Road Trip

Arizona Part 3: Sedona

Day 5: Red Rock State Park

We started our first full day in Sedona at the Coffee Pot Restaurant. Named after the nearby rock formation, this diner boasts a menu of 101 omelets. I had a wonderful omelet but was overwhelmed by the crowded space and endless choices. We had been in the wilderness for less than a week, but I was certainly not ready for the onslaught of civilization. We quickly ate and retreated to the trails.

There are lots of trails along the Red Rock Loop and it seems like you really can’t go wrong anywhere here. We decided to first check out Red Rock State Park. After sorting out the backpacks and gear and slathering on the SPF, Evie, perhaps feeling my uncomfortable vibes at breakfast, decided to have a complete meltdown in the parking lot when we tried to put her in the backpack.

We packed everything back into the car, including Evie, and went for a short drive to another trailhead. That did the trick and we were back on schedule. We let her walk on her own for a bit and after a short while she was ready for the pack and a nap. The trail started out in a lovely forest and crossed the clear Oak Creek. From there the hardwoods gave way to prickly pear and juniper as we got farther away from the water. I was super excited to find a bright pink hedgehog cactus bloom and even a lone yellow prickly pear bloom.

After climbing to some views, we headed back to the Visitors Center for some shade. There is a nice little patio outside next to a garden with several bird and hummingbird feeders. The birds were everywhere, the hummingbirds buzzed and we even spied a snake resting in the shade. Then we headed to a big picnic area to sit in the shade and made our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch.

It was still early afternoon but too hot to go for another hike. So we headed back up Oak Creek Canyon and stopped at Indian Gardens for something cold. The charming market didn’t disappoint with its selection of cold beverages. I peaked out onto the patio and decided we HAD to go back the next day for breakfast. Then we drove a bit farther and found a spot to pull off the road and access the creek.

The spot was shady and cool. We got Evie into her swimsuit and my husband took her out into the calm, cool water. She couldn’t get enough. She walked right in with zero hesitation and had no intention of leaving the water. She splashed around in the mud and collected more rocks. I lounged on a boulder and sipped a cold crisp cider. We decided this was the only way to survive here.

 

Day 6: Sedona to Scottsdale

The next morning we headed back to Indian Gardens for breakfast. We sat in the cool morning air on the patio surrounded by flowers. Evie dug into her massive toast with almond butter, bananas, and honey. She needed a bath after that! I savored my tasty chai latte and breakfast sandwich. I could definitely get used to this place.

Next we headed back to the Red Rock Loop and found the Margs Draw Trail. I love how easy it is to find a trail in Sedona, there seems to be an endless supply. Evie was more cooperative this time and my husband carried her as I pointed too a bunch of quails that took over a small tree. She looked at them stoically, unimpressed. I scoured the prickly pear for blooms and admired the minty green of the agave.

Rusty rock formations towered above us and I struggled to recognize the shapes they were named after: Snoopy, coffee pot, cathedral, bell, courthouse. Sure, I suppose you could make out the references if you looked really hard, but I preferred to just think of them as wild rocks untarnished of images of ordinary things. They deserve better.

The day grew warmer and warmer and it seemed we had hiked much more than the 1.5 miles one way advertised in the guide book. We dipped into countless washes and I scanned the horizon with eagle eyes looking for coyotes. I wanted to see one so bad! I knew it was unlikely they would be out in the heat of the day. We were getting tired and hot when we decided we had indeed gone farther than 1.5 miles and turned around. Not long after that we ran into a family from Florida who told us they were lost. The mother was convinced they were going the wrong way and we showed them the way back to the road. They hadn’t been out for long and were so close to civilization that there was no way I thought it would be possible to get lost. Right? They didn’t have any water with them but they were joking and having fun. Later we ran into another couple from Phoenix who also told us they were lost. Man, this was not a place where I would want to be even the slightest bit lost.

After what turned out to be closer to a 6 mile round trip hike, we found refuge in the air conditioning of the car. Our plastic America the Beautiful pass had warped beyond repair on the dashboard, but the water in the shade of the back seat stayed cool. As we headed south out of Sedona, I wanted something cold. We stopped at the gas station and they were completely out of ice cream and popsicles of any kind! I was outraged but then decided that it made sense in this crazy desert. I settled for a cherry Slurpee.

Our destination for the day was a hotel with air conditioning and a shower in Scottsdale that I was admittedly very excited to get to. We had a little ways to go though, and we decided to take the scenic route. We drove through the high little mountain towns of Pine and Strawberry and when we saw signs for the Tonto Natural Bridge, I looked it up in the book. It seemed like it might be cool and we needed a break anyway, so we stopped.

We hiked down a short and steep trail into a large canyon of travertine. The tan canyon walls looked like they were melting into the abyss. As we dropped down into the canyon we had to hop across smooth eroded rock to get below the bridge. When we finally saw it our jaws dropped. The bridge and tunnel below it were massive. Up close the massive and porous travertine boulders looked like dinosaur bones. It was one of the most bizarre and fascinating places I’ve ever been. I was so  glad we stopped even if it slightly delayed my cold shower. It was worth it.

As our plane descended into Seattle the next morning, my starved eyes were fed with the most brilliant of greens. While we were gone, the trees had leafed out into piercing spring emerald green. I felt so lucky to live in a place with so much green and water. I also came home with a respect for the desert, for the availability of drinking water, and frankly a love of Arizona that I was not expecting. This trip made a lasting impression on me- I think of that man washing his dishes in such little water often and find myself scanning the road side for wildlife. I look forward to returning to Arizona. Always in the coolest of seasons, and always looking for coyotes.

