Starry, Starry Night

Our Utah destination is Cedar Breaks National Monument, a complete unknown to us, but we know Zion will be packed on a weekend.

 We approach the monument through green valleys with sheep grazing and sheep herders watching over them from horseback.

Our first glimpse of the gigantic rocky bowl that comprises 90% of Cedar Breaks stuns us. It is the absolute opposite of the lush forest and wildflower meadows that flow up to the ridge's edge.

Settlers misnamed the area Cedar Breaks, misidentifying the Engelmann Spruce as cedars.  "Break" was their term for the abrupt edge of sandstone cliffs.  The Monument is famous for its wildflowers.  The tall spikes above are Elkweed. 

We get a campsite just teetering on the brink of a meadow of flowers.

Walking to the Visitor Center we spy Colorado Columbine in the shade of prickly currant.

The evening sun makes these daisies glow.

The Visitor Center is housed in this log cabin constructed by the CCC in 1937.  A big picture window inside has this view:

We hear about the Stargazing party at 9:30 pm.  We are at 10,350 foot elevation - the highest point of our whole trip.

When we come back, about 120 people have gathered to look at the planets through giant telescopes manned by local professors and researchers from the observatory located atop Cedar Breaks.  We get to see Jupiter, Saturn and Venus.

In the morning we come back to the same point to take a 5 mile hike along the edge of the precipice.  It is downhill 2 miles and uphill the whole return.  We feel the elevation!

The Englemann Spruce forest has been decimated by spruce bark beetle.  This is a 300 year cycle of forest decline... and rejuvenation, as young spruce are coming in.

The Bristlecone Pine grow in the most inhospitable soils right on be edge of the Breaks.  We loved seeing these a few years ago in the White Mountains near Bishop, CA.  These trees are the oldest living species on earth, some over 5000 years old.  The ones in Cedar Breaks are youngsters at only 2000 years.

The pine foliage looks young and spritely.

There's a wildflower festival this weekend and we pick up info about all the species in the monument.

It's fun to find this Cinquefoil peeking out by the edge of the path.

It was very cold last night.  We finally needed the Pendleton blanket we brought, just in case.  We leave Cedar Breaks feeling refreshed by its alpine beauty.

We have a few hours of driving ahead and will go through stunning Utah scenery. If you have not been to Utah, you need to go!

Our overnight destination is Valley of the Fire State Park, 40 miles north of Las Vegas.  We know it will be hot, but we feel blasted by the heat and are glad to pay $10 more for hookups.  Our little air conditioner struggles to cool the Chalet.  I take 2 cold showers (thank you, Nevada Parks!).  We stayed here back in 2009 with John and Lisa, but it was more pleasant in October!

We are headed home.  Our 16 day impromptu trip has taken us through 

6 states.  We camped free 5 nights, paid a high of $40 and a low of $5 for campsites.  We have a list of improvements to make on the Chalet (get rid of the funky carpet on the steps and have the fridge serviced, etc).  We have been constantly entertained by the gorgeous scenery.  Thank you family and friends for your hospitality :)

The Chalet has passed muster!