Arizona Part 2 Page, Flagstaff, and the Grand Canyon

 

 Page, Arizona        March 18-21, 2021

We stayed in a nice 2 bedroom/2 bath Airbnb in Page. We could walk around the town and to the local grocery so it was really convenient.

Our first day in Page we drove out to Horseshoe Bend. This was one of my number one things to see on this trip so I was very excited that morning.

Children were stacking the rocks along the trail.

I was surprised to see that the water was a blackish green color in the late morning. Horseshoe Bend was quite a site in the brown desert. 

We spotted several boats below exploring the bend.

Just above the overlook to the Horseshoe Bend

Some crazy young folks dared to go out on the edge of the canyon....so scary for us to watch!

The remains of an old covered wagon

The scenery around Page was fantastic!

Crossing over the bridge in front of the Glen Canyon dam.

We hired a guide to take us out the hike some slot canyons. Our Ford Transit would not have faired well on these bumpy pot hole roads.

Our guide, Phil, drove us down a dirt road out to Wire Pass and  Buckskin Gulch.

Hiking to the slot canyon was full of desert beauty.

Entering the Wire Pass slot canyon

We love hiking the slot canyons...reminded us of going into Petra in Jordan.

The light affected the coloring of the rocks at different times of the day.

We climbed down a ladder to pass on down the trail.

We really enjoyed this hike. 

The sun was just right reflecting the color of the rocks.

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Leaving Wire Pass canyon

Petroglyphs 

After a picnic lunch we entered Buckskin Gulch.

Buckskin Gulch is one of the longest slot canyons in the world.

The walking trail through Buckskin Gulch passes through 16 miles of unique rock formations as well as smoothly, rising, and falling forms of sandstone walls. 

Although the hike is fairly tame at the beginning, as you travel deeper into the canyon, you will begin to encounter obstacles including giant boulders jams and deep pools of water that can linger for months after a flood!

It was hiking bliss!

A reflection of the sky in the muddy water was very nice!

After hiking a couple miles into the Gulch. we turned around and headed for the car.

It was a rugged half an hour ride back in our car. We arrived at 5:00 pm. It was a full day... well worth the adventure.

The third day in Page we went out to the Scenic Drive to capture some views of the  Glen Canyon Dam.

The Colorado River north of Horseshoe Bend.

Riding the scooter this day was invigorating. It was a wee nippy.

Glen Canyon Marina

Love these houseboat. They rent for about $700 buck a night! YIKES!

Lone Rock sits out in the Colorado River.

We enjoyed riding the scooter 20 miles outside of Page to do the Toadstool Hike.

What unusual formations!

The green in the rock is evidence of copper being present.

The ride out to see the Toadstools was oh so windy, but the ride back was a delight.

The scenery was magnificent !

             The next day we loaded up and headed to Flagstaff for a five day stay in a home exchange.

We stopped at the Wupatki ruins. Puebloan natives made their homes in the area as traders and farmers.

We spotted great views of the volcano during our drive. 

The landscape changed dramatically from arid desert land to evergreens with snowcapped mountains.

We passed lava fields.

Flagstaff, Arizona   March 22-27, 2021

We stayed in our friend, Deanna's home in a  home exchange in Flagstaff. It was so convenient to everything since it was right downtown Flagstaff. It snowed everyday. Every morning we woke up  to find everything covered in snow..... Usually by afternoon it had all melted.

Deanna had a henhouse with four inhabitants. We enjoyed visiting the ladies that were in the back yard. It was a pleasure to have fresh eggs everyday.

Another day we drove out to see the privately owned Meteor Crater.

This was the second crater that we have seen on this trip. It was smaller than the Ubebabe Crater that we saw in Death Valley.

It was extremely windy and cold...it just about blew us away. On the way here today, tractor trailers were pulled off on the highway roadsides due to the 70 mph gusts.

We enjoyed driving through acres and acres of  pine tree forest on the way to the Grand Canyon.

Arizona's highest mountain, Humphreys Peak, 12,000 FT.

It was very chilly in northern Arizona!

We left Flagstaff heading for the Grand Canyon. The last time we were there was in 2002  when we rode the Colorado River in a white water raft celebrating out wedding anniversary.

We enjoyed viewing Arizona's highest mountain.

What talent to form these creations out of metal!

Grand Canyon, Arizona     March 27, 2021

We arrived at the Grand Canyon for a great hike that afternoon.

 

We stayed in the Yavapai Lodge...really nice!

                 The next morning we hiked Bright Angels Trail, the edge of the canyon in the village. 

One of the infamous mules that take you to the bottom of the canyon.

       It was interesting to watch the guided group of mules lumbering down the canyon's narrow path.

WOW!

That is snow...left over from the storms that hit us everyday in Flagstaff.

Bucky was quite a man...striking out across this wild country in 1879 at the age of 19.

We enjoyed going into the original Bright Angel's Lodge.

Tucson, Arizona      March 28-April 6, 2021

                                               The nightly sunsets in Tucson were incredible!

One day we rode to Sabino Canyon to hike. It was a gorgeous day and we enjoyed the scenery as well as the meandering creek that followed the  path. 

We were unable to secure a seat on the trolley up to the end of the canyon until late in the day....so we just walked. It was FANTASTIC!

                                             The hillsides were covered with Saguaro Cacti!

        It was nice to see these cacti blooming....earlier in the season they looked like they were dead.

                                                Huge rock walls rose on one side of us while....

a creek trickled down the other side of the road.

We spotted one blooming cacti....apparently they all had bloomed earlier in the season while we were up north in California and Utah!

We enjoyed hiking back through the desert plants.

I love these cacti!

The wildflowers were blooming.

Another day we took off riding toward the Mexican border at Nogales....

passing through Patagonia. We had been told that is was an awesome ride.

                                              We passed through a border patrol check point.

                     Although the area was known as wine country... we never spotted a vineyard.

Great mountain views with dry plains surrounded us.

This flat rancher silhouette stood on the hillside.

Larry enjoyed photographing this old truck.

Patagonia was an old western looking town.

I enjoyed the artistic shops in the area.

This woodpecker flute was really unique.

We enjoyed looking at the home crafted instruments.

An ole crow cane!

After a grand picnic lunch, we headed further south...toward the border.

In Nogales, we spotted "THE Wall" that actually ran right through the middle of the town separating Mexico and the United States.

With no intentions of crossing the boarder, due to the Covid, we headed back to Tucson...

following the mountain ranges in the east.

Our final day in Tucson, we rode the scooter up to Mount Lemmon.

What a difference in temperature from the last time we rode up here with Jay and Kim back the last week of February!

The rock formations up here are so picturesque!

The road was full of curves...just like the last time!

It was a MARVELOUS ride!

AND....there was still snow on top in the shadows of the mountain...we stopped to put on our coats.

That evening I fixed chicken and dumplings and a garden salad for Rich and Carolyn's return. They had driven back from their San Diego getaway. We had a delightful evening as the sun set from their backyard!

The next morning we left Tucson bright and early heading east to Houston!

Good-bye Arizona!