Road Trip

Arizona Part 2: Grand Canyon

Day 3: Grand Canyon National Park

The next morning was like Christmas. We woke up to the soft rays of the rising sun through the juniper and prickly pear. We bundled up, made breakfast (I rushed it as much as possible), and then headed over to Desert Tower, not far from our campsite. The sky was a dark, piercing blue, the kind you get on a crisp fall day, and just a few clouds lingered from the interesting weather from the past day. The strange-looking stone tower was not open yet and we had the place to ourselves. We took in the sweeping views, down into the heart of the canyon as the Colorado shined like a silver snake.

The scale of the canyon is of course difficult to describe. It is a thing that you have to see to believe. One could sit and look for days into the canyon and see a thousand new things. I know people hike rim to rim, but from here it seemed an impossible task. The north rim must be at least 10 miles away as the crow flies, if not more. I am used to thinking that the higher up you go into the mountains, the more remote it is. Here, though, it is the opposite. It felt kind of strange and voyeuristic to look down into the remote canyon, knowing that people were down there with little in the way of amenities tackling their journeys while we were watching cozy and comfy from above.

After we tore ourselves away from the gorgeous views, we drove to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center to start our hike. The vibe here was much different than what we got at Desert Tower. We pulled into a massive parking lot that was already almost full and we committed the red antelope on the parking lot sign to memory like we were in an amusement park. We followed the people to the visitor center and found the Rim Trail.

The Rim Trail is nice in that it is mostly accessible for anyone, is easy to follow, and you can walk as long as you’d like and then hop on a shuttle bus to get back to the car. I appreciated the setup with the shuttle buses and how it keeps cars off the roads and in turn keeps pollution and noise down. There were lots of people on the trail in the beginning but then the crowds thinned as we kept on. Our first stop was the geology museum at Yavapai Point in a little stone building perched on the rim. It wasn’t all that impressive to be honest, but as we left the museum and continued on the trail, we entered into the “Trail of Time” where time was depicted as golden markers on the trail.

We passed through a few hundred years quite quickly and kept into the thousands. After a while we passed by examples of the type of rock that was formed during that time period. Once we got into the millions of years ago, it started to get good. I enjoyed reading off the familiar names of the rock formations like Kaibab, Coconino, Supai, Bright Angel, Temple Butte. Then we got into the really fun ones, like folded Vishnu basement rock and Jupiter granite. These rocks were billions of years old! It was kind of mind-blowing.

Next we stopped to check out the Hopi House store. It was architect Mary Colter’s first work in the Grand Canyon and she modeled it after a pueblo. Native Americans were welcome to come and sell their goods here, and today it still serves as the best place along the south rim to souvenir shop. I picked up some things there including the gorgeous children’s book, The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses, and another one called Everybody Needs a Rock since Evie was in a serious rock collecting phase (we actually found little rocks in her baby pockets when we got home which almost made my heart explode with love).

We watched some hikers complete the long uphill climb of the Bright Angel Trail and then grabbed some lunch at the famous Bright Angel Lodge. Then we kept on walking. The views never got old and there was so much history to see. We checked out the Kolb Studio where the famous Kolb brothers showed the first motion picture from the inside of the canyon, filmed on their own journey down the Colorado. There was also its sleek rival, Lookout Studio. Unfortunately, both studios are now just souvenir shops without much reference to what they once were. We walked some more until we got tired and hopped on the shuttle to the end of the road at Hermit’s Rest.

There we basked in the sun and ordered ice cream at the little walk up store window. I waited in line while my husband and Evie went off to find a place to sit in the shade. Someone in front of me was asking where everyone was from. They answered: California, Australia, France, Germany. We Americans were in the minority and that felt kind of nice. I found my husband and Evie under a tree and Evie was making a little pile of rocks as became her favorite thing to do on this trip. We found respite from our day’s journey, as intended, and when we’d had enough, we hopped back on the shuttle to the village. On the way back we saw tons of elk along the road, just hanging out.

At the village we walked back the few miles to the parking lot. All of the sudden we noticed the clouds. Virga hung in the air in the canyon and it felt like you could reach out and touch it. Sunlight filtered through the openings in the clouds and highlighted ridges in the canyon, giving it even more dimension. We watched the clouds move around us and then we could see the hail coming down up ahead of us. It was only a matter of time until it hit us and turned to rain. It seemed that we missed the worst of it, though, as we watched people drenched from head to toe walking past us.

Later that night after dinner we headed back to the Desert Tower to watch the sunset. There was a crowd of people sitting along the edge. A few of the dramatic rain clouds stuck around for a show and we admired one as we found a nice rock to sit on among the crowd. It was quiet and we were all there for the same reason. Together we watched the blaze of yellow disappear behind the north rim and we experienced a famous Grand Canyon sunset. I have to say, it was quite grand.

Day 4: Grand Canyon to Sedona

The next morning we got a later start and headed back to Desert Tower. This time it was open so we went in to check it out. I didn’t know anything about the tower so when we walked up the stairs to the tower part, my jaw dropped. The inside of the tower was, from bottom to top, covered in Native American art. It was so beautiful and I wondered where it all came from. Turns out is was another of Mary Colter’s creations. I made a mental note to find out more about this woman (more about her later). I was so glad that we took the time to go back and see the inside of it. It is now one of my very favorite places.

Before we headed back out of the National Park, we stopped at the Tusayan ruins. The pueblo-like structures date back to 1185 AD and include the remains of a small Kiva. This is a room where the ancient people would gather for ceremonies, rituals, and meetings. Nearby, there was an open field where it is believed that people grew crops and collected water. The surrounding forest was full of useful plants. The information signs called it a “supermarket.” Pinon pines and Utah Juniper supplied wood for construction, heating, and cooking. The pine needles were used to make baskets and brewed into tea. The tree bark was used to make sandals and insulation, and pinon nuts and juniper berries were collected and eaten. The tough leaves of the yucca were braided into rope or made into shoes.

Next we headed back south toward Flagstaff and decided to stop and check out the Wupatki ruins in the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. This part of the park was much different than near the volcano. It was an open desert, prairie-like with little to no trees, just a few shrubs here and there. As we drove along the winding loop road we spotted some pronghorns watching us from a small hill. The loop road has several stops with short trails leading to ruins. These ruins also date back to the 1100’s and are pueblo-style.

