Sept 15 - Hike with Elana Davidson, Moab library, & UT-279 Colorado River scenic drive

   We met up with Elana Davidson to go on a hike on the Mill Creek trail to the Mill Creek Waterfalls.  Elana has been hiking here for so long she no longer has a sense of what a difficult or challenging hike is.  She just moves along in her sandals like a mountain goat.  Most of the trail was pretty easy, going along the Mill Creek stream.  But there was that section where the rock edge sloped rather steeply down to the stream, and you had to walk along the top edge of the rocks and hope not to slip into the water.  And there were those sections that crossed the stream through the water.  I had brought some flip-flops to put on, instead of my sneakers (which I need to hike in), but Peter didn't.  He decided that sopping wet sneakers and socks were actually rather cooling.  And then there was the walk back from the falls, when we decided to walk through the water instead of going back on the rocky slope, and found out that one portion was sort of deep and on a very steep rocky slope.  Peter slid down the slope and right into the stream.  Also very cooling.  

   But, the hike was great, and the water falls were idyllic.  Very cool pools that Elana and I waded in.  

   Back to the RV to change out of our wet, sandy clothes and have lunch.  Then we spent the hottest part of the afternoon back at the Moab library.  I snuck out and got my hair cut, as it was sticking out all over.  Not the best haircut I've ever gotten, but it will last until I get back to my regular stylist.

  Then, we took a 15 mile Scenic drive down UT-279.  This road follows the Colorado River through the gorge out to the Potash Mining Company at the end of the road.  The road has steep cliffs on both sides.  The rock is red sandstone, with many layers showing, and black manganese oxide on the face.  Half way down the route were petroglyphs.  They were about 20 feet up, off the road.  Very interesting designs, about 5,000 - 7,000 years old.

   There were also groups doing mountain climbing of these steep cliffs.  The road continued to meander, and at the end, there was the potash mining plant.  They built a railroad track through the mountains to  get the potash out.  By this time, the sun was starting to set, and the ride back had beautiful reflections of the setting sun in the river.  Very nice scenic drive.  

Mill Creek hike and waterfalls photos:

Elana Davidson

   Moab Library photo:

Scenic Drive on UT-279 by Colorado River photos: