Back to Chilly Weather

Initially after we left Zion National Park we intended to see Bryce Canyon National Park but a series of colds fronts were passing through the area so we opted to take a short detour and head to the nearby Mystic Hot Springs in Monroe, Utah. This was another place someone had circled on our map before we left Alaska. We didn’t know what to expect but we were pleasantly surprised with most of the other items people had circled for us so we figured we would give it a shot. When we arrived at Monroe we wondered if perhaps we had entered a black hole or something. There was NOBODY about. It was a Sunday afternoon and we think the whole town was at the community church since that was the only place we saw any cars. The hot springs were nestled along the border of a line of mountains away from the majority of the town. The gentleman who ran the hot springs bought the property after his bus broke down in Monroe and he first set eyes on the springs. It wasn’t quite love at first site for us, but we were excited to soak in any type of hot water at this point. The springs started at the top of a small hill and flowed downward naturally across the ground. After every little bit there was a bathtub which was fed by the springs and drained back to the ground. As it cooled it was then channeled into a series of fish pools. Sprout was allowed to swim in these pools and boy did she have fun chasing the tennis ball and the fish.

The Hottubs at Mystic Hot Springs

Us in the Hot Springs

From Monroe we started back toward Bryce Canyon national park but first stopped to check out another circled place on the map, Freemont Indian State Park. This state park was created to display, research, and educate people on the artifacts discovered nearby at a Freemont Indian archeology site. The site was discovered when the state was surveying to put in Interstate 70. In their excavation the largest Freemont Indian site in the country was discovered, Five Finger Ridge. But in the name of progress the freeway was built destroying the village site. Luckily the site was studied first and as a mitigation measure the state park was created. The park had a series of interpretative trails passing by many of the nearby petroglyphs. They also had recreated portions of the ancient dwellings called pit houses. We had fun walking around and exploring the pit house.

Petroglyphs

Pit House

dave Going Into Pit House (The entrance hole also served as the smoke hole.)

After the state park we thought we were finally going to get to Bryce Canyon. We were wrong. The Red Canyon portion of the Dixie National Forest caught our eye. It was much too pretty too pass up. We had to do a few hikes.

jody and the Dogs on Arches Trail (Thank goodness the Forest Service allows dogs on their trails.)

Arches Trail Scenery

dave on Tunnel Trail (This trail was really neat because it climbed up to the highest point in the area. As you looked down through the Ponderosa pines you could see two tunnels in the road built through the red rock.