The first ruin was Lomaki, meaning “beautiful house.” Evie fell asleep on the drive so my husband and I took turns on the short trail to let her nap in the car. The pueblo was situated above a small box canyon with views of the snow-capped San Fransisco peaks. These are the remains of a large stratovolcano and include Arizona’s highest peak, Humphreys Peak. It felt lonely there, out in the middle of nowhere, and I really really wanted to spot coyote or some more pronghorns, but no luck.

We continued on to the next ruins, Nalakihu and Citadel pueblos. Evie woke up so we all ate some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the blazing sun before tackling this one. Then she walked on her own all the way up to the top of the Citadel! I was so proud of her, even if we did have to stop and look at at least 500 rocks on the way. I’m totally ok with that.

Our last stop on the loop road was Wupatki, the largest and most impressive ruin. The National Parks paper says that life at Wupatki, “revolved around growing corn, praying for rain, and finding ways for people with diverse backgrounds to live together as a community.” The name Wupatki, means “tall house” in the Hopi language. It is several stories tall and contains over 100 rooms. This was a major trade center where traders would bring all kinds of exotic goods like scarlet macaws brought from tropical places and of course pottery, jewelry, and turquoise. Life here must have been very difficult, given there is little rain and vegetation.

In the visitor center you can borrow guide books that give information at certain locations along the trail. One of the most surprising things I read in the guide was that when this area became a National Monument, the rangers actually lived inside the ruins. They had kitchens and everything and often brought their wives to come live with them. Before that, it was common for sheepherders and cattlemen to live there too. I can’t imagine this happening now as it is so protected.

Back on road we drove for a bit and stopped at Walnut Canyon. It was getting quite hot outside now and the short trail from the visitor’s center dropped down 200 feet into the canyon and onto an “island.” The surrounding canyon was full of cliff dwellings. We pointed them out to each other and then pondered how on earth anyone could get to them. They were created roughly 800 years ago by the Sinagua people. They were most likely attracted to this canyon because of its abundance of plants and wildlife. It seems desolate now, but it is cool to think that long ago this canyon was full of people and you could just climb over to visit your neighbor’s dwelling.

It was getting late in the afternoon and it was also getting seriously hot. We drove to our next destination, Sedona, and found a campsite in Oak Creek Canyon. We set up camp and drove into town to find some food and refuge from the sun. We found some delicious Mexican food with lovely views of the surrounding red rocks. Then we came back to the campsite for our evening ritual of prickly pear candy and prickly pear tea before bed. There weren’t many rocks at this campsite, so I showed Evie that she could also collect pine cones. She went straight to work. When she was done we got her ready for bed and read her favorite Pancakes, Pancakes book and an adorable Native American board book about weather that I picked up at Brightside Books in Flagstaff. We were getting into a new routine now. I preferred this one and I knew it would be tough to go back to our old one.

Road Trip

Arizona Part 1: Verde Valley

Day 1: Phoenix to Dead Horse Ranch State Park

In the beginning of May we headed to Arizona for our annual spring road trip. (We did a spring road trip last year, so now it’s a tradition, right?) I was super excited because I had never been there and had been wanting to go there for a long time. We flew into Phoenix and headed north. Like last year, we didn’t have much of a plan. We stopped at REI and bought a map and a National Parks pass and I cracked open my guide book while my husband drove.

We headed to the small town of Cottonwood where I found Dead Horse State Park on the map. We found great camping there with gorgeous views. They even had showers AND a dish washing station. It was a little chilly and dark clouds threatened as we set up and got our bearings. We were in the Verde Valley and could see the “J” indicating the mining town of Jerome up in the mountains above us. Virga hung in the air toward Jerome and the smell of ozone overwhelmed us. We made a quick dinner and prepped for stormy weather in the tent. We bundled up and put Evie in her winter jam jams and sleep sack. It was not exactly the desert weather we were expecting!

Rain showers came and went all night but it was mostly dry when we woke up. We made breakfast and I took the dishes to wash at the station. An older man was already there, just getting started. I made myself cozy nearby and waited. It was a beautiful morning and it felt so good to just sit and watch a little yellow bird twitter around in a tree. The man finished with his dishes and I realized that I barely heard him use any water. Ah yes, of course, we were in a desert. Water is a valued resource here and not to be wasted. This was a good reminder of the importance of clean and fresh water and one that stuck with me.

Day 2: Tuzigoot to Desert View & Everything in between

We started the day at the nearby Tuzigoot Ruins. This ancient 110-room pueblo was built by the Sinagua people who lived there between 1000 and 1400. The stone structure sits atop a small hill with a view of the river valley below. We were surprised by how green it was along the Verde River, but should have guessed. We decided it was a nice place to make a home, beside the river and up high to see everything around. But it was exposed, and must get incredibly hot.

On this day, however, it was not hot. As we walked along the short path it began to rain and as each drop hit the ground it seemed to release every smell the surface had ever encountered. It smelled of coyote urine and dried grass. Ghosts of all the fauna that visited and all the flora that lived and died since the last rain were released all at once. The rain then picked up and converged into hail. We moved more quickly and covered up Evie. The marble-sized hail stung my exposed toes (I insisted on wearing my Chacos despite the weather) and we took shelter in the visitor center. We and the park rangers on duty watched the hail out the window. The rangers were stunned and told us we were so lucky to be there in the rain. I squinted my eyes and told them we were from Seattle. They laughed and told us it hadn’t rained a drop since October, seven months ago.

