Grand Canyon - Bryce Canyon - Escalante

7.24.15

Over Pioneer Day I made Mike take me to another place on my bucket list... the Grand Canyon. This trip was incredible and I grew to love this beautiful planet and place that we live even more. We went with some friends, and our large pup, which made the trip even better. We drove A LOT but we also saw so many beautiful things. The first night we stayed in Hurricane, Utah at a KOA campground because we were too tired to keep driving. The next day we made it to the North Rim and pitched our tents in the free camping areas. This is a great option because although there are so many places you can pay to camp, they are usually quite pricey. Luckily, outside of the national park, you can camp for free, which we did and it was great.

Here is Pete, with our big pup Doris... and just some of our treats

the.grand.canyon.

This place absolutely blew me away. I expected to love it, but I didn't know just how much I would. It is incredibly stunning and will take your breath away. Here are some pictures from several of our stops and we drove around the North Rim

The picture below was taken in front of Point Imperial

I mean... I could have stayed here forever... it was so peaceful. We loved the North Rim because the views were amazing and it is reportedly much LESS crowded than the South Rim.

If you're looking for a place to eat, Jacob's Inn, located at Jacobs Lake (not too far from the North Rim) offers camping, indoor lodging, and good food.

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The pup, and Mike, were both very tired

escalante

This was my first time to Escalante and it was amazing! We camped at Calf Creek Campgrounds, which was actually full when we got there but we were able to stay in the group area... it was a miracle because it was getting dark and we did not have a place to stay. The next morning we took off at about 7:00 to hike the Lower Calf Creek Falls. This was a good time to go because the trail was empty. This hike is about 6 miles round trip but flat and easy.

At the bottom of this tall wall there are some ancient artwork.

We made it to Lower Calf Creek Falls and it was incredible! The water was way too cold but the view was amazing!

We jumped it.. and it was a mistake. Way too cold.

On the way back Doris decided she was done. She would walk to steps then lay down. Mike put her in his big backpack and Doris has never been happier. Her tongue looked like this the whole time!