Las Vegas – the Grand Circle Complete!

Hello MGM lions!  The Grand Circle around the Colorado Plateau took 24 days. The Major stops were the lions at the MGM in Las Vegas, the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Bryce National Park, Canyonland National Park, Arches National Park, Petrified Forest National Park, the Hopi and Navajo Reservations, the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Lake Mead National Recreation Park and back to the lions at the MGM.

The MGM hotel sits on top of a large casino mall starting in the lobby.

Spreading out into a sports betting area, intermingled with slot machines.

Signs are needed to get you around.

Slots machines are amongst the show theatres

Many stores and restaurants.

Three pools.

Some scenes.

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Lake Mead National Recreation Park

Lake Mead was our last stop before  the completion of the Grand Circle.  It also was an opportunity to visit the Hoover Dam.

The Dam was a federally funded project during the depression. One of the many projects to create jobs.

The  project at the time was the greatest construction project in Americas history.

It is 80 years old and provides electricity for 1 million customers. The dam has paid for itself many times over.

The project was to be an example of American ingenuity.  The dam is a spectacle even today at 80 years old.

Help I am trapped in this dam blog.

Grand Canyon-odds and ends

T. Roosevelt perhaps our first environmentalist protected the Grand Canyon by making it a National Park.

The Kolb brothers were early promoters of the Grand Canyon using their photography to lure tourists.

Perhaps these views are what the Kolbs thought would bring the tourists.

Trails were built from remnants of old Puebloan and Hopi trails. These people inhabited the area for 10,000 years.

The tourists come, today mostly foreign, Germans, French, and Oriental being the most prevalent, but the Elk still rule.

Some kings of the forest could not survive the vehicular traffic and are found displayed in a visitor center.

Observation towers were built in the Hopi design.

Everyone should be put through the Ranger program. They are extremely accommodating with no attitude and can answer any question about the treasures they are protecting.

Some Rangers can replicate weaving the reed figurines that the Puebloans created.

Some tourists prefer the lodge life.

Some like the camp life.

Some miss the train.

Others go through the arch for good luck in Vegas.

but whatever one chooses the forecast is good at the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon-thousand feet down

At the start of the south Kaibab trail it was 65 degrees, 1000 feet down the canyon, 95.

Grand Canyon, South Rim

Each look at the canyon is different, it does not look real at times, maybe its a backdrop. You can watch the light change the shadows and hues of red. Some people get a feeling of free falling at the edge. In the wooded areas like the campground, the Elk roam freely. At spots on the rim you can see the Colorado River.

The Hopi Reservation

Petrified Natl Park

Stopped at 4 corners, the only spot you can listen to a Steeler game in 4 states(Co, NM, Az, Ut). Later stopped at the Hubbell Trading Post for trail mix. Traveled down old Hwy 66 before getting to the Painted Desert. On way to other side of park we saw many red striped hills before seeing the petrified trees. One ton of petrified wood is stolen from the park every month. More petroglyph’s. Early dinosaurs roamed the area 22 million years ago. Walking amongst the petrified trees was the only time we got a feeling of being in a different era.

Mesa Verde Natl Park

A World Heritage site outside Cortez Colorado. Home to early American Puebloans that roamed North America for 10,000 years before deciding to build pithouses around 800 AD and then Pueblos around 1200 AD. We first visited some early pithouses in lion country then made the climb into the Cliff Place and Spruce Tree village, two of the many sites. It is estimated 80,000 Puebloans lived in Mesa Verde around 1200 AD.

Arches Natl Park

Moab is a Colorado river valley sided by mountains that are home to Arches and Canyonland Natl parks.  It caters to outdoor adventure enthusiasts. We camped in Arches and went looking for them.

Canyonland Natl Park

Pic 1 : the Colorado River just on the outskirts of Moab, Utah.
2: Canyonland is another big canyon with the Green and Colorado rivers meeting.
3: Wild west outlaws hid in those canyons.
4: Petroglyphs created by Puebleons are on many canyon walls, some 7500 years old.
5: Dinosaur track fossils along a trail. About 8 inches in length.
6: People like to get close to the edge.