It hailed and rained a bit longer while we ran to the car and snaked up to Jerome, an old ghost town perched on a 30 degree slope at 5200 feet. The town looks much like it did when it was a booming copper mining town with its wooden storefronts and rough exterior. It once boasted a population of over 10,000 people before the depression of the 1930’s. A hardy group of 50-100 stuck it out after the mine closed in the 1950’s. It regained popularity in the last 30 years and is now touted as a tourist destination and art community. We wandered around the old mine while Evie had her morning snacks.

Our next destination was Montezuma Castle. The impressive cliff dwellings were also built by the Sinagua people. It is one of the best preserved dwellings because of the protective alcove it was built in. It’s name is misleading. It didn’t have anything to do with Montezuma and was not a castle. It was more of an apartment complex with many rooms that were accessed by ladders and stood high above Beaver Creek which frequently flooded in monsoon season. When it was designated a National Monument by Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, visitors could climb up and tour the dwellings. Safety became an issue, though, and the ladders were removed to also help preserve the space.

We then headed north again on the highway toward Flagstaff. As we climbed up in elevation it began to snow. It snowed and snowed until we got into town where the sunshine melted it away. We found a nice little restaurant with delicious tacos and I discovered the local Wild Tonic kombucha tea. We also discovered the most adorable Brightside Books next door. I could have stayed there all day perusing the books and chatting with the friendly staff, but alas, we were hoping to make it to the Grand Canyon that day, so we had to keep on our way.

We had time for another adventure, though, so we stopped at Sunset Crater Volcano for a short hike to stretch our legs. The black and red cinder cone is the dormant remnant of the volcano that last erupted around the year 1085. The landscape seems little changed since then. Pumice covers the mountain and lava pillows on the ground below it. The lava beds are extensive and reminiscent of those in Hawaii. It is amazing how little has grown here in the last 1000 years. Another reminder of how harsh the desert climate can be.

The ancient Sinagua people that lived nearby were forced to flee their settlements during the eruption. The lava flows extended to six miles in some places and the area was covered in ash. We passed by a hornito, Spanish for “little oven” on the trail. It was a perfectly circular area, flattened in the middle and ringed by lava rocks. It was a spatter cone formed by lava forced up through a chamber and accumulated on the edges. It was huge and I wondered what it would be like to see it’s formation. The eruption affected the people of the area profoundly. The Navajo people believe this cinder cone and others around the San Francisco Peaks are guardians and protectors. They still come here to give the mountain honor through offerings.

After our otherworldly visit to Sunset Crater, we seemed to enter yet another world as we continued north. The landscape changed abruptly and become quite flat and rusty red. The highway continued in what seemed like a perfectly straight line with nothing around except for an occasional group of cattle. When we turned west we began to climb again into dirt mountains with no trees, only brush. We climbed slowly until we saw a crack in the ground.

If we weren’t on the road just slightly above the Little Colorado River Gorge, we may have never known it was there. We found a pull off and looked down into the canyon below. We could barely see the bottom and it gave me little butterflies in my stomach. The Little Colorado River is the largest of the tributaries of the bigger Colorado, you know, the grand one. We were getting closer.

We drove up and up. We were surrounded by a sea of funny juniper trees. They are not very tall compared to the giants in the northwest and it just felt like we were on top of something. It is hard to describe this feeling. I kept scooching up in my seat like I might be able to see something in the distance. It was dinner time when we finally reached the Desert View campground just inside the boundary of the National Park. We pitched the tent and made some food in the last of the day’s light and warmed ourselves with prickly pear tea I picked up at the Montezuma Castle gift shop. I also got some deep red sugar-coated prickly pear jelly candy which we had for desert. It was delicious.

The temperature dropped quickly with the sunset and we braced ourselves and Evie for a cold night in the tent. I couldn’t get to sleep right away, not just because of the cold and the tea and the candy, but because of the excitement. Here we were, just the shortest distance away from the edge of the Grand Canyon, but we hadn’t even the tiniest glimpse of it yet. I couldn’t wait for my first ever Grand views in the morning. I felt like a kid on Christmas Eve.

Road Trip

Eastern Oregon: Part 3

Day 5: Kimberly to Maupin

From Kimberly, we headed south following the John Day River. It was early in the morning and cold and cloudy. Light precipitation saturated the rainbow-colored hills: red, yellow, blue. As if in an effort to stifle the color, snow dusted the tops of the hills. We pulled into the small, deserted Blue Basin parking area in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument and got out to take a look around. My husband carried Evie and I skipped ahead to snap photos. I crossed a little bridge and my jaw dropped. I couldn’t believe my eyes. A tiny ribbon of water meandered below. The water was the most brilliant milky turquoise blue.

I was blown away years ago when I visited the nearby Painted Hills and I was most excited to see more of the John Day Fossil Bed area on this trip. I didn’t think it could get much better than those striped hills, but Blue Basin after the rain exceeded all of my expectations.  As we walked farther, you could see where the earth had eroded down into the namesake’s blue bowl. The jagged edges seemed to calve with the messiness and brilliant blue of glaciers. It was so quiet, no sign of life in any direction. We just stood and stared and wondered how we got to this alternate universe.

As we drove a little farther, we found a sign of civilization. The enormous white house and barn spread out on lush green grass seemed out of place against the arid backdrop of sagebrush and pine. We found that we had stumbled upon the Cant Ranch, established in the early 1900’s by James and Elizabeth Cant. They had come from Scotland and acquired the land through the Homestead Act. They raised cattle and sheep to supply the nearby mining villages and grew crops to sustain them and the animals thanks to the John Day River that ran wide and lazy through the property. After the Cants died in the 1970’s, the building became the National Park Headquarters and an interpretive center. It was closed while we were there, but a sign invited us to walk along a short trail to see the grounds and the towering Sheep Rock across the river.

We lingered for a bit and then headed across the road to the Paleontology Center. The center was full of fossils found in the area and renditions of the kind of life that lived in this bizarre locale millions of years ago. My favorites were perfectly preserved ferns and leaves. It was comforting to recognize them, to know they have flourished so long in this world. In the lobby, we watched video monitors of scientists studying fossils in real time. I picked up a National Parks passport for Evie and a bright futuristic postcard beckoning visitors back in August 2017 to watch the total solar eclipse. I thought what an ideally strange place to watch an equally strange phenomena.

