PETRIFIED

The road between Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon is the scenic byway #12 which goes right through the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The Escalante and the Paria rivers run through this area creating two canyons.  We drove this narrow highway between these two massive canyons with no guardrails up to an altitude 9000 feet and then back down a 14% grade.  A very nerve racking but beautiful drive.  I tried to take a picture looking down into the canyon to show how rugged and remote the area is.  One wrong turn and we would be over the edge.  And it was a really long way down!

If that wasn't enough of a challenge for Jim, the GPS took us off the highway and onto a dead end dirt road.  We stopped in the middle of a horse farm. The residents came out and told us how to get back on the correct road to our destination. We had to un-hook the car and make a u-turn but eventually found the Escalante-Petrified Wood State Park. Another adventure!

Once we found the State Park and got into our site along the Wide Hollow Reservoir we could finally breathe a sigh of relief. We have a great view of the water from our living room window.
This park is known for the many examples of petrified wood that can be found here.

Jim was ready to hike up the mountain and start exploring as soon as we arrived.  Kathe and I are still recovering from the drive so, after a short walk around the park we are content to sit inside and watch the sunset.