Spring Break! @ Island in the Sky

We went to the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands NP and Moab for Dani's spring break over the second week of April.

The timing was perfect for wildflowers in southern Utah. There were entire fields of blue, purple, red, and yellow flowers coating the red rock and sand.

After leaving early on Wednesday morning we hiked the Syncline Trail around Upheaval Dome.

And spent the second day hiking to all the must-see destinations like "Murphy's Point" which overlooks the remote "Maze" district of Canyonlands NP made famous by Edward Abbey in the "Monkey Wrench Gang". It was here at Murphy's Point that we decided to spend the upcoming Thanksgiving biking the White Rim trail. Everyone is invited, especially if you own a truck.

Island in the Sky is a unique plateau that juts out like a peninsula to the south, and is bordered  by the Green River to the west and the Colorado River on the east. You are not aware you are on the island until you reach the edge, where you are greeted by stunning vistas of the underlying canyon maze. (Above) several thousand feet below the upper plateau on the Syncline trail.

Like this one from Mesa Arch with the La Sal mountains in the distance.

Or this one...

Over the weekend we headed to Moab for some biking and the La Sals for some leisurely camping.

 We caught this shot of Castle Valley coming down out of the fog and snow on the La Sal loop road. Before stopping at the winery for a tasting and to bike some red dirt spines.