Canyonlands National Park had no in park camping when we arrived but nearby Horse Thief Campground was perfect. The park visitor center was manageable and small with a great video. The info about the living soil crusts in the park was super cool and we enjoyed the junior ranger challenge to take a photo of healthy and damaged soil crusts. These crusts are fragile and integral to the desert environment, and we all enjoyed learning about them. The kids fondly renamed them “crusty biologists”. Having not showered for a few days and having a biology background, I’m feeling like a bit of a crusty biologist myself!
The Grand View Hike along the rim in the Island in the Sky district was a perfect combination of scary and beautiful as the views were vast and awe inspiring and we were right on the edge of the rim. The area is aptly named for sure! We also enjoyed Upheaval Dome, but the trail ends just at a precipice and the gusting winds and intense view made it a tad frightening as a parent in charge of small children who have their own ideas of where they want to stand and sit!
That evening a wide lightning storm rolled across the high plateau and we watched the bolts zigzag across the sky from the campground before turning in for the night. The results of our discussion of the impending storm as we tucked into our sleeping bags: Susan: “How close do we let it come before we relocate to the car?” Jud: “We’ll be fine right here even if it comes really close.” Isa: “Do people die in lightning storms? Are we going to be ok?” Addy: “I hope it comes right over us, that would be exciting!” Thankfully we only got some raindrops and nothing more…crisis averted!
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