Next, we headed to the old mining town of Mitchell to see if we could find something to eat. We found a promising cafe on the way to town but as we pulled into the parking lot, we noticed something seemed a little off. A woman with gray hair and an apron fussed with the cash register as I asked her if they were open. She said, sure, honey, we’re open. We just don’t have any electricity at the moment. I asked her how long they’ve been without power and she said all morning. I broke the news to my husband and we continued driving through town to see if there were any other options. In less than two minutes, we were through town and it appeared that the entire place was without power. People were standing outside just looking around like the sky may have answers. This place is weird, I told my husband. He gave me an mmm hmmm in agreement. We snacked on what we had in the car and moved on.

Our next stop was my beloved Painted Hills. I couldn’t wait to show my husband and Evie this place and enjoy it without the stifling heat that accompanied Nali and I on our first visit. We drove the long dirt road through ranch land as I kept repeating, just wait, it gets better! over and over. We parked among the dusty vans with plates from all over the country and I smiled with glee. I love it here so much! became my new mantra. My even-keeled husband seemed to enjoy it despite the impossibility of the place living up to all my accolades. He was used to my drama by now. Evie’s sharp little eyes surveyed with laser focus, but she too seemed to be becoming immune to my enthusiasm as she didn’t mutter a peep. It was ok, I was in my happy place.

We headed to the Painted Cove trail with its mounds of sculpted red clay. Here, the water ran orange as it braided itself to lower ground. The cloud ceiling was beginning to break and the deep blue sky emerged along with some sunshine. I lingered, I absorbed, I soaked it all up, not wanting the short trail, the trip, the sunshine to end.

We drove on. We took a back road through a gorgeous canyon that we couldn’t believe wasn’t a famous National Park or something. Tiny homesteads crumbled next to modern cabins and houses and we wondered if the originals had been there since the Homestead Act and the land passed down through generations. Occasionally a ghost town would appear out of nowhere and I’d check the map. Antelope, Shaniko, Bakeoven. We stopped to get some beef jerky and popcorn and I picked a homemade magnet that says, I’ve been to Fossil, Oregon with a picture of a triceratops.

We drove all the way to Maupin, a small town (which seemed like a sprawling city to us at this point) at the bottom of a steep canyon and snuggled into a bend of the Deschutes River. We found a city park jam packed with RV’s but it had a strip of grass they let us tent campers have for the night. We found a decent restaurant that catered to the tourists coming to raft the river and had a table outside that we could sit at with Nali and a messy baby. As the day turned to evening, we watched a rafting crew get ready for a trip down the river.

Day 6: Maupin to Seattle

We had been on the road for 5 days and it seemed like a lifetime, and I mean that in the best way. We had developed a routine and it seemed Evie was loving, or at least tolerating, all the travel. But alas, it was time to return to Seattle. It was a beautiful bluebird day, the warmth and sun finally arrived just as we were leaving. We decided to take advantage of it and drove up to Mount Hood. We showed Evie the Timberline Lodge and I scribbled one last postcard and dropped it in the mailbox in the lobby. I gave Evie a kiss and told her we would return when she was older.

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Road Trip

Eastern Oregon: Part 2

Day 3: Joseph to Hells Canyon

Our next destination was Hells Canyon along the Snake River on the Oregon – Idaho border. We were hoping to drive through the Wallowa Mountains to get there, but the rangers in Joseph told us that the snow was lingering longer than usual on the high altitude roads, so we would have to drive around. So we headed back the way we came and then went south to La Grande and took the back roads to Halfway. This tiny western town was named so because it is located halfway between Cornucopia and Pine, in other words, halfway between nowhere and nowhere. We found some information about Cornucopia, a ghost town in the foothills of the Wallowas, and decided to go check it out.

The road to Cornucopia was unpaved, but in good shape. The name of the town eludes to the amount of gold found there. It was said that the area held the largest gold ore body in the Pacific Northwest, even possibly the United States. There was a bit more going on there than we expected. There were several small cabins and some old run-down larger structures, but the cabins seemed like they still got some use. We drove as far as we could until the road was covered in a winter’s worth of snow. The heavy mining activity was evidenced by heaping mounds of tailings along the shoulders of the creek. This was something we would see much more of on our trip in the coming days.

From there, we backtracked to Halfway and then headed northeast along the Snake River to Idaho. The highway hugged beautiful canyons as we approached the river. And then, in a tiny town called Oxbow, we unceremoniously crossed the Snake into Idaho. We knew this area to be one of the most remote places in the US. Only three roads even got close to the canyon and no other roads crossed the river. We saw only a handful of people on the 22 mile road to Hells Canyon Dam. We found a campground that appeared to just be some dirt tracks with a few flat areas for camping. They did have some nice toilets which I fully appreciated. There wasn’t any accessible water, though, so Evie and I set up camp while my husband drove back to get some water.

While he was gone I heard a truck come from another direction and stop below us. They turned up their music, it was Pink Floyd. I have to say it was a bit of a trip to be there with just Evie while hearing, hello, hello, hello? Is there anybody in there? With no other evidence of life around us whatsoever. It was like we were in a movie with a soundtrack. My husband returned and we made some dinner and read pamphlets about the Snake River dams to Evie before bedtime.  While she slept, we took our sleeping bags out and watched the sun set. The stars started to appear and I waited to see a spectacular show, but a haze moved in. I settled for a handful of shooting stars.

Day 4: Hells Canyon to Kimberly

The next morning we woke up to what sounded like turkeys. It was sprinkling rain. We had some oatmeal breakfast and then headed farther into the canyon toward the dam. We saw some turkeys on the road just after we left the campground which solved that mystery. The canyon was much more green than I expected, probably only because it was May. The walls of the canyon were tinted sage green, the color of lichen. They plunged into the depths of the river and we couldn’t fathom how you could get down into the canyon from the top. It seems impossible.

