Dixie National Forrest, Horsebackriding trip #2

We started our trip the exact same way, we flew to Denver Colorado and then to Grand Junction Colorado, then we rented a mini van and drove to Torrey Utah. On the way we stopped at Arches National Park to show our friends that weren't on our first trip. They loved the raw untouched beauty of the entire area! We arrived in Torrey by night fall, because we spent most of the day hiking through Arches National Park. Then we got in touch with our guides Hondoo Rivers and Trails, our buddies from the last trip Patricia and her husband Gary! They showed us the Lodge were we would stay the night, Austin's Chuckwagon Lodge.

In the morning after breakfast we met them at their house and we loaded our saddlebags and water proof bags with our clothes in them in their van and off we went to meet the horses which were waiting for us at the bottom of Boulder Mountain. The mountain is located in Dixie National Forrest which is beautiful and covered with Aspen, Spruce, Fir and Pine Trees. The Aspen Trees were really neat It looked as if they were looking at you with their eyes!! We rode to different places each day and the view from the mountain was incredible! One day we even rode to a place were we had lunch in WigWams!

Quick Tips:

As with the previous trip you'll need to bring a cowboy hat, leather or suede gloves and a rain poncho. With this trip you'll also need warm clothes, even though we went in August the mountains elevation goes to 11,000 feet and it gets mighty cold up at the top and we were going to camp at around 10,000 feet. The weather was very comfortable during the day but at night It was nice to put on sweat pants and sweat shirt and sit by the fire!

Since you pretty high up in elevation were we camped walking even 5 feet took your breath away! That only lasted a day or two until you got used to the thin air!

Best Way To Get Around:

If you travel the same way as we did from Denver to Grand Junction you'll need to rent a car or Mini Van to get the rest of the way the drive to Torrey will take a few hours.

The rooms were very nice and clean and the people were very friendly with that western hospitality! The view out the window was of Boulder Mountain. We stayed in the motel but they do have cabins. The rooms had two quenn size beds, Satellite TV, and a heated inground pool and Hot Spa. The rates change from season to off season which is: March 1 - April 1 $45 a night plus tax. April 1 - October 1 $59 a night plus tax. They have a general store and bakery that stocks all the groceries you could possibly need to camping and fishing gear.

The food was wonderful! We arrived late and we were tired of eating junk food from traveling so we decided to grab a bite to eat before we went to sleep. I had a Cheeseburger which almost melted in my mouth with French Fries. Everyone had something different and they all said it was great!

In the morning we had breakfast here and the food came out piping hot and tasted out of this world! One of the best cheese omelettes I ever had! To see their menu they have a web site: www.capitolreefinn.com

It was so much fun we even had neighbors camping with us, a herd of cattle! Local cattle ranchers drive their herd to where there is good grazing and they let them fend for themselves until winter roundup then they take them to a lower altitude.

One night we had a visitor the horses were whining and getting all distressed and the three dogs that came along for the trip were barking and growling. Guide Gary grabbed his shot gun and was ready for any four legged visitors but we never seen anything. The next morning we had another visitor (grand central station lol!) A cowboy came riding in on his horse with his dog running along side as we were eating breakfast. He tipped his hat and said "mornin" we gave him a cup of coffee. He wanted to know if we had seen any stray cattle roaming around, and then he told us that a Black Bear had attacked his herd and killed a cow and the herd scattered.

That had shocked me! Being from the East coast where there are plenty of Black Bears in the Mountains, I never thought they would attack and kill something especially so big. I always thought they ate nuts and berries! To this day I wonder if that was what was walking around our tents that night. I guess we'll never know!

This was our second time here the first time we couldn't possibly see the entire park, even this time we didn't but we got to see more. I recommend staying the night in Moab and spending more time here in the park.

There is a fee to get into the park I forget how much, but I think it was like $5 a car no matter what it is it's worth it!
Don't forget bring your camera and alot of film and some comfortable shoes you'll need it! For more on Arches National Park and more pictures see my other journal "Horseback riding in Utah"