My Thanksgiving Family Trip to Canyon Point, Utah
One doesn't have to travel abroad to appreciate Mother Nature - there's so much beauty right here in the United States.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, my daughter Alexis, her children Jude and Truman, our friend Ari Katz, and I spent five days in Canyon Point, Utah at the secluded Amangiri resort. Amangiri spans more than 900-acres of stunning desert landscape where one can see ancient mesas and rock formations, pristine lakes, and awe-inspiring views. We saw so much during our guided hikes, trail rides, and climbing expeditions.
I hope you saw my photos on @marthastewart48. Here are some more, enjoy.
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- On this day, our Navajo guide led us through three distinct canyons – Upper Antelope Canyon, Rattlesnake Canyon, and Owl Canyon. Upper Antelope Canyon is located in Page, Arizona and is a breathtaking slot-canyon loved for its extraordinary sandstone formations.
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- This canyon is also know for the breathtaking beams of light that illuminate the walls. The canyon is part of the Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park.
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- The light shows through the passages during midday creating beautiful photos for visitors – and all of it completely natural.
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- Rattlesnake Canyon is part of the larger Antelope Canyon system. Although Rattlesnake is a lesser known slot-canyon, it is also stunning to see with all its shapely sandstone walls and natural light streams.
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- Its name, Rattlesnake Canyon, refers to its many sinuous paths. And while slot-canyons are found in many parts of the world, where rainfall is low, some of the best are in the Southwestern United States.
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- This is a view of Stud Horse Mesa. It is characterized by a narrow promontory that overlooks Lake Powell.
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- These are stacked boulders by Cabin Trail, or the Wall-E Rock at Amangiri.
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- On another part of the trip, we enjoyed a trail ride. This is Long Canyon. Here I am riding through the area on my trusted foxtrotter mare, Sadie.
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- Long Canyon is a slot-canyon known for its towering red rock formations and views.
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- This is called a petroglyph, which is made by carving directly on the rock surface exposing the lighter colored rock underneath. Petroglyphs date back thousands of years. They have been found in all parts of the world except Antarctica. Creating these rock engravings decreased largely after the introduction of other precursors of writing systems and storytelling art forms.
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- The Hoodoo Trail at Amangiri is its most extensive. It features three trailheads and a circuit hike of approximately 3.5 miles. Among the sites are free-standing sandstone towers known as hoodoos. From here, we also saw ancient sand dunes, and spectacular vistas of the region.
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- Lake Powell is so pristine with its turquoise waters. It measures more than 400-feet deep and 186-miles long. This man-made lake and reservoir is home to many animals including herons, eagles, and fish.
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- Lake Powell was formed by the flooding of Glen Canyon near the Glen Canyon Dam and was finished in 1963.
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- Tower Butte is a 5,287-foot sandstone summit located south of Lake Powell, in northern Arizona on Navajo Nation land. It is known for the stunning panoramic views of its surrounding landscapes.
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- Cookie Jar Butte is another prominent tower located on the north shore of Lake Powell. It has an elevation of 4,311 feet.
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- During our five hour long visit to the lake, we saw this beautiful heron, a long-legged wading bird characterized by its S-shaped neck which helps in catching its prey from a standstill.
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- A heron’s wings are long and broad, allowing them the necessary lift for strong and fast flight. The wingspan of a Great Blue Heron can reach more than six feet.
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- The summit of Padres Butte at Lake Powell is about 4000 feet. It was formerly an island in the lake, but now with lake waters declining, land has exposed its connection to the rest of Padre Point.
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- This is the Cave Peak Stairway of Via Ferrata at Amangiri. It is a 400-foot high ladder that spans 200-feet. It is currently the longest aerial stairway in the northern hemisphere. The hike from the Via Ferrata trail to this stairway is about three hours – we saw so much during our tours.
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- And here is a photo I captured of a crescent moon, which is one of the phases of the moon where less than half of the moon’s surface is illuminated by the sun, making it look thin and curved. Amangiri kept us all very busy during our short trip – a different, but very memorable and interesting holiday excursion. I am especially thankful for the natural beauty that surrounds us here in the US – so many treasures that must be preserved.
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