We had to drive through the mountains to reach our next camp. It started to snow and the temps were dropping as we climbed the mountain. The all wheel drive system really shined in this environment. I knew we would have clear sailing after we got over the top and headed back down. Unfortunately the road kept climbing and climbing and the temps kept dropping. We were getting hungry so we pulled over at a National Forest spot to eat. We agreed that if the weather got really bad we just camp there for the night. It did not get any worse so after lunch we headed back up the mountain and made it over the top. It was nice to see blue sky on the other side.
We picked this park since it was close to Grand Staircase Escalante where there were plenty of hiking options.
We did the only hike in the park.
Our camp was by this lake.
This tree had a crazy thin shape. It looked like a 1X6 board.
There was petrified wood everywhere. How is it formed?
Petrified wood forms when a tree is quickly buried by volcanic ash or sediment, which cuts off oxygen and prevents decay. Over thousands to millions of years, groundwater carrying dissolved minerals, most often silica, seeps into the wood. These minerals replace the organic material, filling the cells and void spaces to crystallize and turn the wood into a stone-like fossil that preserves the original structure.
I would like a table from this, a local store actually sells them from private sources, all you need is $5,000. We do not have one.
HAPPY TRAILS, STEVE