Utah - Mystic Hot Springs and Capitol Reef National Park

This little gem of a hot springs is just outside the tiny town of Monroe, Utah and I spent two wonderful days there in one of the frontier cabins.. Mystic Mike's website explains this unique place the best:  " Producer/Director/Artist Mike Ginsburg was traveling in his bus back to Denver from the last Vegas Dead shows in 1995, when he stumbled into Mystic Hot Springs. Instantly he realized that everything he was looking for was right there. Miraculously he was able to purchase the resort. Having worked since 1996, he is still at it! His artistic talent has been used to add new Soaking areas, restore pioneer Cabins, promote many wonderful Concerts, produce DVD's, create stunning Lampwork glass Jewelery and bring a special energy to this wonderful place."

Stunning mountain views in the distance while soaking in one of the hillside tubs.

Lily is definitely the queen of the springs!

 After two blissful days, I headed east to Capitol Reef National Park and the historic Fruita campground, located on the site of a Mormon settlement from the 1880's. 

The first evening I was treated to an amazing lightning show.

The original one-room schoolhouse/church/town hall

Acres of pick-your-own-fruit orchards form the largest historic orchard under National Park management.  And at only $1 per pound, the apples, pears, peaches are a delicious bargain.

 A hike up Cohab canyon trail is full of interesting rocks, desert plants, and views of the campground far below.  It was a fairly easy hike, except for the first 1/2 mile of switchbacks to reach the canyon.

 

Indian paintbrush is a bright spot of color.

So is the rabbitbrush

Potholes sculpted by wind and rain, dissolving the softer pockets of minerals.

I tried to climb up in there but just couldn't beat the camera timer!

 Petroglyphs and pictographs created by the Fremont people who lived here more than 1500 years ago are still visible.

 For my "grand finale" I decide to drive to the Capitol Gorge trailhead at the end of the park's scenic drive.  The paved road is crossed by a dozen or so low places where flash floods channeling down the hills on either side can flow across and the 2 1/2 mile dirt road to the trail shows signs of flooding from the storm two days ago.  Good thing the skies show no signs of storms - I'd hate to get caught back in there! (Prophetic words...)

The road into the canyon - 2 miles of this...

And this

 

"Graffiti" from some of the canyon's early climbers

Plenty of these little guys darting under the bushes were my only company

As I turned back at the end of the trail, I saw huge thunderclouds building up.  Uh oh - better hike out of here fast, all the while keeping a lookout for higher, accessible safe ground should a flash flood come roaring down the dry river wash which the trail followed.  Amazing how quickly storms can come up here. When I finally rounded a bend and saw other hikers heading out, my relief was palpable; it was a little scary being so far back alone.   Amazingly, there were still people coming into the canyon, just strolling along!  Once I got myself safely out, my next concern was to drive the van back up that dirt road; though it had just started raining here, floods can come from rains farther up other canyons.  And sure enough, parts of the road were flooding, but still possible to cross.  I followed a convoy of cars and used them to judge how deep the water was.  Wish I could have taken some photos of the amazing waterfalls cascading down what had been dry rocks only two hours earlier, but I wasn't stopping

 And when I made it safely back to the campground, the storm had passed over us and the sunset was truly spectacular.  (The next day, I met a couple at another park who'd been one of 20 people trapped back at the trailhead parking, their car up to its doors in flood waters.  Took the rangers and plows eight hours to wait for the waters to recede and clear the road of mud and rocks.)