Dragging our Flip Flops in the Red Dirt

Heading into Valley of Fire State Park, NV

Did you ever  notice that when the red is "redder" the green is "greener"?  Oh, and the blue is definitely "bluer" too.  We notice this once again, this time while dragging our flip flops in the red dirt resisting the northwest trek that is ahead of us.  How about just "one more stop?"  Why not?

The red rock country of the desert southwest is totally awesome, and Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada, does not disappoint.  Once again we are struck by the landscape, the colors, the geology, the history....the...all of it!

Yep, we're in the right place!

It takes about two hours to drive from St. George, UT to our last park destination, Valley of Fire.  We know we are not far from Las Vegas....maybe 50 miles...but, we feel like we couldn't be further.

Snugged into our spot surrounded by red rock

Pretty cool campground!

The RV spaces here are a little less private than the other parts of the campground...but..they have electricity and water available.  Such luxury for a state park campground!

We head out to explore by Jeep and find the trail to "Mouse's Tank."  This is a slot canyon up high in the park and the history tells us that many have been here through time.  One famous person was an outlaw named Mouse, who used the canyon as a hide out because there was a water collection pool at the end of the canyon.  In these wild rocky canyons, pools of water in natural rock "holes" are called "tanks."  Wandering up this trail...we find evidence of many more who had traveled here before us...and way before Mouse!

Mouse's Tank.....end of the trail is here.

Nan and the boyz on the trail

Steve and the boyz on the way to Mouse's Tank

As we walk this trail our eyes are drawn up high on the walls of the canyon.  Petroglyphs are everywhere...but what do they say?  There are stories here....many many stories.

Dancers dancing the ....special dance...

We went "this way"....

 Here's my favorite story wall...after looking at some of the translations in guides...see if you think I am on the the idea of this very long story?  Maybe?  Sort of?

Once upon a time there was a brave hunter.  After a long walk on the trail holding his weapon over his head, he passes a corn plant.   He successfully hunts two big horn sheep, and one of them is eating a snake!  He climbs a very, very big cliff and and wishes he had a ladder.  Then...he finds a big bear (on the right), plus a pueblo(circle within circle) of others living in bear country, but he must keep gong up the steep cliff.  Finally, FINALLY, he reaches the tippy top of the cliff.  Time to stretch out on the ground...but...wait...who is this?  Another hunter...being chased by a baby goat or maybe antelope?   Then, more hunting way up on top with a weapon called an "altal"....um, and some other things too.  I might have missed some waterfalls or pools...and more dancing...blobs?

The next day we find some of the rock formations.  There is one called The Grand Piano and we must visit that in honor of Steve's mom who played the piano so beautifully!  Then we find The Elephant...well, because we have never seen a rock elephant.

The Grand Piano

The Elephant....see it???

Near by is the Lost City Museum, where we find a re-creation of the early pueblo housing.  Perhaps these were the canyon wall artists who left us such cryptic messages?

No one home.....

Pretty fascinating place.  But no matter how fascinating...eventually...it's time to trade in the flip flops for ....gasp...shoes!?  It's April.  We've been "off island" now for four months...and almost two weeks.  It's time.  The road home beacons...

Not too many kayaks on top of cars around here....easy to spot us!

We Do belong somewhere else....

Our companions are ready to run!

Here we go....

Good-bye red rock country

But we can't forget our "other place" that we belong!

We leave Valley of Fire State Park on a Friday morning....deciding to use as many of  the "red roads" as we can for the trip home.  Besides...the first one is also called "The Extraterrestial Highway"!  Really, how could you NOT take that road???????