Day 15: Tuba City, Arizona to Grand Canyon National Park

We started out a little later in morning to let the roads warm up a bit. We drove all the way to the East Entrance of the Grand Canyon National Park only to find out that it was closed! So we were determined to make it to the Grand Canyon that day so we backtracked and drove an extra hour and a half to the South Entrance, which was thankfully open!

It had snowed the night before at the Grand Canyon so there was fresh snow on the ground. Because of all our detours with the entrance station being closed, we finally pulled into the South Rim of the Grand Canyon just in time to witness the most spectacular sunset!!

Day 14: Moab, Utah to Tuba City, Arizona

 We saw that a snowstorm was headed for Moab so we decided to go a little further south into Arizona to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. We knew we didn't want to come all the way out to the Southwest without the girls seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time.

It was a beautiful drive and gave us the closest view we have had yet of Monument Valley! We are coming back to see Monument Valley on the next trip when it is not so cloudy and foggy!

We did encounter a little snow between Mexican Hat, Kayenta and Tuba City but we just kept heading further south with the Grand Canyon as our goal!

We made it to Tuba City, Arizona to sleep and on to the Grand Canyon tomorrow!

Day 13: Around Moab, Utah

 There is so much to see around Moab that you could spend weeks and not see it all! Two other parks (one national and one state) not to be missed in the area are Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park. 

We saw Dead Horse Point at sunrise with a bit of snow in the view and then headed for the visitor's center to work on the girls' Junior Ranger badges.

The layers in the desert rock you can see in both Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point are one of my favorite parts of these parks.

Mesa Arch and Dead Horse Point both at sunrise. This area continues to remain one of our favorite spots in Utah and probably makes the top 10 list of ours for the entire country!

Delicate Arch

 While we were in Arches, we wanted to take the girls to see Delicate Arch.  Brent and I had hiked it but had never had a chance to see it with a little snow and the Arch. We took our time and Bethany even hiked part of the hike on her own too.

The little adventurer on her Daddy's shoulders

The big two were excited to see what was ahead on this hike

The little lady decided to hike for awhile too

Our girls at Delicate Arch

Delicate Arch is stunning at sunset with snow! Brent got a beautiful image here!

Day 12: Arches National Park

As we crossed into Utah, Brent and I became more and more excited because though we had been to Utah 3 times before, this would be the girls' first trip to Utah. We were so glad to have a chance to show them how amazing Utah is too! Arches is among our favorite parks in Utah so it was a great place to begin!

Brent and I had only been to Arches in the early fall before so it was neat to see Arches with a little bit of snow!

Everyone loved Balanced Rock!

Allie and Bethany in Arches with me

We enjoyed Arches so much that after our hike to Delicate Arch and some exploring in Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point State Park that we spent an extra day in Arches. This extra time also gave the girls a chance to get their Junior Ranger badge at Arches as well.

Here they are working hard on their Junior Ranger badges.

They all 3 were sworn in as Junior Rangers for Arches National Park.

We attended a Junior Ranger program and got to hold an elk antler.

The McGuirt Family  January 2017

Day 11: Bisti Badlands, New Mexico to Moab, Utah

 Once we decided for certain we were traveling out west, we made a list of "must-sees" while we were out west. I still don't know exactly how he found the spot, but he decided he wanted to see and photograph Bisti Badlands in New Mexico. So after we left Colorado, we headed into New Mexico to see Bisti Badlands. 

It was a beautiful drive with snow capped mountains above and around us and desert landscape as we drove along too.

We even found Rachel's middle name in the middle of New Mexico!

We arrived at Bisti Badlands and though it is typically very desert like there, it was actually very muddy when we arrived. We decided that it was rest time for Bethany, Allie and me while Rachel and Rebekah hiked around Bisti Badlands with their Dad.

Here are our two excited explorers.

And our two excited explorers with their adventure guide!

It was definitely worth the hike and the extra trip!

Here are the two beautiful images that Brent brought back.

After Bisti Badlands it was time to make our way toward Moab, Utah and Arches National Park.