Navajo Lake, Utah

This is an view of Navajo Lake, Utah taken from the highway over look on highway 14.  It is a long narrow lake that parallels the road.

Towards the southwest end of the lake there is a public access ramp.  I did kayak this lake, but I put into the lake further to the east.

This is an interesting image found in the middle of the lake.  It is actually a dam that keeps the west end of the lake from going completely dry in the summer.  A local resident told me that the previous summer the entire lake had dried up.  Because that often happens, only small trout are take by fishermen.  That have to re-plant it each spring.

We were told that the locals will some times locate the dam while water covers it as seen in this picture.  They will walk across it and act like they are walking on water.😊

Here is the location where I launched my kayak.  As can be seen, it is shallow along the shore line and easily accessible for wading out to get into the kayak.  There is a fairly good size parking lot from which this picture was taken.  However, there are no rest room facilities at this location.

Following are some other views taken of the lake.  I will not make comments on each picture unless there is something unusual about the view.

This display board is at the overview from which the first pictures were taken.  Navajo lake is located about half way between Cedar City and the location of Bryce Woodland Estates where the "Shrek House" is located.  There is also a Navajo Lake in New Mexico near Farmington.  It is along the New Mexico - Colorado border and spans both states.

  Here is a photo of the lava flow that formed Navajo Lake.  The lake can be seen in the background.  Notice the snow bank in the lava bed.  It was late June and snow could be seen along the highway where it was shady.  One of the visitors at the lake had made snow balls that he threw at his daughters while they were kayaking.

The lava bed is estimated to be only about one thousand years old.  It is said that this area could experience another eruption in our lifetime.

My next post will feature another lake we visited while in Utah.

One our first adventures after arriving at the Shrek House in Bryce Woodland Estates was to locate Tropic Reservoir.  It is located 40 miles from our summer location.  If we could go directly over the mountain from our location, it would be half that distance.

To get to the lake, one must take highway 12 towards Bryce Canyon.  On the way you pass through Red Canyon.  Just before turning into Bryce Canyon there is a dirt road that cuts back south, and which leads to the reservoir.

This view and the ones that follow are rock formations seen as you pass through Red Canyon.  There was highway repairs being made and traffic was stopped, so I had plenty of time to take several pictures.  The unique formations are formed by ice, snow and wind.  The road work was right in the area where there are two arches that you drive through, so we did not get any pictures of them.

We arrived at Tropic Reservoir to find a huge body of water surrounded by pine and juniper trees.  There is a sign that indicates a campground.  That is near the boat ramp.  Most of the lake shore would otherwise be difficult to get to to launch a boat.

You can see in this view how steep the bank is.

This is a view from the far end of the lake.  It is a wonderful place to kayak and fish.  We saw a couple of nice fish caught along the shore while there, even though it was mid-day. 

At one time, while driving to the far end of the lake, we spotted a huge flock of geese on the water.  When we returned, they had dispersed.  We managed to photograph a few of them.

Here is a close up of some of the geese.

There is a wonderful spring of fresh water that is fenced off, but not locked out.

This is the final view of the lake.  It is fed by a stream that flows into it.  That dark spot you see on the lake is a fisherman.  It is like a wonderful oasis in the middle of the mountainous desert.

Taking Our Adventure Beyond New Mexico

We decided to take a vacation from the New Mexico heat and spend some time with our son, Ben, and his family.  They moved from Cedar City, Utah to the Bryce Woodland Estate near Hatch, Utah.

This is a distant view of the mountains in which their house is located.  Notice the red rock in the mountains to the East.  Bryce Canyon National Park is located about 36 miles from their home.

The road from the highway to their home is a long, dusty four miles.  You can see the roar in the foreground as it winds it's way to their home.  In the background, you see the red rock cliffs.

Cumulus clouds were building up above the cliffs.  We had one rain producing thunder storm after we arrived, but since it has been dry, accompanied by afternoon wind.

You go over several hills as you travel to the Bryce Woodland Estate.  The road divides just before you reach their home, which you can see in the center of the picture.  The house has a large wood carving of Shrek and Donkey.  Everyone in the area knows it as the "Shrek House."

