ROF = Ring of fire
September '09
Moki Dugway Utah
I call this the ROF road trip. The large plateau to the west of 4 corners defined by the amazing geological sights we view today. Volcanic activity from millions of years ago formed the upward thrust of the region.
Starting out in Albuquerque, up on Sandia peak, viewing some of the remaining volcanic calderas headed west up through Shiprock, New Mexico on to Kyenta, AZ.
From Kyenta, AZ up north to Monument Valley AZ -- also see Monument Valley post when completed-- .... leaving Monument Valley the plan was to head up north into southern Utah and drive the UT hwy 12 scenic byway as it had been described as on of the most beautiful drives in America.
To get there it was north from Monument Valley, up past Mexican Hat, UT and on hwy to Hanksville, UT for the night... that was the days plan.
After Monument Valley I thought nothing could be better than this... after seeing this... being in shock of the beauty... driving up hwy 163n still in the beauty of the high arid plains...
Mexican Hat had phenomenal geological strata... reds / greys/ on mesa buttes.
Turned left on UT hwy 261 and headed for Hanksville, UT.
The map had an area ... Valley of the Gods. It was beyond beautiful driving through it. ?What was the reason the Gods chose this Valley? Still didn't know.
Clean , thin desert air... driving with the wind on my face... the only way to travel and adventure / explore. Visability is unlimited... 40 miles + .
I could see a huge mesa plateau ahead... huge red mesa butte. Driving 30 minutes it was still the prominent wall ahead ... I'm thinking, ok... we'll go into a tunnel under the mountain / butte. It's so high... 1,000' + ... there is no way to go over it.... the cliff walls were straight up... / like canyon walls. some kind of unique tunnel will take us through and we'll go on.
A few more miles and this mesa plateau wall is going straight up... like I'm driving into a brick wall.... should be a tunnel here soon. ... and it goes to dirt road - bumpy dirt road... well,... it's soon here.
and then we start driving up incline, ascending dirt road, and start switchbacking around. Still climbing. rough dusty primitive road. Look to the side of the road and it's straight down cliff drops. Whoa... mother of god, we're driving up this mountain... There is NO tunnel; we're driving it up!
This is a straight up wall of a mountain / mesa butte... dusty dirt road... switch around on a gooseneck / hairpin turn.. after turn.
Stop and view halfway up. WOW ... is this amazing!!! on up the many switchbacks, around and around ... rock strata that will knock you down... beyond description...
and continue up to the summit and and overview.... The Valley of the Gods ; now I know why they named this.
A "Dugway" is a term for a narrow mountain road where they "dug" a trench into the hillside of the trail for the wagonwheels to dig into and stay on the trail ... rather than tumblull off the cliff down the mountain.
Boy did they name this right!!! MOKI dugway... This was a phenomenal drive. ... one of the most interesting i've ever seen. and drove.
The top / summit overlook onto THE Valley of the Gods.... they named it right!
If you ever get a chance to drive MOKI DUGWAY... you take it! You will NOT be disapointed!
and the reason this road is here...??? on up hwy 261north is a small place... Fry Canyon, Utah -- there were uranium mines in Fry Canyon, and the ore was trucked to Mexican Hat, Utah ... so the shortest route was to cut the road down the mountain -- Moki Dugway.
Also-- picture credit... the last picture of the switchbacks... is from another dugway traveler... it was just better than any that I took so credit is due the wikipedia photographer -- thanks for sharing!
This was a great day! Thank you!!!... for seeing this gift!
4 corners
ROF = Ring of fire
September '09
Moki Dugway Utah
I call this the ROF road trip. The large plateau to the west of 4 corners defined by the amazing geological sights we view today. Volcanic activity from millions of years ago formed the upward thrust of the region.
Starting out in Albuquerque, up on Sandia peak, viewing some of the remaining volcanic calderas headed west up through Shiprock, New Mexico on to Kyenta, AZ.
From Kyenta, AZ up north to Monument Valley AZ -- also see Monument Valley post when completed-- .... leaving Monument Valley the plan was to head up north into southern Utah and drive the UT hwy 12 scenic byway as it had been described as on of the most beautiful drives in America.
To get there it was north from Monument Valley, up past Mexican Hat, UT and on hwy to Hanksville, UT for the night... that was the days plan.
After Monument Valley I thought nothing could be better than this... after seeing this... being in shock of the beauty... driving up hwy 163n still in the beauty of the high arid plains...
Mexican Hat had phenomenal geological strata... reds / greys/ on mesa buttes.
Turned left on UT hwy 261 and headed for Hanksville, UT.
The map had an area ... Valley of the Gods. It was beyond beautiful driving through it. ?What was the reason the Gods chose this Valley? Still didn't know.
Clean , thin desert air... driving with the wind on my face... the only way to travel and adventure / explore. Visability is unlimited... 40 miles + .
I could see a huge mesa plateau ahead... huge red mesa butte. Driving 30 minutes it was still the prominent wall ahead ... I'm thinking, ok... we'll go into a tunnel under the mountain / butte. It's so high... 1,000' + ... there is no way to go over it.... the cliff walls were straight up... / like canyon walls. some kind of unique tunnel will take us through and we'll go on.
A few more miles and this mesa plateau wall is going straight up... like I'm driving into a brick wall.... should be a tunnel here soon. ... and it goes to dirt road - bumpy dirt road... well,... it's soon here.
and then we start driving up incline, ascending dirt road, and start switchbacking around. Still climbing. rough dusty primitive road. Look to the side of the road and it's straight down cliff drops. Whoa... mother of god, we're driving up this mountain... There is NO tunnel; we're driving it up!
This is a straight up wall of a mountain / mesa butte... dusty dirt road... switch around on a gooseneck / hairpin turn.. after turn.
Stop and view halfway up. WOW ... is this amazing!!! on up the many switchbacks, around and around ... rock strata that will knock you down... beyond description...
and continue up to the summit and and overview.... The Valley of the Gods ; now I know why they named this.
A "Dugway" is a term for a narrow mountain road where they "dug" a trench into the hillside of the trail for the wagonwheels to dig into and stay on the trail ... rather than tumblull off the cliff down the mountain.
Boy did they name this right!!! MOKI dugway... This was a phenomenal drive. ... one of the most interesting i've ever seen. and drove.
The top / summit overlook onto THE Valley of the Gods.... they named it right!
If you ever get a chance to drive MOKI DUGWAY... you take it! You will NOT be disapointed!
and the reason this road is here...??? on up hwy 261north is a small place... Fry Canyon, Utah -- there were uranium mines in Fry Canyon, and the ore was trucked to Mexican Hat, Utah ... so the shortest route was to cut the road down the mountain -- Moki Dugway.
Also-- picture credit... the last picture of the switchbacks... is from another dugway traveler... it was just better than any that I took so credit is due the wikipedia photographer -- thanks for sharing!
This was a great day! Thank you!!!... for seeing this gift!
