Spring Break 2010 (UT,AZ & NM)

While flying to Las Vegas, our path included this view of the White Sands Missile Range (lower right) and White Sands National Monument (upper left). The entire route of the Bataan Memorial Death March can be seen in this photo:

Zion National Park was the first stop of our 2nd annual father/daughter spring break vacation to the Southwest:

The beginning of The Narrows:

Angel's Landing (5,784ft.):

Kellisa enjoying the bus ride through the canyon:

After Zion, we headed towards the Four Corners region of Utah and Arizona. Along the drive, we passed The Vermillion Cliffs at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument:

Lake Powell:

Agathia Peak (7,100ft.), just outside Monument Valley:

Monument Valley:

We spent the night in Mexican Hat, UT. The rock formation that gave the town it's name:

Valley of the Gods is a smaller scale version of Monument Valley which is toured on a 17 mile dirt road:

Goosenecks State Park, UT:

The Moki Dugway is a three mile dirt road that is carved into the side of Cedar Mesa. Depending on which way you are traveling, it will either descend or ascend approximately 1,100 feet. We drove the Moki in both directions. The road was originally built to secretly transport uranium ore from a mine on top of the mesa.

From below, you cannot see the road that will switch back and forth up the mesa:

Enjoying a stop and the view along the road:Looking down on some of the switchbacks:

After driving along the top of Cedar Mesa, we arrived at Natural Bridges National Monument:

Driving along the top of Cedar Mesa, we stopped at a small snowfield for some fun:

Tempted by a sign that points down a rough dirt road in the middle of nowhere, we had to see Muley Point:

We were rewarded with these views:

A picture of the rental vehicle on the descent of the Moki Dugway:

After Utah, we were headed to Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. We had to return through Monument Valley. The classic road view:

Petrified Forest National Park:

A welcomed paved trail:

Kellisa at an old car that marks the spot where old Route 66 crossed through Petrified Forest National Park:

Pilot Rock (6,234ft.), the highest point in Petrified Forest National Park:

Next, we headed towards Albuquerque, NM for our return flight home. We had enough time to visit the Rio Grande Zoo and ride the train: