Re: Upper Peninsula Michigan, North Shore 61 Minnesota Lake Superior
- From: Lon VanOstran <RVnFT@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2007 08:36:25 -0400
katie@xxxxxxxx wrote:
Hmmm...I wonder where they go on vacation?
The ones I know go to the nearest lake, and there isn't anywhere in the UP that is far from a lake.
I don't know if anyone
is interested or whether it's been done before, but it would be interesting to hear from posters--their three-five favorite places in the country, and why. Lon, I appreciate your post--now I can get really serious with my atlas. Have a pleasant day.
I prepared the following when a friend asked that question. I don't recall if I have ever posted it here. Of course, the attachments aren't here because they can't be posted here.
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1. Mulie Point.
The Moki Dugway is located on UT-261 in southeast Utah, south of Natural Bridges National Monument. It is a series of sharp switchbacks down a steep gravel road over less than three miles. UT-261 is paved, except for the Dugway. At the Natural Bridges National Monument Visitor Center, there is a brief description of the Moki Dugway.
Here is the text:"MOKEE (MOKI, MOQUI) DUGWAYSAN JUAN COUNTY, UT. The Mokee Dugway is located on Utah Route 261 just north of Mexican Hat, UT. It was constructed in 1958 by Texas Zinc, a mining company, to transport uranium ore from the "Happy Jack" mine in Fry Canyon, UT. to the processing mill in Mexican Hat. The three miles of unpaved, but well graded, switchbacks descend 1100 feet from the top of Cedar Mesa (on which you are now standing). The State of Utah recommends that only vehicles less than 28 feet in length and 10,000 pounds in weight attempt to negotiate this steep (10% grade), narrow and winding road.
At the bottom of the Moki Dugway is the Valley of the Gods, which is a 17 mile drive around and through rock formations sticking up out of the landscape. It's hard to describe, but well worth the drive, but only because you are already there to see Mulie Point, and experience the Moki Dugway.
At the top of the Moki Dugway, is a gravel road which dead ends 4 miles to the west, at Mulie Point. You can see the other side of the canyon 35 miles away. There is a plateau 1100 feet below, with a dirt road that runs along a canyon within the canyon. IMHO, there is no prettier view anywhere in America. The attached picture doesn't do it justice, but may give you some idea of what it looks like.
2. Page, AZ.
At Page, AZ, you'll find the Glenn Canyon Dam, and Lake Powel. Just getting there should be accomplished from Flagstaff, via US-89. IMHO, this is the prettiest drive in America. (as compared to view above) You'll travel along what MAY be a dry river bed, but if you are lucky you'll get to see it after a rain. We did. The water was a major inconvenience to the hundreds of people who's driveways run across the wash.
Of course, the wash/river is but a tiny fraction of the amazing views you'll see on this drive. Beautiful colored mountains, cliffs, and all that goes with them. You'll also get glimpses of the Colorado river, between the Glen Canyon dam, and the Grand Canyon. Bring your camera.
Once at Page, spend at least 2 full days walking the dam, climbing rock to get views of the dam from both above, and below, exploring Antelope Canyon with an Indian guide, swimming in Lake Powel by the Marina, and don't miss the short hike to Horseshoe Bend. Take your camera.
One more don't miss is the 3 hour boat ride up Antelope canyon. Better yet, buy some maps, rent a boat, and spend a couple days on the lake exploring some canyons.
Mulie Point is good for a couple hours. Page could keep you busy overloading your senses for several days if you have the time. I want to spend 3 months there some day, and I'm for sure going back to rent a boat.
Attached is a picture of Horseshoe Bend, and another of a small section of Lake Powel.
3. Grand Canyon Take your pick and see it from either the North Rim, or the South Rim..........................or both.
4. Bryce Canyon
Hike to the bottom of the Canyon at least once. See the sun set over the canyon.
5. Zion Canyon
This one you see from the bottom, looking up. You'll have to park at the visitor's center, and take the shuttles in. Carry a back pack with lots of water, and take some hikes. There are plenty of water falls, lots to see, and and way more hikes than you can handle.
6. Niagara Falls.
The best view is from the Canadian side, but don't miss the walk around Goat Island, and every view of the falls offered there. I was amazed to see that the barge we saw run aground above the falls in 1966 was still there in 2007. It seems it has been there since the depression.
7. Canyonlands National Park.
Canyonlands is HUGE. We spent a day seeing what we should have seen over at least 2 days, at the north end, by Moab, UT, then drove about 100 miles south and saw the needles area the next day. We could have spent a week seeing Canyonlands and still missed most of it. I want to go back and drive the Shaeffer Road down into the canyon and take it as far as it goes. 4 Wheel drive is a must for that. Our Olds Alero wasn't up to the task.
8. Arches National Park.
Not all that far from the north end of Canyonlands lies Arches National Park. I'll attach a picture that will give you some idea of it. I just can't properly describe the red sandstone arches formed by water eroding sandstone.
9. Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam. The dam is ugly, but you just have to see how they created a lake 100 miles long. (Lake Eufalla in OK is bigger, as is Lake Texoma on the Texas Oklahoma border)
10. Mississippi River
Nothing in America tugs at me like the mighty Mississippi river. No place in America gives you a better view of it than Trail of Tears State Park just north of Cape Girardeau, MO. There is an overlook there that is hundreds of feet above the river, at a bend in the river so you get a tremendous view for what seems miles up and down river. They've built a big deck on the side of the mountain. We took our lawn chairs and just sat there watching the river traffic for hours. The attached pictures are of a tug pushing 35 barges UP the river. Five barges across, and 7 barges long. This picture caused me to learn more about those tugs. The tug pictured most likely has a 100,000 gallon diesel fuel tank, and burns 5,000 gallons per day. If the captain runs it aground, he is fired on the spot.
If you look carefully at the more distant picture, you'll see just how far we are above the trees down beside the river upstream from our perch. The river is so big that at first glance we seem close to it.
Honorable Mention.
Lake Havasu
Lake Mohave
Pike's Peak
Royal Gorge
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
The Blue Ridge Parkway
Colorado Monument National Park
Mesa Verde, though not for the scenery so much as for the cliff dwellings and related info.
Death Valley
The Painted Dessert/Petrified Forest.
Las Vegas at night. ( I really hate to include man made stuff, but..........)
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Lon
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