Today by the Numbers:
Lowest price of gas seen on the trip thus far: $2.98/gallon (in Tonalea, AZ)
Area of the Navajo Nation: 27,425 square miles
Miles driven today: 261
Driving Day
Today we left Moab to head to our next stop in Page, AZ. It was a little sad to have to pack up, but we are excited for new adventures in new places. A brief stop in Monticello, UT, for fuel and another to stretch legs in Kayenta, AZ, but otherwise it was a long day of driving.
The photo above is of Wilson Arch, shortly before Monticello, so we got to see one more arch today; maybe our last.
As Highway 191 gets into Bluff, UT, it goes through a plains landscape and then suddenly drops into a canyon with the eroded rock formations common in the southwest. Amazing quick changes in the landscape. Some stretches look like we were transported to the moon or would see a dinosaur pop out from behind a rock. Near Bluff, we drove through a portion of Bears Ears National Monument. It’s amazing how much land there is in some kind of national protection.
We chose a route that took us through the Monument Valley. As we approached that area, the rocks were a deeper red than what we had been seeing. The colors are quite unusual in this part of the country. Monument Valley is known for the tall rock spires that abruptly rise out of the valley floor.
Monument Valley is part of the Navajo Nation. Trivia Question for the Day: How many states have some land within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation? Bonus Question: Which states are they?
Another frequent sighting while we were driving through the Navajo Nation were feral (wild) horses grazing on the vegetation. Apparently, there are about 80,000 of these horses on Navajo lands.
We arrived at the Antelope Point Marina and RV Park at about 4pm and did a quick camp setup. A shuttle (more like a golf cart!) took us from the campground down to the marina area where we decided to have a beer and a snack at the restaurant and find out details for our planned activity tomorrow: Skidoo rentals to have some fun on the water!
Trivia Answer: The Navajo Nation is located across three states; it occupies portions of northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah. (per Wikipedia)
