2016 Summer Road Trip: UT, CO, NM: Day 3: Tues, 6/14: Zion, Drive to Dolores, CO

Day 3: Tues, 6/14: Drive from Zion to Dolores, CO (near Mesa Verde—SW CO).

We packed up the RV and watched the beautiful morning sun on the cliffs at Zion. Then we drove through the 1.1 mile Mt. Carmel Tunnel on the back side of Zion. There were about 5 bighorn sheep right by the side of the road. They were fun to see with their horns. We drove within one mile of Four Corners and actually drove through the 4 states: NM, AZ, UT, CO. It costs $5 per person to visit the Four Corners Monument and we were told there is a line to stand in to take a picture where the 4 state lines intersect. So we decided to not to stop there and just drove straight to the Dolores River RV Campground—about 20 minutes from Mesa Verde Ruins, CO. This is the nicest campground in the area (two really good tent camping spots are sites F and G). We can hear the river flowing and it is pretty. There are cotton wood trees and in June, it seriously looks like it is snowing with the large quantity of the white stuff slowly blowing down from the trees like large snowflakes. We met up with the Besoli’s and another family they are camping with here about 5 spots away. We’ve been lucky enough to camp with the Besoli’s twice now on our multi-state road trips (2 years ago, we were in Grand Tetons together)! We grilled rib-eye steaks, portobellos, and zucchini outside listening in to the river. Then we had a campfire at the Besoli’s and had fun talking and playing campfire games like “telephone” with the many kids. It was a fun day.