October 26-28 2024- International Living put on the Ultimate Go Overseas Bootcamp in Las Vegas and I was there. As usual, it was extremely informative. Full of fellow readers hopeful of a future living and traveling outside the USA.

Three full days spent learning more about the many appealing options to choose from. The event left me excited and ready to get moving. A road trip seemed like a great idea.

I couldn’t find a map anywhere. I finally broke down and bought a smart phone to better plan my drive. It’ sad how dependent we’ve become on this technology, to the point that there are no other options. Anyway, after that detour, I left Last Vegas. Heading East on I-15 to the Valley of Fire State Park.

An easy 45 miles from Las Vegas on the freeway, Valley of Fire is Nevada’s oldest state park. Officially created in 1935, the park covers 40,000 acres. Day use fees are $15 for out of state cars (only $10 for NV). Known for it’s colorful red/orange Aztec sandstone, the park contains petroglyphs dating back 2000 years. There are many hiking trails, but most are closed in summer due to the dangers of heat stress.

The visitor center (open 9-4) is about halfway along the drive through the park. It’s a good place to stop for restrooms and trail information. Exhibits educate about the history, ecology and geology of the area. There’s a much appreciated cold water fountain outside.

Continuing East on I-15 into Utah, I decided to stop for the night in St George. Plenty of hotels and restaurants made it an easy choice to stop before another long day exploring.

I’ve always been fascinated by old stuff and abandoned places, so I’ll check out any ghost towns around. Grafton was settled by Mormon farmers in 1859. But constant flooding and Indian attacks eventually forced even those hardy pioneers to give up. The last residents deserted the town in 1944. It’s still popular with tourists and known as “the most photographed ghost town in the West”. Grafton is only a few miles from the entrance to Zion. I spent a couple of hours wandering around, checking out the buildings that were open for entry. I got lots of good photos of the town and surrounding scenery.

I spent 2 days exploring the awe-inspiring area in and around Zion National Park. This trip I got the senior lifetime pass. It’s really a sweet deal. For $80, you get access to all the National Parks and most federal lands (BLM, Forest Service, etc) for life.

The parking situation in the main section of the park sucks! You’re no longer allowed to take the scenic drive during “the season” (it’s only allowed in winter). Luckily, I was able to find a spot near the visitor center. Otherwise, paid parking is spread out all over the nearby town of Springdale, with shuttle access to the park. The visitor center was busy but I picked up some trail info and recommendations for my short visit. The free shuttle comes every few minutes and stops at many of the trail heads.

The weather was perfect- high 70’s, light breezes, sun shining. I hiked a bit of the Court of the Patriarchs trail, the Grotto, the Riverside Walk near the Narrows and Emerald Pools trails. I wish I could’ve stayed at the Zion Lodge. Built of stone and wood, it brought back memories of traveling with my grandmother staying at similar park buildings. I took a look around the interior and ate a snack from the cafe outside in the beer garden.

There is so much to see and do in this part of the country! Las Vegas, Valley of Fire, ghost towns, Zion National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Great Basin National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Staircase- Escalante National Monument, Capital Reef National Park, Kodachrome State Park, petrified forests- and so much more. I wanted to do it all, but with limited time I had to choose. I decided to head over to Bryce Canyon National Park.

I backtracked to visit the lesser known Kolob Canyon section of Zion and stopped to see Cedar Breaks National Monument to the North. I was starting to worry about the weather since it was getting cold that high up in the mountains. It started snowing and I was only prepared for the heat in Las Vegas.

Coming back down from Cedar Breaks, it warmed back up again and Bryce Canyon was absolutely stunning. I stayed a couple of nights at Ruby’s in Bryce Canyon City, just a few minutes drive into the park. Very convenient and the buffet was a great deal. I didn’t do any hiking in Bryce, just a few easy walks around the viewpoints. I’m not good with steep, strenuous trails and most looked like they’d be that kind. If I had more time and been better prepared I would try to do more. I still got a bunch of fabulous photos.

That night I went on a Dark Ranger Telescope Tour. Only a few miles from Ruby’s, the sky was dark enough to see the stars. It’s been too long since I’ve seen the magnificent Milky Way in all it’s glory. That was one of the reasons I chose my profession. Sailing across the ocean, standing watch at night, with no lights to wash out the starry sky. A truly awesome sight. I could see it again here.

The Rangers put on a good show. First a little video to give us all a little background before we got time on the telescopes. We saw and heard about the moon, stars, constellations, galaxies, novas, satellites, and more. Different telescopes aimed various directions and brought clarity to those distant objects. It was well worth it.

This post is getting too long, I think I’ll have to cut it in pieces. Check back for the rest of the story and more photos…