November 16, 2018
In Dear Bob and Sue: Season 2 , we wrote that after completing our journey to visit all of the National Parks, we’re now traveling to a variety of public lands including National Forests, State Parks, BLM land, and the remainder of the NPS units. Utah has many types of public lands, and a few of their state parks give some of the national parks a run for their money—in our opinion. This edition of our newsletter highlights three fantastic Utah state parks that we visited recently, as well as a suggestion for a piece of gear that comes in handy when hiking on slick rock in the Beehive State.
Antelope Island State Park -
Looking west toward the open prairie, we saw dozens of brown humps in the distance: bison grazing against a backdrop of yellow, grass-covered hills that rose 2,000 feet above the plain. Without knowing better, we would have thought this was the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone or the desolate Henry Mountains in southern Utah. The scene was so peaceful and undisturbed that it was hard to believe that one of the busiest freeways in the country was less than fifteen miles away.
Goblin Valley State Park -
The label “one-of-a-kind” has never been more appropriately used than when applied to Goblin Valley State Park. Its main feature is the unusual rock formations called goblins. Over millions of years, wind and water eroded the Entrada sandstone to form rounded spires. A typical goblin has a cap rock that’s wider than its base, giving it a mushroom-shaped look.
Goosenecks State Park -
If you’ve ever sat in a window seat on a long plane ride and had to spend most of the flight looking out the window to give your neighbor in the middle some extra room, then you’ve probably seen some good examples of meandering rivers.
An item every hiker should carry –

Often we’ll see hikers many miles from the trailhead carrying nothing but a small water bottle. It would be great to travel that lightly, but the fact is: having a few items with you—even on a day hike—can make the experience much safer and more enjoyable. In addition to the “ten essentials,” we carry a few extras. One item we take with us on every hike is the Therm-a-Rest Z Seat Cushion Insulated Sitting Pad. It’s not a life-saver like our bear spray; it’s a butt-saver for when we reach our destination and want to sit and catch our breath while gazing at the amazing view. We strap these fold-out pads to our packs, and never know they’re there; they weigh two ounces—literally. (It’s the silver bumpy thing attached to the back of Matt’s pack in the photo.)

They are comfortable, durable, and inexpensive, which makes them the perfect $15ish gift for the hiker on your gift list.

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Confluence Overlook Trail in Canyonlands National Park - Needles District (From 11/11/18)




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