SW Colorado & SE Utah - June 2019; Part 2

Continued from Part 1

Part 2: Buckeye Lake & the La Sal Mountains.

Don't forget you can click on any photo to open a larger version.

Tuesday, June 4th (continued)

After leaving the River Road, I turned north on CO-90. The view along the highway northwest was expansive with a long ridge of tall, steep sandstone cliffs to the northeast. The breath of the valley was such that those would have only appeared insignificant in any photo, so I didn't even attempt one.

Paradox

To get to Buckeye Lake from the east, turn off toward the village of Paradox on the clearly marked road, then left at the stop sign. There are signs pointing the way. The road is paved as it begins to climb up into the foothills of the La Sal Mountains. There are good views back toward Paradox Valley and the road turns to gravel about the time you enter the Manti-La Sal National Forest. Just as you enter the Ponderosa zone, there is an overlook/dispersed campsite to the right, but I kept on toward the reservoir twisting and turning through a lovely forest.

Looking back at Paradox Valley and colorful sandstone along the road. 

Buckeye Lake

As you enter the basin containing Buckeye Recreation Area you are cautioned that camping is only allowed in designated sites. This turns out not to be a problem as the information kiosk showed a number of sites designated as free, dispersed camping, along with the larger USFS campground.

I took a tour of the facilities: the boat ramp where there were 3 free campsites; the Pioneer campground with 30 fee sites (some along the shore) and camp host; then around on the SE end of the lake: a smaller no-fee Ponderosa campground; the group campground where you can pay for a site if no group has reserved the area; and the free, dispersed sites at the south end of the lake. Even had there been a fee for those southern sites, I would have still stayed there as they not only had more elbow-room, but the best views of the lake, too.

Sanctioned "dispersed" campsite along the lakeshore.

I found a great site where I could sit by my camper and see the reflection of the La Sal peaks in the lake - beautiful. There were lots of swallows darting around catching May flies, even from the surface of the lake. In the late evening trout were leaping to catch the flies.

Sunset from my campsite.

Sunset over the La Sal Mountains reflected in Buckeye Lake.

Wednesday, June 5

Buckeye Lake, continued

I tried to capture the rose light of dawn reflected by the snowy peaks.

I was up at the crack of dawn trying to capture the etherial beauty of the rose light on the mountain peaks. The photos don't come close to that seen by eye. Later in the morning the reflection of those peaks in the still waters was breath taking. I saw a Bald Eagle fishing on the other side of the lake, but too far away for photos.

Aerial view of my campsite.

Yet another view of my excellent campsite. Don't worry, this is the last one.

When photographing these small flowers I noticed a sleeping butterfly.

The La Sals reflected in the lake as seen from the shore.

The full breadth of the La Sals as seen from above the lake.

A Chipping Sparrow poses along the lakeshore.

I had contemplated moving on this morning, but decided this place was just too beautiful. I watched a thunderstorm slowly build over the basin between here and the mountain peaks. If I'd had my wits about me I would have tried to capture a time lapse - I had all the right equipment with me; the light bulb just never came on.

Storm brewing to the west.

I met the campground hosts. A very nice couple staying in a very small trailer at the main campground. We chatted for a little while and they told me how to find a place that looked over Paradox Valley. I'd check it out when I left.

The only species of dragonfly I saw.

Dandelion seedhead and a perching beetle.

Not much to report other than relaxing, trying to photograph a few flowers, birds, and bugs. Sat in the shade and read some of my novel, then did some more relaxing :-)

A few lingering clouds over the mountain peaks.

This Osprey came overhead several times during the afternoon.

Not as colorful of a sunset this evening.

Wednesday's sunset.

Thursday, June 6

Buckeye Lake, continued

Took a little walk and bunch of photos, but other than those of a few birds, the photos from the day before were better.

There were bluebirds around the campground.

The La Sals and Buckeye Lake from the air on Thursday morning.

Spherical Panorama of Buckeye Lake and the La Sal Mountains. If you look to the south, you can just see the tops of the cliffs defining Paradox Valley (click the Full-screen icon [ ] for best view:

There were many Pine Siskins around camp. They were mostly feasting on the dandelion seeds.

Paradox Valley Overlook

Paradox Valley Overlook only a couple miles from the lake.

The Campground Hosts had told me about a scenic overlook only a couple miles past the campground on FR-0378. They said folks had disperse camped there and you could pick up cell coverage, too. Before leaving the lake area I checked it out. The atmosphere was not ideal for photography, but the view was indeed dramatic down the valley.

View of Paradox Valley

Colorful wildflowers.

I was able to get a signal on my phone by walking up a slight knoll. I used the opportunity to call the Monticello BLM District Office and both Monticello and Moab Forest Service Ranger Stations to inquire about road conditions where I had planned to travel. Both discouraged me from attempting the Bridger Jack Road water crossing just off the highway - Indian Creek was running much too high. So that was out. Moab told me all the passes in the La Sals were closed, as were the roads up the east slopes of the La Sals - "pretty much everything is closed above 9000 feet' due to snow." More plan adjustments.