We reached the Hells Canyon Dam and drove across it, stopping to look over the edge as the water rushed to freedom. From here, the river regained some of its wildness and remoteness. We were now back in Oregon as we drove to the end of the road which terminates at a visitor center. It was closed and seemingly abandoned as there were no other cars or people. We walked down a little bit into the canyon, beads of mist gathered on our hair.

The chilly rain persuaded us to move along and hit the road again. We enjoyed one last drive back down through the canyon before we headed toward Baker City. Once there we stopped for a break and had lunch at the Lone Pine Café, where I had another incredible meal that has to be one of my favorites of all time. While we devoured our food we scoured the map to determine our route for the day. We planned a short side trip to the old mining town of Sumpter complete with saloon and abandoned dredge.

As we headed into the mountains from Sumpter, we encountered a snow storm again. We drove up over a pass through a forest of trees and then all of the sudden the road just flattened into straight nothingness. No trees or hills, just a few chilly cows. We were on some kind of plateau in the middle of nowhere. Eventually we reached the tiny town of Long Creek where we stopped for some gas and food. We walked into the one store in town and got some looks. I have a feeling this town does not have a booming tourist business.

Eventually things started looking normal again and the snow let up only to be replaced with pouring rain. The wind was howling too as we winded along the John Day river.  We found a tiny campground on BLM land outside of Kimberly and set up camp in the rain and wind. My husband set up the tent and then Evie and I took shelter and set up the inside. Our new tent was standing up well to the wind so far. Once we got everything set up and ate a cold supper, the rain stopped and the sky cleared to reveal the top of the mountain directly across the river from us.

 

 

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Road Trip

Eastern Oregon: Part 1

Day 1: Seattle to Not Quite Oregon

After driving all over Yakima looking for gas and a decent restaurant, we were finally sitting and eating at a crowded Bob’s Burgers. It was about two in the afternoon and we were not very far from Seattle. We were hoping to make it to Pendleton and find a campground, but as we looked at the map we decided we wouldn’t make it there for the night. Instead we frantically searched the web for campgrounds nearby, calling and getting news that they were full.

When my husband had the idea to go for a family road trip to eastern Oregon I thought it sounded great, but I didn’t want to do any planning. Evie was only 5 months old and neither of us really had the energy. So we decided to wing it. We came up with a general route and decided we would find campsites as we needed them. I’m not really a wing-it kind of gal and I have to admit I was a little worried sitting there at Bob’s.

We found a possible lead on a campsite farther south so we drove on. Stormy weather taunted us directly ahead. Close to the Washington – Oregon border we saw a sign along the road for a campground and decided to check it out. It was situated along the north bank of the Columbia River. It was really an RV park, but the nice lady at the booth offered us a spot on the open grass. We happily took it and were the only ones there with a tent.

We set up our brand new (!) luxurious four-person tent and spread out everything inside. It easily fit our two sleeping bags, a blanket for Nali to sleep on, Evie’s carseat, multiple bags of stuff, and even a little diaper changing station. Evie sat happily in her bumbo watching as we set up camp. As the sun began to set, it was clear that the storms had missed us and it was all blue skies. The springtime light filtered through the trees and lit up the white puffs of dandelions. Things were looking up.

Day 2: Not Quite Oregon to Joseph

Just a few minutes after leaving the campsite we were across the bridge and officially in Oregon. Pendleton was our next stop and the Woolen Mill was first on our list. We browsed the colorful flannels and blankets in what seemed like a museum of cabin coziness. We bought WAY too many blankets, but like I always say, there’s no such thing as too many blankets. Next, we headed downtown to the historic Hamley’s & Co, makers of world-famous saddles since 1883. From the outside, it looked like a tourist trap, but as soon as we walked in, it was obvious that this place is legit. The brick interior two-story store was packed with every kind of fine leather good and adorned with massive bronze statues of bucking broncos. To top it off, they had an entire room full of saddles and gear. It was quite impressive.

For lunch, we stumbled upon the Main Street Diner, complete with checkered floor and fantastic food. I had a club sandwich (my diner go-to) and a strawberry shake and I think they were both the best I’ve ever had. I took half of my sandwich to go and this made a wonderful road snack later. On the way out of town we stopped by the post office to mail home a postcard I picked up in Hamley’s. I wanted to send Evie a postcard from the road each day recounting the highlights.

Our next destination was Joseph, a small town nestled in the Wallowa Mountains. Instead of taking the most direct route, we headed northeast through the Blue Mountains. The name is a bit misleading because these mountains are full of green- ponderosa, juniper and larch dominated the landscape. As we climbed higher and higher into the Blues, we watched the temperature drop. We saw some rain clouds hovering over the peaks as we approached the mountains from Pendleton, and now we were in them. But it wasn’t raining, it was snowing, hard.

Giant snowflakes filled the sky and covered the ground. It was mid-May, in eastern Oregon. It was supposed to be warm, not snowing! We embraced the unexpected weather and stopped and got out of the car. I immediately stuck my tongue out to catch snowflakes and yelled at Evie to look! look! I don’t think she fully appreciated the impromptu blizzard. We continued on. Once through the Blues, the landscape flattened to rolling green hills. Soon enough the Wallowas were in view and we arrived in Joseph.

Joseph and Lake Wallowa was originally home to Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce tribe. The land was promised to them in an 1855 treaty until gold was discovered. The miners and Native Americans clashed until there were negotiations for a new treaty to shrink the boundaries of the reservation. The Nez Perce refused to sign and this eventually turned into war. In the end, Chief Joseph moved his people away from the area instead of living in the confines of the reservation. After his surrender, the government took the land and allowed it to be settled. Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce were banished from their homeland. The town was later named after Chief Joseph and we visited a memorial in his honor on the north side of the lake. This serves as a reminder of the injustices many Native Americans faced.

