13 October 2017, Friday

We leave Chinle after breakfast and begin our drive back to Utah. Along the way we make a brief detour to Natural Bridges National Monument for a much needed pit stop. We visited this beautiful monument two years ago on our first cross-continent trip. As we drive along the road to Natural Bridges we pass a sign for Bear’s Ears. Neither of us had any idea we were that close to the controversial monument. Of course, as currently delineated, the monument surrounds Natural Bridges, but the buttes that make up the iconic formation are right here! O and I decide we must make the six mile pilgrimage up the steep forest road to support the monument. Parts of the road are palpitation-inducing, but Vincent and I handle it well. O is unperturbed.

From the top of Bear’s Ears Pass one cannot get a good photo of the ears. They are too far apart here. As we drive back down the steep road we make several stops to try to get a good photograph. We realize, back on the main road, that the best views are afforded from further away. The ears are visible for miles as we continue our drive to Torrey.

We pass through Glen Canyon and finally arrive at Capitol Reef National Park. The park views are so spectacular that we decide to hike here tomorrow. In Torrey we find the Red Sands Hotel, check in, and then drive to Cafe Diablo, which had been highly recommended to us by Gretchen from our Sierra Club canoe trip. Dinner is delicious!