Upheaval Dome Canyonlands National Park, Utah

October 16, 2017

Day-8 of the Fall Bucket List Tour continues.  I last was up here at the Island in the Sky  three years ago, when I visited False Kiva, which actually lies just half a mile from today's trailhead.

There is a trail up Whale Rock

Having never actually driven all the way to the end of this road, I am mildly surprised to see that the parking lot is filled to overflowing.

A popular place today

Grabbing a section of dirt adjacent to the paved lot to park in, I head for the trailhead.

⇔

It's not every day that I get to visit something when I don't even know what it is.

Starting up the trail

Everything is red around here

It is but a brief scramble up and down the slickrock to the first overlook.

Upheaval Dome

Wow!  That definitely is different, and it's the only white-colored object in sight.

Is that the second viewpoint?

No, it's way over there

Zoomed in a bit

I am not lost today

He is contemplating the Moqui-style footsteps

From this overlook, the view is to the east

They are continuing on the Syncline Loop Trail

This is why I go hiking

Looking westward

That's the way back

Starting down

Oops.  Those cairns had led me around the Moqui steps, so I missed out.  Pshaw.

So long to Overlook #2
Hello to Overlook #1

Nearly finished

§: That was fun.  One must read the information either on the signpost or in the park brochure, in order to glean any sort of appreciation for this unique phenomenon.

• Trailhead: End of Upheaval Dome Road, Island in the Sky
• Distance: 1.6 miles
• Elevation gain/loss: 300'
• Hikers: dozens
• Rating: 5

Scenery
Difficulty
Solitude

On my way out of the park I will make the short loop walk to Mesa Arch — not because it's new, but because I need some digital images of it.

Nobody will be kicking that one down

That group will not get out of my way

I manage a couple of shots anyhow:

The view through Mesa Arch

The "sunrise shot" that the highbrow photographers covet

I also reminisce a bit by strolling out to the Shafer Canyon Viewpoint.

I haven't been out there before

This overlook provides the best views of the famous Shafer Trail, which leads down to Potash Road and the Colorado River.

I drove down it with my bride in 2005

I drove up it with a bicycle on a rack in 2014