Friday, July 11
Today’s the day we go to Flaming Gorge! First the crew and I walk down our campsite’s lane. We’ll have some morning exercise and then we can leave for the Gorge.
(Do you see the prettiest flower of all in the photo below?)
“Come along, Spike. You can stop to smell the flowers later.”
Forest Road 062 runs from Highway 191 across open land. It’s about 8 a.m. The air is still fresh and the birds are singing.
Soon the road enters a wooded area of aspens and evergreens. Bridget and Spike are happy to be exploring on this beautiful morning. We walk together.
We come to a pleasant campsite away from the road (below left). It doesn’t look like much in the photo, but in reality it’s very nice. The site is a fairly level, pull-through. Further up the road we discover another campsite. (below right) Both campsites are woodsy with a lot of open area and no close neighbors. (Click to enlarge photos.)
The Uinta Highline Trail intersects with this road.
Later I read at utah.com, “Simply stated, this is not only the great mountain trail of Utah, it’s one of the best in the nation.” According to the website, the trail from one end to the other is 60 miles with an elevation gain of 12,ooo feet. It takes about a week. Hikers, dogs, and people are allowed. It can be done in sections.
On the left side of the road is the trail and a board with a map and regulations. On the right side is a vault toilet, a fire ring, and room to park. One could car camp or tent camp in a level area off to the right, out of the photo’s frame.
Continuing along the way, I stop frequently to take photos of plants and flowers.
The road is narrower here. It’s now rutted, red dirt with some mud puddles from last night’s rain.
Spike: “Did somebody say mud puddle?”
While I’m taking the photo above, a couple in their forties approaches from around the bend in the road. They’re holding hands.
As a conversation starter, I smile and remark, “Hello. My dog has arthritis and a cool soak makes him feel better.” They smile at Spike. “It’s pretty here, isn’t it,” I add.
The couple tell me they live in Vernal and come to the forest often. The man extols living in this part of the world.
“I’ve lived here all my life. I looked at other places to live, but you live there and then you have to drive really far to have something like this. We’ve got a camper, a boat, ATVs, and bikes. Everything is here.”
“I’m curious,” I say. “I see a lot of campers with no one around. What, people drop them off and leave?”
“They’re not supposed to do that but they do,” he replies. ” There’s a 16-day limit.”
“That’s better than a 14-day limit,” I begin.
He finishes my thought.
“Yeah, because with 16 days you get two whole weekends. What people do is they bring their trailer up here on the 4th of July weekend and leave it through the July 24th weekend.”
“Oh, the 24th . . . ”
“That’s when Utah became a state.” (It’s called Pioneer Day, commemorating the day when Brigham Young and the first Mormon pioneers came to the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.) “It’s a big camping weekend.”
They continue on their walk in the direction from which we came.
“Okay, mud puppy. Spa treatment is over.”
I’d better make this a long walk. Give that mud time to dry up and fall off. I think that little soak gave Spike some pep.
“Are you having a good time, Spikey?”
I pat him on the shoulder to let him know the mud is okay. He reacts with a bit of spring in his step.
We come to a fork in the road.
To the right is a fifth-wheel with lots of toys and four ATVs on the grass. Small children run and play. To the left is a dead-end to another big campsite.
The crew and I turn around to head back the way we came.
As we pause for a moment about halfway to our campsite, I hear water. That sounds like a creek. I wonder where it is. It’s off to our right down that slope somewhere. Oh geez. I’d like to see that creek. Better be careful though. Don’t want to get lost like that time in Idaho.
We proceed further until I notice an animal trail.
I bet that goes down to the creek! “This way, guys. Let’s check this out.”
We follow the trail all the way to a moist area with tall grass. The creek’s gurgle tells me we’re very close. Bridget and Spike refuse to go any further.
I can’t blame them. It’s not fun walking through wet grass as tall as you are.
“Okay, be good puppies and STAY. I’ll be back in a minute.”
There it is! Gosh, if Spike could hear, he’d be in this creek in a flash.
I watch and listen for a few moments, take some pictures, and return to my crew waiting for me.
Bridget leads us on the animal trail all the way to the road.
Soon we pass our absentee neighbor’s campsite. “We’re almost home! Just a little more to go.”
At home Bridget and Spike slurp up a big drink and collapse on the bed for a nap. I go online to catch up on the blog. I fix myself some lunch. I step outside into the noonday sun.
What a beautiful day. I love it here. I don’t want to go to the Gorge today. We can do that tomorrow. Tomorrow’s Saturday and it’ll be good to get away from the weekend people around camp. They’ll probably show up later this afternoon.
Bridget and Spike join me outside and lie in the cool grass in the shade of the pine.
Butterflies! I grab my camera and before I know it, I’ve chased butterflies among the wildflowers for over an hour. I relax in my lounger with a drink and watch the vehicles coming down the hill on Highway 191, people on their way to the Gorge. A rain shower sends us back inside.
Flaming Gorge can wait ’til another day . . . .
Later the elk (shown in the previous post) appear in the meadow and I go wild taking more photos!
Next post — The crew and I finally go to Flaming Gorge!
rvsue
THANKS, RVSUE SHOPPERS!
Shopping Amazon from my blog doesn’t cost you a penny more and I receive a commission from every purchase you make.
