Lubow Family Road Trip

Petrified Forest

National Park

Petrified Forest is in the painted dessert and features many petrified logs left from trees. Petrified wood is formed when minerals replace the organic matter in the wood.

The Painted Desert as implied by its name looks painted with varying colors and shades.

Additionally one of the most iconic route 66 locations is in the park.

Grand Canyon

National Park

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, is home to much of the Grand Canyon. It’s usually very busy because it is a very popular park; There are a good many trails into, around, and in the Grand Canyon. The first time I looked at the Grand Canyon, I was flabbergasted at how stunningly huge and beautiful it was.

Although trails around the Grand Canyon are very dangerous, they are also very rewarding.

Altogether, Grand Canyon National Park is a very fun and exciting Family Trip!

Pictures really don’t do it justice. Did you know that the Grand Canyon is believed to have taken seventy-million years to form?

There is actually a small town in the Grand Canyon, Supai Village, its population is around 208.

Grand Canyon Facts:

• The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long and 18 miles wide in some places.
• The Grand Canyon National Park covers an area of 1900 square miles.
• The Grand Canyon is one of the “seven natural wonders of the world.”
• The Grand Canyon receives almost 5 million visitors each year.

There’s lots of elk and deer in Grand Canyon National Park. In fact, once while we were there, elk came and drank from a tap while we were getting water.

-EJL

Valley of the Gods

National Monument

Valley of the Gods is a somewhat unknown smaller part of Monument Valley. It was previously part of Bear's Ears National Monument but under President Trump, the park size was reduced.

Camping is allowed in Valley of the Gods and due to its distance from larger cities, is one of the darkest places in the country which makes for great stargazing!

Natural Bridges

National Monument

My family and I went to Bridges National Park in April of 2021.

My favorite part of Bridges National Park was a hike to the bottom of the second largest natural bridge in the world, Sipapu Bridge. The hike took us around 2 hours and there was 500 ft of elevation change. There were ladders and lots of steps to get down and back up. At the bottom of the trail, we were directly under the Sipapu Bridge. We laid in the sand and stared up at the majestic bridge and listened to the birds that were flying around.

-EAL

Canyonlands

National Park

Canyonlands National Park has three main regions: The Needles, Island in the Sky, and The Maze. These Regions are seperated by the Green and Colorado rivers. When my family visited this park we spent time in two of these regions: The Needles, and Island in the Sky.

In Needles, we did two hikes, each a little over half a mile. The first hike was on Cave Spring Trail. This trail gets its name from a small spring set under a cave like ledge that makes up a portion of the trail. On the rock wall behind the spring are several Indian paintings.

The second hike was on Pothole Point Trail. One of my favorite hikes of the trip, Pothole Point Trail is mostly slickrock with many "potholes", small holes in the rock formed by water. After a gentile incline , this trail has a spectacular view of both The Needles, towering, graceful spires of rock ,and, in the distance, The Rocky Mountains.

At Island in the Sky, we hiked on Mesa Arch Trail. A short, easy hike to an iconic, beautiful arch through which you can see a view of the mountains. we had a picnic lunch at Upheaval Dome, another beautiful location.

-EGL

Arches

National Park

I went to Arches National Park.

We went to double arch next to double arch there was a fun place to climb.

I saw some rocks and sand.

Then we went hiking.

-ZAL