We had intended to camp, but it was much colder than we anticipated and it was forecasted to get down into the 20’s at night. We opted instead to rent a room at the south end of Wallowa Lake. We settled in and then bundled Evie up and walked to Wallowa Lake State Park. As we walked, deer appeared around us, seemingly following us. We walked out onto the shoreline and watched the sun set until we could no longer stand the cold. Later, I woke up in the middle of the night and walked outside to get some air. I swear I could see every single star in the sky.

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Road Trip

Painted Hills

Ten years ago, when I moved to Seattle and had my first real job, I bought the prettiest calendar I could find with pictures of beautiful landscapes. Every month I was excited to see what the next one would be. On one of those months, I flipped up to a picture of the Painted Hills in Oregon. I had never seen anything like it before. The tan hills were striped with red and black and bursts of yellow flowers saturated the ravines. I was fascinated by this foreign landscape and vowed to go there someday.

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Several years later in 2010, I took a road trip to Bend, Oregon over the 4th of July. I decided while I was there to take a day trip to the place I’ve been wanting to see. So Nali dog and I headed through the Ochoco National Forest to the Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.

The hills appear otherworldly as you approach the overlook. The colorful strata alternate from tan to red to black and are volcanic in origin. The oldest layers date back to 35 million years ago when this area was a lush, warm, and humid place. Prehistoric animals roamed here: saber-toothed tiger, camels and elephants. The climate was ideal for fossil formation and over the years many important fossils have been found here.

Native Americans frequented the area gathering roots and fishing for salmon in the nearby John Day river. They were the first to discover and appreciate the fossils here. Much later, in 1811, John Jacob Astor sent trappers out to explore the region. An unfortunate member of the group named John Day became lost and was robbed by Native Americans at the mouth of the river that now bears his name.

 

The first stop along the way is the Painted Hills Overlook Trail. This short trail boasts incredible views of the hills in all their glory. The 1/2 mile round trip trail climbs only 100 feet, and Nali and I felt every foot of it in the blazing heat of mid-summer. It must have been 100 degrees. But it was very much worth it. Desert wildflowers burst from the sagebrush and I kept my eyes out for snakes.

Next I drove a bit further to the short Red Cove trail. A boardwalk curves around the natural smooth clay mounds that tower above your head. I’ve never seen a landscape with such a rich red hue. It seemed unnatural and I was surprised to see life flourishing in the unusual soil. In fact, some of the species here are endemic to the region due to the unique soil.

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I wandered some more on the short trails throughout the park soaking up every bit with astonishment and wonder. I felt as if I had been transported to another world, especially because there were hardly any other people out on the trails. I wondered what it would have been like for the Native Americans and early explorers to just stumble upon this extraordinary place. What did they think of it?

I finally had to tear myself away for sake of the heat (and my poor black dog) and mosey back to Bend. But not without a stop in one of many small Central Oregon towns for an ice cream cone.

Hikes Featured in this Post:
Painted Hills Trails

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Road Trip

Smith Rock

Have you ever stumbled upon a place by pure accident that turned out to be amazing? Many years ago, it happened to me at Smith Rock State Park. I was taking a little road trip to Bend, Oregon and planning out my trip on Google maps, looking for anything interesting along the way. I found a little green square close to Bend, indicating a park, and decided I would stop to check it out if I had some spare time without giving it much research or thought. Little did I know that I would happen upon one of the most beautiful places in Oregon.

Smith Rock State Park is located in the high desert of central Oregon and carved out of volcanic basalt. A caldera was formed 30 million years ago when the surrounding land collapsed into a lava chamber. Over time, the rock cooled and hardened and later, the Crooked River made its mark by carving out a canyon with 600 foot shear cliffs.

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Smith Rock appears as a mirage as you drive toward it on completely flat terrain. It seemingly pops up out of nowhere and you can’t help but to go toward the towering features. There are several trails that meander along Crooked River in the green that clings to the river’s banks. Water fowl and other birds abound here and peregrine falcons and golden eagles nest in the cliff sides.

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Sagebrush, ponderosa pine and desert wildflowers line the trails. Butterflies kiss the tops of yarrow. I was especially excited to see pink mariposa lilies and an old, twisted, fragrant juniper tree. The blue juniper “berries” are not really berries at all, they are the conifer’s cones. The birds are tricked into eating them and in turn spread their seed.

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After wandering along the river a bit, I wanted to get up high and see the sights. I found a trail that headed up (very steeply) and climbed the rocky trail to Misery Ridge. Views expand for miles here. Nearby, I saw people rock climbing up an impossible looking column that had the unmistakable demeanor of a monkey. Later I found out that the tower is indeed called Monkey Face and is a popular climbing spot.

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In fact, as I descended (more like slid down) the scree and headed back along the canyon floor, I learned that this is quite the rock climbing hot spot. In fact, it is a world class rock climbing spot and people from all over the world come to climb here. Want to try your skills? A long list of options appear if you look up climbing guides.

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I also learned that there is some local lore about how the rock was named. Some say it was named after a US Calvary private named Smith who jumped from the spires rather than be caught by Native Americans. Although it is more likely that he actually fell from the rock during a bloody battle while he tried to get to a good vantage point. A less popular but most likely claim is that the rock is named after a sheriff called John Smith in the 1850’s.

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As I headed back to the car I saw families picnicking and tourists alongside world class rock climbing athletes, birders, and just regular hikers like me. It is really a special place where anyone can find something to love.

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Hikes Featured in this Post:
Misery Ridge Loop

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Road Trip

Columbia Gorge Waterfalls

I’ve done the drive so many times I could do it blindfolded. From Seattle, drive south on I-5 for a million hours and turn left at the Columbia River. A familiar whirl of wind envelopes me like I’ve entered a wind tunnel into the past.

