Spectacular Sedona

Sedona is a very special place.  Besides its spectacular scenic beauty, it claims to be an earth energy center with seven vortex (enegy center) locations around the area.  It is a major center for alternative medicine

Lovely Lake Powell

Lake Powell is known as "The Jewell of the Desert". and it certainly is that.

The only way to appreciate Lake Powell is to get out on the water - so we take a boat tour up some of the side canyons

Having cruised a very small part of the lake (it is over 200 miles long and has over 3000 miles of shoreline!) we decide to cruise the river below the dam on rubber rafts.  The picture below is of "Horseshoe bend"  about 5 miles below the dam.  That tiny spot on the river 1400 ft below is a raft like the one we rode.

And here's the view up from below

The Dam towers 700 ft above the river bed.  Electric power generated by the dam supplies to power to Pheonix and even to Los Angeles.

We even get some entertainment as we drift along the river

The Incomparable Grand Canyon1

Words, and even pictures are hard pressed to convey the jaw-dropping immensity of this spectacular geographical wonder.

 

Yes, Thats the Colorado River down there, almost a mile below us!  According to geologists it has taken 65 million years for the river to carve out this canyon!

There are many individual features with their own names

At the middle right below You can see a small portion of the "Bright Angel Trail" that goes from the rim to Hidden Valley ranch down by the river.  Hikers go down one day and stay over returning up the next day.  It is also possible to ride down by mule back.

Zion's Monolithic Sandstone Formations

Zion National Park lies on the western edge of the Colorado Plateau.  Its primary characteristics are the giant Sandstone formations.

BEAUTIFUL Bryce!

Bryce Canyon is towards the western edge of the Colorado Plateau.  It is actually not a canyon but rather an escarpment on the eastern side of the Paragaunset Plateau which rises to over 9000 ft.  It runs for over 30 miles providing many variations on the overall character of wind and water eroded spires in so many colors - pinks, reds, oranges, whites, tans etc.







The proliferation of shapes and sizes staggers the imagination

There are a number of overlooks that provide spectacular views out over the pillars, columns, arches that make up such a large percentage of the scenery.

This is called "Poodle Rock"

Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands features another aspect of the uplifted Colorado Plateau - looking down into incredible canyons carved into the plateau by the Colorado and Green Rivers.

The vistas are jaw-dropping, pictures just cannot do justice to the magnificent visual spectacle

2000 feet below us the Colorado River cuts its way through the canyon it has carved over millions of years

The Green River (below)  in its much broader canyon, joins the Colorado River about 20 miles south of this overlook.

Let's not have any of those "step back just a little more"  jokes!