Day 88: Lake Powell National Recreation Area, AZ

We have a busy week ahead of us. The most popular hikes in this area of Arizona and Utah require application to a lottery system in order to qualify for a permit. We have been applying to both the six-months before hike lotteries and the two-days before hike lotteries in the hopes of getting the opportunity to do some of these famous hikes. We are thrilled to share that after each of our family members applying to the different lotteries several times (with entry fees associated with each application, of course), we have won three lotteries and received permits to hike (1) the Wave in Vermillion Cliffs, and both (2) the Subway and (3) Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park. In particular, the Wave and Subway lotteries are apparently extremely competitive. We feel lucky to have the opportunity to experience these hikes over the next week.

This morning we picked up our first permit to hike the Wave tomorrow. We had to present in person at the Page Bureau of Land Management office at 8:30 am to attend a safety lecture and pick up our neon green permit. Done and done. With permit in hand, we will be five of 64 people able to hike to this geologic wonder tomorrow.

Next we stopped at Walmart for Gatorade and trail mix for fuel for tomorrow’s hike and filled up the truck’s gas tank. With all these logistical details out of the way, we headed out on today’s adventure. We visited Horseshoe Bend. We timed it perfectly so the sun was high enough on the canyon walls that the green water of the Colorado shone vibrantly as it flowed around the bend. It was beautiful.

It was a family decision to dedicate the remainder of the day to stress free relaxation in preparation for tomorrow. We decided to try swimming in the pool at the nearby Lake Powell Resort. And that is what we did - for the whole day. We layered on the sunscreen and swam, swam, swam. We ate lunch at the pool restaurant and got right back into the pool. We reapplied more sunscreen and swam some more. The boys are sun kissed, completely waterlogged and fantastically tired. A perfect combination.

Early bedtimes tonight in anticipation of a very early wakeup call tomorrow.

Day 87: Lake Powell National Recreation Area, AZ

This morning we experienced one of the most incredible things we have ever seen courtesy of the Lower Antelope Canyon.

We originally questioned whether it was worth visiting because the tickets were incredibly expensive. It turns out that splurging on this adventure was one of the best decisions we made. It was easily one of the most beautiful places and we now understand that the hype and crowds are for good reason. Wow! Our photos turned out fantastic and it was so, so cool walking through the narrow, twisty slot canyon made of the vibrantly red Navajo sandstone.

This is the canyon exit. Thank goodness these tours are guided as we would never have dared to enter a hole like this in the ground.

 After such an huge (and hot!) adventure, we snacked on some spicy beef jerky before crossing into Utah to cool off at Lake Powell’s Lone Rock Beach with an afternoon swim. The water was warm, the sand fine, and the clay slippery.

Oh my goodness, the clay!

Then it was back to Arizona for supper. We checked in on the colony of fire ants living under our picnic table that Alistair finds fascinating and spends all his free time watching. We enjoyed watching a distant lightening storm light up the evening sky and listening to a ranger talk on the history of Lees Ferry and how it influenced cowboy culture. This was one of our really great days.

Fire ants everywhere!

Lightening making the sky glow in the distance.