The Road To (and from) Manti

It is about 3 weeks until we fly to New York and we are gradually making our way to Denver, Colorado. Curiously, when we are planning the trip the one unknown is where we will fly from, not normally in question! But - it is now decided - Denver will be the starting point for that adventure.

On 13 May we leave Cedar City - it has been a great little town. We love it and the beauty of its surroundings. Trevor gets talking to the guy who sprays the lawns. He suggests we take the Skyline Drive, a scenic route between Fairview and Huntington. It is further north - about 200 miles. It sounds like one of those roads that climb really high with my side of the RV overlooking drop-offs!

We check out  RV parks and choose Manti - 165 miles north - as our next stop on our way to the Skyline Drive.

All 10 sites in the RV Park at Cedar City have been full. We get talking to one of our neighbours. She and her husband are travelling with another couple - they are in 2 motorhomes;  from Florida. We tell her we are off to Manti. She thinks they may be going there too.

We take Highway 89 rather than the Interstate. There is farming on each side of the road; snow capped mountains ahead of us. We have quite a climb for the first few miles after leaving Cedar City - on Hwy 20 which takes us to 89 - reaching a summit of 7,920ft. But we take it easy - we are not in any hurry.

Hwy 89 runs through a scenic valley. Lots of irrigated fields with crops. I notice Big Rock Candy Mountain on the map and check it out. Yes it is the one although confusingly the song was written before the mountain got its name. Just north of Marysvale UT stands a cluster of brightly coloured hills. After the song was released, some Utah residents placed a sign at the base of the hills labelling it the 'Big Rock Candy Mountain' and another sign next to a nearby spring proclaiming it 'Lemonade Springs'.

More sheep!

The song was in fact first recorded by Harry McClintock in 1928 - about a hobo's idea of paradise. Burl Ives re-recorded it in 1949.

And wouldn't you know - I wait and wait for a photo and nothing?? Perhaps you have to go off road!!

Manti Utah Temple

We drive into Manti at 1.30pm. It is a small town with a population of only 3,500. Named for a city in the Book of Mormon it is the home of the Manti Utah Temple, one of the first temples built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). Built in 1888 the Temple is spectacular!



Manti annually hosts a 2 week long Mormon Miracle Pageant, one of the city's greatest sources of revenue.

The temple dominates the skyline and is seen for many miles. We are staying at the Temple Hill Resort right next door.
Not that our proximity helps. We walk up Temple Hill hoping to get closer to the Temple. I think we have to be members of the church. Lots of fencing stops us from getting too close.




The RV Park is a Passport America park. We are members which entitles us to 50% off the daily rate. We end up paying $13.50!


And ... our neighbours have also arrived! We introduce ourselves. Promise to catch up for a drink around 5.

What a trade!!

On the dot of 5pm we are called over for drinks. We take a plate of nibbles as do they:  Jan and Louie and Kathy and Eddie. What great company they turn out to be. Four really good people. Thanks guys.

We go to bed about 10.30pm!!! Lots of fun and laughter ... no dinner!

The next morning is beautiful - 64F. A real spring morning; the birds are singing; no sounds of traffic or trains. We are in the country!

Jan suggests that we have breakfast together. Great!  We all bring a contribution to the table and end up with a feast - bacon, eggs, hash browns and toast and coffee.

We wish them safe travels.

The camp host comes out to see us off. Could it be that he wants to make sure we are really going? Could we have been making too much noise last night? There are quiet hours in every park. But 10.30???

The valley is lovely. Lots of cows and sheep; horses too. Irrigated fields with crops. Then 33 miles of windy, hilly road as we drive up and up to the Skyline Drive.  I knew the drops would all be on my side!! They go right down to a creek way below ... a long way down!



It is a very quiet road thankfully, but there is the odd car - I hold my breath.
As we climb, we begin to see snow  lying in the gullies and under trees.
And the temperature drops.


We  reach the summit and a wonderland of snow!
We are at 9,655ft. It is53F.

I will let the photos tell the story!

Snow blankets the mountains all around us. It is a breathtaking sight. The road is clear and dry on the Skyline Drive. As we descend and drive through picturesque mountains, we pass a partially frozen lake - the Huntington Reservoir. You can see where vehicles have driven onto the lake.

We drive through a pretty canyon. There are lots of camping and picnic spots the lower we go; I guess it isn't long before they will be filled.

A pretty stream flows strongly beside the highway, swollen by the melting snow.

It is a lovely drive. In part the enjoyment (for me) is that we have made it over the summit. No, we didn't fall off the highway although there were a number of times I was sure that was going to happen!

I can't say too much to Trevor as he gets cross. But he is in the middle of the road and doesn't see the drops as I do. And ... I realise I am a bit of a wimp when it comes to roads winding up into high places.
But I'm not too bad. Kathy, one of the girls we spent a wonderful evening with last night said that when they get into elevation she goes down the back of their motorhome with her pets! Perhaps I need a dog?????

And then we come out of the mountains at Huntington and on to Price.

We have descended to about 5,500 ft  onto a plateau. There are open fields, stock, mining and oil.

At 2.15pm we stop at Price; we make some lunch. Then off again to Green River.
The plateau is a dry desert;  sunny and windy.

Green River looks to be an oasis in the desert. It is the watermelon capital of the world??  The temperature is 92F at 3.30pm when we drive into Shady Acres RV Park. Unfortunately it is a bit of a misnomer. There is not much shade where we are parked. The airconditioner cools things down quickly!

Tomorrow we will cross the state line into Colorado.