Vernal, Utah

Down and out in a rocky and remote Vernal, Utah draw.

I don't remember the specifics here, but surely we found this spot by happenstance when following a muddy dirt road with a general idea that it might lead somewhere; we followed these rocks down until we got tired or bored. The storm on the horizon would eventually catch up with us as we traveled back to base camp, just over the Colorado border, near the banks of the mighty Green.

Not only would the storm on the horizon produce one of the more fightingly close electrical storms I have ever encountered, but it also dumped a lot of rain; it flooded. It flooded our campsite, floating our cooler, overtaking tents and gear. By the time we packed up camp and drove away, water was lapping at the Jeep, mid-wheel nearing the door frame. In hindsight, we laughed, joking that yeah, we should have bailed much earlier.

The next morning we awoke to calm, and it was good to have no schedule other than reaching Salt Lake to link up with a fellow traveler. From Vernal, we turned north through remote Southwest Wyoming, Flaming Gorge country, to link up with I-80 in what quickly turned into a highspeed burn into the great salt lake valley.

A few more photos from the trip, all photos via iPhone 6.

Dinosaur National Monument, Turners Creek. 1419, 102714.

Grand Basin National Park NV. 1845, 102514.

“To Protect Natural Values,” near Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado. 1548, 102114.

Tumble down shack. Moffat County, Colorado. 1742, 102114.

Wyoming HWY 191 overlook, looking south into Colorado and Utah between Ely Creek and Beef Steer Creek. 1611, 102214.

Green River overlook. Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado. 0750, 102214.

Gates of Lodore, Green River. 0834, 102214.