Spring and summer 2106 in Utah and Wyoming

Okay, I admit I’m a lazy blogger.  We’re now in October and I haven’t written about any of this year’s travels since January.  So here’s a quick synopsis.  In March we took a trip to Vegas and saw Celine Dion; wonderful show.  We then went to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. We’d wanted to see Bryce with snow, and even though the snow was gone at other places there was still quite a bit at Bryce due to the elevation.  Of the five national parks in Utah, Bryce is my favorite followed closely by Arches.  But they all have their own special beauty.

We took two separate trips during the summer to Wyoming.  The first was to see some areas where the pioneers traveled on their way west.  We went to Fort Bridger and Independence Rock, named because the goal was to be that far along the way by the fourth of July.  Just west of there is Martin’s Cove, named for the Martin Handcart Company that left too late in the season and was caught in a blizzard in early October 1856.  Many of them died, including my g-g-g-grandmother.  Her son, my g-g-grandfather, was among the rescue party sent from Salt Lake City (he had emigrated four years earlier) to bring supplies and help.  His young sister was a survivor who lived to be 85 years old.  I’m really thankful for the sacrifices and difficulties they endured to settle the west that we enjoy now.  We also went to South Pass City near the continental divide and “parting of the ways” where the Oregon Trail separates from the Mormon Trail.  They great expanses of empty, rolling prairie are amazing and nice to see from our truck, but I sure wouldn’t want to have to walk all those miles.

In July we took out trailer to Victor, Idaho, where we camped for our visit to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  From there we drove without the trailer over the high pass into Wyoming.  We had great fun on a whitewater rafting trip on the Snake River.  It was a blast! That was the reason we went there in July when Jackson is quite crowded.  We also spent a day hiking around Grand Teton National Park which is a beautiful park just south of Yellowstone.  We also took a horseback ride in the mountains on the Idaho side.  We were glad we stayed on the Idaho side of the mountains where the cute towns of Victor and Driggs are not as crowded as Wyoming but still have summer activities.  We ended the trip back at our youngest son’s house in Wellsville, Utah, just outside Logan in the beautiful Cache Valley.

Bryce National Park in early spring

Zion National Park

Parting of the ways

still visible pioneer trail ruts

Trail marker

Pioneer village replica

Martin's Cove marker

South Pass at continental divide

Whitewater rafting on the Snake River

Grand Tetons and the Snake River