Summer Trip 2021, Coconino National Forest, Oak Creek, Pine Flat Campground, Sedona, AZ

Coconino National Forest, Oak Creek

Pine Flat Campground

Oak Creek Canyon as seen from the rim on Hwy 89A just outside Flagstaff, AZ

Oak Creek Canyon is a river gorge located in northern Arizona between the cities of Flagstaff and Sedona. The canyon is often described as a smaller cousin of the Grand Canyon because of its scenic beauty. State route 89A enters the canyon on its north end via a series of hairpin turns before traversing the bottom of the canyon for about 13 miles until the highway enters the town of Sedona and red rock country. 

Our campsite at Pine Flats is operated by the National Forest Service. The sites were large with plenty of space between campsites. The restrooms were pit toilets. Be sure not to get a campsite near the toilets as we did as there is an unpleasant smell that drifted over our campsite from time to time. There is no electric and no showers however it was a treat to be in the canyon with Oak Creek not far from our campsite.

Our Friend Ron from Page, AZ joined us at our campsite at Pine Flats

The town of Sedona is a great place to visit while you're in this area. It is surrounded by the red rock landscapes that make this place so popular to visit. Their are jeep tours that will take you to some of the best sites around the area. 

Sedona is a spiritual place with lots of shops that specialized in this subject area.

We always have enjoyed this area of red rocks and canyons south of Flagstaff over the years. It is a great place to explore with a beauty that is hard to match.

I plan to place extra posts of some of our stays in later stages of our trip so keep coming back to see my pictures and narrative. My travel blog has always been intended to inspire others to go out and see the places you have never see. The greatest honor for me is when folks tell me that they enjoy traveling vicariously through my pictures and narrative.

This project of mine is ongoing. Until next time happy trails and may natures beauty never fail to inspire you.

Summer Trip 2021, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Cedar City, Utah

 Cedar Breaks National Monument

Point Supreme Campground

Cedar Breaks is a natural amphitheater stretching across a distance of about three miles with a depth of over 2,000 feet. The elevation of the rim of the amphitheater is over 10,000 feet. The formations in this park closely resemble those that are found in Bryce National Park and the Red Canyon in the Dixie National Forest. 

This park is extra special. At a height of over 10,000 feet the air is crisp and clear. The views are spectacular. We camped out at Point Supreme campground in the heart of the park. The nighttime skies were amazing with the milky way clearly visible spanning across the sky. We had flush toilets, hot showers (a luxury), firewood from the campground host to keep us warm at night and a nice site with great views. Just about perfect.

We enjoyed several hikes while in the park. One of the hikes took us along the rim to a lovely Alpine pond with views of the canyons that make this park so dynamic.

We drove up to Brian Head peak the highest point in this area at over 11,000 feet. It was a drive we will never forget. All of it was gravel road with several spots that were steep and a bit rocky. We were rewarded with views that were so amazing of the surrounding landscapes that stretched on for miles in every direction.

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Summer Trip 2021, Craters of the Moon National Monument, central Idaho

 Craters of the Moon

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve is located in the Snake River Plain in central Idaho. There are three lava fields that lie along the Great Rift of Idaho. The geological features in this park our other worldly giving one a sense of how powerful the internal energy of the earth has shaped the features here not to far in the distant past in terms of geological time spans.

Our Campsite was nestled in between Lave Rock making for a unique experience that fit right into the theme of the park. We had flush toilets nearby with paved sights which we like to keep our home a bit cleaner.

The features of this unique landscape are volcanic but also are teaming with life. We marveled at the small clusters of flowering blooms that covered the landscape in areas that had gentle slopes. 

Craters of the Moon left us with a feeling that the powers that have made our planet are still there just below the surface waiting to release the energy that created so many landscapes over time.

Summer Trip 2021, Sawtooth National Forest, Redfish Lake, Idaho

 Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Sunny Gulch Campground

Sunny Gulch is three miles from Redfish Lake, but is quieter and less crowded then the campgrounds closer to Red Fish Lake in the summer. In this area there is access to great hiking trails with views into the Sawtooth Wilderness and the White Cloud Wilderness. Redfish Lake Lodge is also nearby with a great view of the Lake and the Sawtooth Mountain range. There is a sandy beach along to enjoy the views with food and beverages that are severed at the lodge in a nice shaded setting. It is a great place to relax and enjoy the landscapes that make this place so special.

Our campground at Sunny Gulch was very nice with the Salmon River running swiftly in the Canyon that was our home for three nights. Our friend from Florida Diane Dahlberg came up from Florida to join us for this part of our trip. It was so nice to experience this great wilderness landscape with a dear friend.

The wildlife, the landscapes, the majestic Sawtooth mountains make this area a perfect place to discover nature and all the beauty that is so soothing to the soul.