Reds Canyon

Reds Canyon is one of the most scenic trails I have ever driven. At times, you would think you were looking at the Grand Canyon in Arizona. There were so many great photos from this trip, I decided to create a slideshow...

I recommend viewing a fullscreen version of the slideshow by clicking here 

Temple Mountain Campground

I met Sunny and her friends, Matt & Sherry, at the Temple Mountain Campground north of Goblin Valley State Park where we would be boondocking for the next two days. How far are we from civilization; well, there is no Internet service here (delirium tremens may be imminent). We spent the afternoon at the Temple Mountain Wash Pictograph Panel, an abandoned uranium mine, Goblin Valley and Little Wild Horse Slot Canyon.

Campsite with a view
(click on photos to enlarge)

Group photo with ancient pictographs above our heads

Old uranium mine

Goblin Valley

Beginning of Little Wild Horse Slot Canyon

Black Dragon

The Black Dragon trail showcases the San Rafael Swell, an upheaval of rock 75 miles long. The southern part of the trail features colorful sandstone formations jutting out of the ground...

Click on photos to enlarge

The northern part features the Black Dragon Wash that takes you through a magnificent canyon with sheer rock cliffs hundreds of feet high...

On the way out of the canyon, I turned around and got several nice panoramic shots...

9 Mile Canyon

9 Mile Canyon is another fun trail about 50 miles north of Green River. My first stop was at the largest concentration of old coke ovens I have ever seen...

Remains of over 800 coke ovens near Sunnyside, Utah

Next was an aerial tram once used by a mining company to transport ore off the mountain...

About half way through the trail, I came across one of mother nature's roadblocks...

Not wanting to back track several miles, I searched for an alternative route around the logjam (blog humor). After several dead ends and one locked gate, I found one that took me through a beautiful canyon...

The last leg of the trail had a number of petroglyph panels, but it was late in the afternoon and I was tired, so I only stopped at one...

"The Great Hunt"

The big surprise of the day was watching a squirrel and what I believe to be a mink battling it out in the middle of the road...

Lastly, the area around Green River, Utah is becoming one of my favorite places to explore. The variety of scenery is simply amazing.

Black Tank Maintenance

I learned early on that the best way to control black tank odors was to thoroughly flush the tank when dumping. This included filling the tank about half full with the valve closed in order to build up enough pressure to wash stubborn particulate matter out of the system and get relatively clear effluent. I had been guessing at when the tank was half full which runs the risk of overflow through the toilet (not a pretty image). While in a Ace Hardware yesterday, I came across a water flow meter for $17.99 that will hopefully eliminate that risk...

Caveat: I have read that these plastic meters do not hold up well over time

While on the topic of black tank maintenance, here's a YouTube video that was helpful in learning how to unclog my tank's sensors. The CliffsNotes version is to add fresh water to the tank along with dish detergent and Borax and let that soak the tank while traveling to your next destination. All of my sensors are now working like new.

Coal Canyon

Occasionally, I come across a trail that I have never heard of that turns out to be a lot of fun. Coal Canyon just east of Green River, Utah is such a trail. Although there are some minor obstacles along the way, it is the changing landscape that makes it worthwhile. The first segment takes you through lush, verdant farmland that included a sizable field of hemp plants and a group of pronghorns...

FYI - hemp contains 0.3% or less of THC whereas marijuana contains more than 0.3% THC

Then you work you way through some very impressive canyons...

The last segment of the trail is a barren area that reminded me of the Badlands in South Dakota. During this half day drive, I did not see another vehicle the entire time. Great way to social distance during the pandemic.