Two Mile Road

Two Mile Road

The second way to access Buckeye Lake (or first way, perhaps, if coming from the west) is via Two Mile Road at UT-46 east of La Sal. The gravel road from Paradox is all-weather, Two Mile Road, not so much. I was cautioned by the Moab Ranger Office there were a couple wash-outs that were passible, but required high-clearance. I also found some muddy areas, but those presented no problems, though they could well be nasty earlier in the season or after heavy rain. The road is not quite in as good of condition through this stretch, then you enter state land. Utah has created/allowed many ATV trails through this section of forest, so enter or avoid depending upon your predilections.

Aerial view above the southern slopes of the La Sals

I left the lake and headed up FR-126. It quickly enters private land. There is a very large area of private land in this area and you are warned not to stray off the road. It is a beautiful area with cattle ranches. As you come off of Pine Flat, you turn south on FR-0208, a.k.a, County B-154, into a Willow Basin. Not that the roads are marked, understand, but there is a directional sign pointing toward highway 46. This then is Two Mile Road (perhaps named because it begins 2 miles east of old La Sal?)

I ate my lunch with this view to admire.

These tiny wildflowers (only about an inch tall) grew all through the meadow.
Lewisia pygmaea, Pygmy Bitterroot.

Spherical Panorama above my picnic site (click the Full-screen icon [ ] for best view:


Once back in national forest, there are a couple turn-offs leading deeper into the western sections of the La Sal peaks. I was interested in exploring up that way, but the ranger office said the roads were closed not far up due to snow - another time.

I can't resist photographing a mountain peak reflection no matter how small the pond.

Beautiful wildflowers along Two Mile Road.

La Sal Mountain Loop

The Moab USFS did confirm the La Sal Mountain Loop was open - "it's all paved", she said. So after joining UT-46, I turned west, then north on US-191 toward Moab. There are a couple dirt road shortcuts, which I didn't take as I was unfamiliar with the area, but instead took the recommended route toward Ken's Lake. I drove up toward the mountains.

Spanish Valley ( a "suburb" of Moab) just beyond the hills in the foreground.

Looking east toward the La Sals from the same location as the previous photo.

There were forested areas along the road, but the western slope is fairly arid. I stopped at the Mill Creek Canyon parking area and tried to get a photo of the canyon. Apparently this is a popular canyon for rock climbers.

The best view I could get of Mill Creek Canyon.

I was going to check out Oowah Lake and campground to see if there was good camping there, and if not I'd try Warner Lake. I'd seen photos of Warner Lake and it looked beautiful. Unfortunately, both roads were closed. I guess they are above the 9000' cut-off. So I continued along the loop, wondering where to go instead.

Castle Valley Overlook on the loop road.

After passing through a resort area, I stopped at the Castle Valley Overlook. I spoke to an older couple who had be mountain biking. They suggested the Mason Draw Campground, which was open. "It's nice," they said, and "hardly anyone stays there." Well, there were lots of campers there in the early afternoon, sitting around with nothing to do except stare at other folks driving through. I guess with the two main campgrounds closed Mason Draw gathered in those turned away. I couldn't see myself sitting there for 6 hours, so drove on.

Fisher Towers

The climbers I'd met last month at Arch Canyon had mentioned Fisher Towers as being very interesting. So when I reached the highway past Castle Valley I turned right on UT-128. I was debating continuing on to Grand Junction, Colorado then south to the San Juans after seeing the towers, but highway signs warning of road construction blocking access to I-70 helped me decide to stay in Utah.

Fisher Towers.

It was very hot, well, mid-90's anyway. I took the road to the towers and took a few photos, but didn't linger. I turned back toward Moab, thinking I'd head to Monticello and camp up on the northern flank of Abajo Peak, where I'd camped six years ago and decide where to go next from there. (In retrospect I now wish I'd continued on 128 the few extra miles to see where the Dolores River emptied into the Colorado. That would have completed the theme. I blame the hot weather for keeping me from coming up with that idea.)

Westerly view from the base of Fisher Towers

Colorado River

This is the first time I'd driven the UT-128 stretch above Moab in rafting season. There were lots of people enjoying the Colorado River that was in high flow. I wasn't surprised by the number of rafts (and rafting companies) or the powered river runners, but I was surprised at the number of people out on stand-up paddle boards in the middle of the torrential flows - seemed a bit risky to me, but then I'm old. There were also lots of folks in those BLM campgrounds along the river. Those in RVs and large trailers with generators and air conditioning were probably comfortable, but I bet those in tents were miserable - or at least I would have been. Yes, perhaps I should have taken a few photos to show you, but it was just too hot to get out of the truck.

Moab and US-191 South

I passed through Moab as quickly as possible. The traffic was bad, but not terrible. There was highway construction in the area of the junction of UT-211 that goes to Canyonlands. Only one lane was open. My direction was stopped and we probably waited a half an hour before slowly starting up again.

Continues in Part 3: Abajo Mountains