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The gorge is filled with history. The formation itself is a fascinating story. A massive flood ripped down the Columbia River during the Ice Age. Ice dams that held the glacial Lake Missoula, broke apart sending a torrent of water flooding much of eastern Washington and the Columbia River. The flood waters carved out a canyon leaving only the hard remnants of ancient volcanic rock forming what we know today as the gorge.

Native Americans have lived in the gorge for over 13,000 years. Much like today, it was an important transportation corridor to travel and conduct trade. It was also an important source of salmon. Lewis and Clark travelled the gorge in 1905 on their way to the Pacific Ocean and early settlers established steamboat lines along the river.

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The first stop on the old Columbia River Highway is the Vista House. Perched at 700 feet on the rocky Crown Point, the small stone observatory gives an eagle’s perspective of the gorge. It was built as a resting place for early adventurers in the times before the interstate.

The first thing you will notice as you descend from the Vista House is how green it is here. This area, with little protection from the Pacific Ocean and it’s weather, receives around 70 inches of rain a year. This combined with the steep canyon cliffs creates a wonderland of waterfalls.

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The first major waterfall you encounter is Lautorell Falls. If you weren’t watching for the sign, you could easily miss it. Enjoy a short walk to the base of the 250 foot high falls or travel further to Upper Latourell Falls. The next falls is Bridal Veil. This popular short trail travels the north side of the highway to the pretty falls. Most people just stop to check out the falls, but there is a lovely loop that travels through some of the best camas displays I’ve seen, and it’s usually not as crowded.

The 620 foot high Multnomah Falls with its iconic Benson Bridge is incredibly beautiful, but it’s also incredibly crowded. Leave the crowds behind on the Multnomah-Wahkeena Loop Trail. You could conduct a day long scavenger hunt on this trail with all the waterfalls and wildflowers found here. Fairy Falls, Ecola Falls, Weisendanger Falls and Dutchman Falls all cascade along this route and the trail is lined with dutchman’s britches, fairy bells, mountain bells, cow poison and Oregon iris, just to name a few.

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Next up is Horsetail Falls which greets you right at the trailhead. But by now you know that it takes just a little more effort to get to something even better. In this case, it’s Ponytail Falls. This one is particularly fun in that you can actually walk behind it. A trail cuts through the eroded space behind the falls giving you a whole new perspective.

Lastly, there is my favorite, Elowah Falls. It’s not particularly different than the others, but I just love the big patch of golden lichen growing on the rock nearby and it’s contrast with the green around it. The waterfall itself is inviting and appears like a cloud. I like to think that if I touched it, it would feel like ribbons of cotton.

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There are endless numbers of waterfalls in this area, and these are just some that you could visit in a day or two. The adventure of the gorge is just beginning at this point. Continue east to cross over into a completely different land, one that is dry and arid in complete contrast to the green and wet western portion. As the sun is setting, drive up the winding switchbacks to Rowena Crest to see the sun light up the purple and gold of the bountiful lupine and balsamroot.

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Hikes Featured in this Post:
Latourell Falls
Multnomah Falls – Wahkeena Falls Loop
Horsetail Falls Loop
Elowah Falls & Upper McCord Creek Falls

Road Trip

Lake Quinault

The Lake Quinault Lodge on the Olympic Peninsula makes a great spring getaway destination. My husband and I headed there last year about this time. This is the kind of place to go when you wish for a misty rainy day, but last year was dry and we ended up having beautiful sunny weather. We didn’t complain too much.

The historic lodge is v-shaped with open arms to the shores of Lake Quinault. At it’s heart is a giant welcoming fireplace and a large lounge space with big comfy sofas, perfect for curling up and reading a book. Outside the massive yard begs to be walked on with bare feet. Famously, a towering totem pole shaped rain gauge climbs the chimney to measure the rainfall in feet.

Like much of the western Olympic Peninsula, the Quinault is a temperate rain forest. This southwest portion of the peninsula is the wettest, racking up an average of 140 inches a year. That’s almost 12 feet! The area around the lodge is criss-crossed in ten miles worth of trails through the forest.

This is the land of the giants. You may just find yourself under the largest Alaska Cedar, Coast Douglas Fir or Sitka Spruce in all of Washington. You don’t have to go far to feel the majesty and breathe in the energy of the impressive trees.

We wandered a bit further into the valley on the North Fork Quinault River trail. The trail follows the river for what feels like forever into the heart of the Olympics. This trail is just as green and impressive as it’s famous neighbor, the Hoh River trail, but much less crowded. In fact, we only ran into a few people on the 10 miles of trail.

With some trails under our belts, my husband wanted to try some fly fishing on the river. Last year the rivers were extremely low in this area, but he still wanted to see if he could get some nibbles. I’m not much of a fisherwoman (is that a word?). In fact, I’m pretty good at getting the hook anywhere except for in the water.

But I could sit on the banks of a river for hours. Just watching and listening calms me and I love lounging around on the shores and reading a book. But this trip I decided to try something new. I brought my paints and sketchbook and practiced a bit while the sun set.

My sketches were not good but I enjoyed picking out the intricate details of a river smoothed rock or every jagged edge of a tree limb. To sketch a place means to observe it in all it’s being. Like a meditation, it occupies the mind even if just for a little bit. The whole weekend in Quinault was rejuvenating. There is just something energizing about all those trees…

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510XxP1DgHL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_A Pacific Northwest Nature Sketchbook by Jude Siegel
From choosing a palette and mixing colors to exercises for perfecting your sketches, Jude takes you through the sketching and watercolor painting process from beginning to finish. She focuses on natural subjects like rocks, trees, water and mountains and sprinkles in many of her own paintings of her favorite places around the northwest. Jude lives in Oregon and teaches workshops. You can find more about her and the book on her website.

 

 

 

 

 

Hikes Featured in this Post:
North Fork Quinault River
Quinault Lodge Loop