extremes in climate and the harshness of the wilderness, it is almost beyond comprehension that such activities were even contemplated let alone sustained at various levels over decades.

On 6 May we leave Furnace Creek, complete our drive through  Death Valley and cross the state line from California into Nevada. We have been in California for 2 months; southern California. We will return to northern California in several months time.











We have a light breeze for our drive out of Death Valley - thank goodness! We leave at 7.45am -first going north, then north east as we near the boundary of Death Valley and approach Nevada.

Scotty's Castle.

We pass Scotty's Castle, named for Walter Scott, a charlatan and some-time performer in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show.
Another strange tale which stretches the imagination and adds to the mystique that is Death Valley.


At 9.30am we cross into Nevada. We are gaining in elevation; the  temperature has dropped to about 56F; shrubby vegetation covers the hillsides making them look green. There are no other vehicles on the road.

We intend to stop at Tonopah, Nevada - 140 miles from Furnace Creek in Death Valley, but when we get there we decide to continue driving. Tonopah is a rough, dusty, country town - no Starbucks or espresso to be found. And it is cold - 51F.
We are approximately halfway between Las Vegas and Reno - 2 extremes; on the one hand the glitter and sophistication of  largely populated cities and on the other hand a vast and mostly empty stretch of desert. Tonopah is the latter. We drive on.

We head for Caliente near the eastern edge of Nevada; a further 200 miles. On Hwy 6; long roads run into plateaus; very little traffic; a lonely highway.
We cross a series of plateaus and peaks. It is very windy and the RV is getting buffeted about. We can see rain falling out to the north. We climb to Saulsbury Summit - 6,522ft.
At noon it is 62F. The wind is blowing tumbleweeds across the road. Now it is raining and bleak.  Are we the only people left in the world???

Then we are on Hwy 375 - the Extraterrestrial Highway - 98 miles long. It is so named because of the huge amount of UFO sightings along this stretch of concrete and because it intersects Hwy 93 near top-secret Area 51, part of the Nellis Air Force Base - a supposed holding area for captured UFO's!!!

We keep our eyes open - we might see a UFO?? Possibly a cow!

We are crossing mostly unoccupied desert. We see few vehicles. Cattle roam as it is open range with no fences.We drive the length of a vast plain bordered by mountains which must be at least 40 miles across. Then more passes and plains. The road less travelled for sure. Does anyone know where we are??

About 1.15pm we pull into a tiny town called Rachel - Alien City! Little A'le'Inn sells extraterrestrial souvenirs and UFO artifacts. We settle for a piece of homemade rhubarb pie!

At Rachel

Then we are back on the road; more mountains, passes and plains.
At 2.30 we turn onto Hwy 93 to Caliente.
Willie Nelson is playing on the ipod - 'Across the Borderline' -  suits this landscape.

The last 12 miles into Caliente are windy as we descend out of the mountains. We arrive at Youngs RV Park about 3.15pm - a big day - from Death Valley in California and almost across Nevada.

Caliente is a small, old railroad town, a fact that we become acutely aware of during the night as the trains are frequent!
We are at an elevation of 4,300ft and surrounded by mountains.
It is a pretty place.
















The next morning we continue on to Cedar City, Utah. It has rained overnight; everything looks and smells lovely and fresh.
We will climb more today. Cedar City is at an elevation of 5,800ft.
We are heading straight into black clouds and threatening skies. The sun, which was out when we left Caliente has now gone and we are driving under really low clouds. The temperature is also dropping - now 44F, then 40F, then 38F.
We are climbing into hilly, even mountainous countryside covered in clouds. It then starts to rain. No! That's not rain ... it's snow!! We can see the white flakes landing on the windscreen.
We climb over Panaca Summit Pass at 6,719ft.

The snow/rain doesn't last long; the skies look to be clearing ahead.

At 9.15 we cross the state line into Utah. We are now on Mountain Time and go ahead 1 hour.

At 11.30 we drive into Cedar City. The sun is shining; it is a little warmer. We check out the RV parks in town - there are three. Cedar City has a population of 29,000. It is a small town.

First - a coffee! Yep they have a Starbucks.

Driving down Main Street, Cedar City.

