Our route down I-15 South took us right by Kolob Canyon, which is in the remote Northwest Corner of Zion National Park. We had stopped there on our trip two years ago, so we knew it was well worth a short side-trip. The park entrance is almost connected to the freeway off-ramp. There is a short, five-mile drive up a spectacular, narrow red-rock canyon. Then a one-mile round-trip ridge walk to some great views across the valley to Zion Canyon in the distance.

Angie entered a lottery for an Angel's Landing Hiking Permit the next day. Unfortunately, we didn't get a permit. We stayed at a private campground just outside the park gates. Once again, Angie had reserved one of the best sites. We had a lot of privacy and a 120-degree view of the The Watchman peak and Bridge Mountain on the East Rim of the canyon. This campground had a swimming pool, so we wasted no time getting changed and jumping in.

On our previous trip, we did not hike The Narrows trail - a slot canyon where you have to hike the whole way along the river bottom. That was a high priority for us this year. We loaded up the dogs in Angie's truck and headed into town to rent the bibs and waterproof boots we would need for the hike the next day. We learned that the river was running very high and was expected to be even higher the next day due to melting snow. Only athletic and agile people were advised to event attempt it and the flow rate was expected to be even higher the next day. We decided to return in the morning to check conditions.

We consoled ourselves with some ice cream. Our favorite place, the Springdale Candy Company was closed on Wednesdays, so we went on a search for another shop. We had to jog across the street a couple times during our search. Streak was a little slow - but that was not unusual for him in recent months. We found a shop with outdoor tables where we could tie up the dogs while we ordered. I saved a little to share with the dogs. Streak was resting quietly, so Charlie got it all. 

When we got up to leave, we discovered why Streak was so sedate. He had gotten sick on the sidewalk and was partially lying in the pool of his supper. We cleaned him up and started back to the car. He only got a few steps before he laid down and refused to move. We had a lifting harness on him still, since his last bout with Old Dog Vestibular Disease a month ago. Hank picked him up and carried him two blocks to the truck.

Back at the trailer, we laid him on the large mat we often put in front of our trailer. We gave him the last anti-nausea medication we had left over in hopes that his condition would improve overnight. He refused his favorite treat - Charlie Bear liver snacks from Trader Joe's. 

It took two weeks for Streak to recover from the last incidence of this disease, right before we started our trip. Angie nursed him back to health patiently and lovingly, cleaning up after him and carrying him outside to do his business. Hank was out of town for the first week of that ordeal. Angie's niece, Bria, stayed with Angie to help her lift him and care for him. We knew we couldn't cope with another bout like that and we didn't want to put Streak through it either because he was miserable.

We laid down on the mat with Streak, petting him and talking to him. I told him that he didn't need to hold on for my sake - that I would be ok without him. I told him to "Go to the light.

​We let the sun warm the chilly morning air before setting off on a hike at Kanarra Falls through a slot canyon. The four-mile in and out hike started on a jeep trail before joining the banks of the Kanarra Creek about half-way in. The trail criss-crossed the creek several times. We picked up walking sticks to help us balance as we rock hopped over the icy cold water, which had pools as deep as 10 inches. Dirt banks disappeared in the last 200 yards of the slot canyon and we continued through the freezing cold creek bed to the first and largest waterfall. 

Angie wore water sandals over socks so her feet spent a lot of time in the 34 degree water. Hank kept his hiking boots on and managed to get by with only wet toes until, part way back, one foot slipped off a rock into a pool that soaked his whole boot. The hike required concentration which was paid off with a special experience at the foot of the waterfall. The canyon was so narrow, it was almost a cave. This hike rivals Angel's Landing at Zion, in Hank's view.

​Hank woke up with a headache. Luckily, we only had a two-hour drive to Cedar City, so he got to have a lazy morning to before packing up and hitting the road. Arriving at Cedar City, we found a car wash where we washed off the thick covering of dust we had picked up in the windy deserts of Moab and Kodachrome Basin. It was 47 degrees when we arrived with overnight temps expected below freezing, so we filled our water tanks, and unhooked the water line.

​Angie got us up at 6 am for an early start at Bryce Canyon National Park. There were no rangers at the gate when we arrived. We drove the whole 18-mile sceneic drive along the rim of the ampitheater (basically a canyon without a river running through it). We climbed to to a maximum elevation of 9,100 feet at rainbow point.
https://www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/index.htm
The park has the highest conentration of hoodoos (stone spires) of any place in the world.

By the time we arrived back at the campsite, the skies had cleared and the temperatures had warmed to the upper 50s. We did about a two-mile hike with the dogs to the tops of the surrounding walls, which provided amazing vistas of the valley and the distant Bryce Canyon park. 

We fell assleep listening to an audio book - the second volume in Ken Follett's 20th century trilogy. We slept fitfully, while listening to the riveting story.

​Our next stay was at an off-the-beaten track state park at Kodachrome Basin. 
https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/kodachrome-basin/discover/
The campground was in a box canyon surrounded by sandstone cliffs and chimneys. The quiet, uncrowded campground featured spacious sites amid the remarkable scenery. The remote location, combined with the early season timing gave us an experience of peaceful wonder. The park featured a well stocked store, which included lots of apparell and delicious hand-dipped ice cream.

We broke out the propane fireplace to keep us warm in the cool, windy weather. The sky was ultra dark at night, providing wonderful star gazing. Overnight, it got so cold that our water supply line froze. The next night, we filled our insulated on-board water tanks and unhooked the water supply line to prevent our water supply from getting frozen again. 

​We took an early morning drive about 30 minutes to Dead Horse Point State Park, where the Colorado River carved an amazing canyon around a central, tall-cliffed island. We took a little rest before our 12:15 pm ATV excursion through Hells Revenge - an off road wonderland of sandstone domes and slickrock ledges overlooking yet another Colorado River canyon and the distant La Sal mountains. The ATV trip was a kick in the pants! We got to drive our own lightweight rig that can climb slopes up to 50% grade. Our climbs were in the low 30% range, which was plenty scary for us. We bypassed the steepest hill on the course - Hells Gate. But we were fortunate to see a couple of custom rigs climb it. What a rush!
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Afterwards we enjoyed beers and burgers in town before heading back the the swimming pool and hot tub.A big wind storm arrived in Moab during our last night, as a cold front moved in to southern Utah.

​Arches National Park was just a couple miles from the campground, but scheduled entry reservations were required after 7 am. So we got up at 5:30 am in order to enter the park before 7. We did the whole 12-mile drive through the park and stopped at several viewpoints and did a couple of short hikes. Angie got some amazing pictures. We met an 80-ish park volunteer who told us a lot about the geologic history of the red rock wonderland. The stone arches, soaring pinnacles, massive rock fins, and giant balanced rocks were spectacular against the clear, early sky.

We explored the small town of Moab in the afternoon. Angie bought post cards and we had some delicious wood-fired pizza at a dog-friendly restaurant patio. Then it was time for more pool and hot tub. We met two couples who were travelling together in a 45-foot fifth wheel trailer. One of the couples had retired to Boise from southern California. The other had moved to Lassen County, Ca. We enjoyed sharing about our favorite campgrounds.

​The weather in Moab was about 75 degrees when we arrived at 4 pm. After docking, we got some cold drinks and hit the pool and hot tub. The view from the campground was panoramic and the sunset was spectacular.