From this view, you can see some of the other houses nestled in the foothills.  The "Shrek House" was the first house built in this division, and was the show house.

The Driveway up to the house is steep, but we easily towed the trailer up into the yard.  The Shrek and Donkey statue is below the porch near the hammock.  I don't think it can be seen in this picture.

The driveway is to the right of  where this picture was taken.  Lots of family autos😊.

We backed the trailer in next to the back side of the house where the 30 amp connection and septic system were located.

Everything is on a slope.  Leveling the trailer was quite a challenge.  All the ground is covered with small rocks hauled in for ground  cover.

Here we are set up with everything but the kayak unloaded.  The elevation is about 7800 feet.  It is high and dry and cold at night.  In the morning we often see mule deer.  This morning while walking the dog I saw a four point buck and a doe.

Here are some pictures of beautiful Lilly-like flowers that are blooming.  I don't know my flower species.  I just know they are beautiful.

If you are a botanist, maybe you can identify them.  If so, feel free to let me know.

I had to include these two pictures of the cactus that just started blooming because the look like some of the same species we have at Rock Hound.

On my next blog post, I will feature some of the lakes I have been able to kayak.

Continuing Our Adventure

We left the crowded Sunny Acres R.V. Park to return to Rock Hound State Park.  This was an interesting scene when we were greeted by morning fog.  The winter at Rock Hound was much colder than it had been in 2017/2018.  In the distance you can see  our Visitor's Center.  The fog was laying in along the base of the Large Florida Mountains to the south of our location.

                     
This picture is taken looking west towards Arizona.  All of the houses in the valley towards Deming are blanked out with the fog, and the view of the mountains towards Arizona are blocked by the fog.  

We did not just get fog.  One morning we awakened to about an inch of snow.  It quickly melted off, but before it did I managed to capture this photo.  The snow was still on our camp chairs.

                                                    

Our camper was located at the south end of the campground where a lot of spare equipment is stored. This view is to the South/Southeast.  The mountains are the Little Florida Mts.  It did not take long for the snow to quickly melt off.

The two pictures above are of the Large Florida Mts. covered with snow from that same storm.  This storm did not occur on the same day as the fog.  During the entire winter of 2017/2018 there was only one time that we got just a brushing of snow that lasted less than an hour.  Even this snow fall did not last more than a couple of days up on the mountains, and even less time than that at Rock Hound State Park.

It was still quite amazing to many of our guest (snow birds) who had come to New Mexico to escape the snow and the cold.

We jump ahead in this blog now to a warmer more typical scene.

Located  at the end of the rock walled in flower bed that separates the main road through the campground from the road and parking area in front of the rest rooms is this plant that we think is one of the yucca species.  We observed the huge bulb forming.  It can be seen in this photo in the upper right.  It was decided to photograph it periodically as it progressed.

Here is a better view of the flower bulb as it began to grow and open.  There was another flower on the other side, and I believe there are actually two yuccas growing here together.  What will follow are a series of photos throughout the entire blooming cycle.  I will not comment on each picture as I believe they are self-explanatory.

Well, all good things have to come to an end.  See how the blossoms have wilted and are getting ready to fall off.

I did not try to document the many flowers and cacti in the park this year because I put them on my blog last year.  I did photograph a couple of flowers as they first began to open because I did not think I had captured them last year.

This is a Ocatillo in it's first blossom.  When they reach full bloom, the black chin humming birds will abandon the feeders and feed on the Ocatillo blossoms.  Smart birds.

This is a beautiful cactus blossom just opening.  Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of the full cactus, but if you scroll down to last years posts, there are numerous pictures of them in full bloom.

Here is the first blossom of the Desert Bird of Paradise.  Again, pictures of them in full bloom have been previously posted.

These are a couple of a different specie of yucca plant.  They are really beautiful.  Notice the  one flower stem that has not opened.

These two pictures are of an Agave plant.  We first saw one when we were camping at Leasburg State Park.  It was on private property just outside the park.  I had no idea what it was, but was amazed by its beauty.

These yuccas growing together will be my final picture for this blog post.  I hope you have enjoyed my posts, and I will not wait so long until I post again.  We are on vacation from our camp hosting duties, so I will have more time to blog.