We check into the Town and Country RV Park. It is small - only 10 sites. It is part of the Best Western Hotel and we have the use of a pool and fitness room. There are no restrooms or showers which is fine - we will use the RV. Best of all it is right in town and close to everything.

Almost immediately we notice the effects of the altitude - we are now at 5,800ft. Breathing is difficult; we take frequent large gasps of breath and notice we are yawning a lot; feel tired too. Hope that all wears off quickly.

Death Valley

Dan suggests we visit Death Valley. We are so glad he did!

We leave the KOA in Calico on a sunny, warm, beautiful desert morning. I walk early. The high desert is a great place to walk. We are at an elevation of more than 2,200 feet but seem to be somewhat acclimatised.
It is almost 80F when we leave; on I-15E listening to Gordon Lightfoot on the ipod. We pass a number of RV's travelling west - the snowbirds are going home.

We stop at Baker - lo and behold - espresso at the Mad Greek Cafe! Truly an oasis in the desert!

Baker

We are in good company!!

Now we are driving directly north on Hwy 127; wide open desert on a long straight 2way road. No fences. It is already 93F.
Our surroundings look inhospitable; dry, scrubby low vegetation on the flats and bare hills.
We stop at Shoshone, a small town (popn. 31), southern gateway to Death Valley National Park. We visit the small museum and pick up maps. It looks as if we will be able to drive through Death Valley on Hwy 178,  passing a number of sights on our way.

Great name. I wonder how you say it?

We have 78 miles to go to Furnace Creek which is about halfway through Death Valley.  After leaving Shoshone we start to climb; so does the temperature! The landscape becomes even more vast and the vegetation more sparse. The road ahead looks as if it will disappear into the rocky cliffs that tower overhead.

To think that we are driving through Death Valley!!



We reach a summit then descend gradually into Death Valley. The GPS shows a thin pink line snaking through a background of green. Now we have Willie Nelson and Kiri Te Kanawa on the ipod. We surely will remember where we have been when we play this music at home!

Facts
Death Valley is famed for its trifecta: it is the hottest, lowest and driest place in the country.
It is the largest national park in contiguous US comprising 3.4 million acres of desert wilderness across 2 States - California and Nevada.
Its highest elevation is Telescope Peak at 11,049 ft.
The Badwater Basin salt pan at 282 ft below sea level is the lowest point in North America and the western hemisphere.
A temperature of 134F,  the second-highest ever recorded in the world, was noted in 1913.
The ground temperature can be 80F hotter than the air temperature. A ground temperature of 201F has been measured in Death Valley.
On average Death Valley is the hottest place in the world. July is characteristically the hottest month with an average temperature of  116F.
The valley receives less than 2 inches of rain a year.

We continue to descend into and through enormously wide flats.
Although the name Death Valley evokes all that is harsh, barren and lifeless, the structure of the land itself is spectacular with eroded mountains, water-sculpted canyons, sand dunes, even palm shaded oases.

Shoshone

The temperature is almost 100F as we approach  Badwater. We pass a cyclist!! Now we have seen it all!

We stop and ask him if he would like some cold water but he says he has plenty.


Badwater, the lowest point in Death Valley and the US at 282ft below sea level, is an unbelievable place. We park up and walk out on the crinkly salt flats - a timeless landscape. It is hot and dry!

We still have 17 miles to go to Furnace Creek - aptly named. We will stay at the Furnace Creek Ranch and RV Park over the weekend.
Furnace Creek is a desert oasis shaded by date palms. There are springs here; some of the desert's few freshwater sources. There are a variety of accommodations, restaurants and the Death Valley Museum and Visitor Centre.

Badwater Basin

Driving into Furnace Creek is quite something after the barren landscape we have just crossed. The Inn at Furnace Creek is a resort; it looks lush and green. Built in 1927 the Inn features a natural spring-fed swimming pool, cascading palm gardens and fine dining, not to mention a number of activities.

We are just down the road!!

The Inn at Furnace Creek

Furnace Creek

Our drive has been slow; we don't want to miss anything and each turn in the road brings forth new, amazing sights! There is nothing repetitious. The colour and formation of the surrounding landscape is continually changing.

We are grateful that the road is fairly empty of cars - no one behind to hurry us along.
We finally reach Furnace Creek about 4.30pm. It is very hot! We have a celebratory beer in the RV with the airconditioner on.