We head out this morning to explore .  We start with Valley of the Gods, a smaller scale Monument Valley.  17 miles of narrow gravel road wind through a field of redrock formations.  Shadows and colors are beautiful in the morning light.

Then Kent gets some really “fun” driving.  We head up Moki Dugway, a steep switchback-rich climb up onto Cedar Mesa.  We made this drive years ago but it is still exciting.  The road is steep and hangs on the edge of the cliffs but is in pretty good shape and the traffic is light.  Views are fantastic.  Once up on the plateau we head for Muley Point for even more amazing vistas. To the south we see as far as Monument Valley.  To the North are the snow-capped La Sal mountains over 70 miles distant.  Just below us is a bird’s eye view of Valley of the Gods and the longest entrenched meander in North America.  The San Juan River moves less than 2 miles toward the Colorado in 6 miles of twists and turns in a canyon over 1000 feet deep.

We make a quick stop at the Bears Ears Educational Center for local recommendations on drives, trails, and interesting sites.  Armed with marked up maps we are set for the next several days of exploring.