We figured that we were already down in Arizona and Utah for the Grand Canyon, we might as well go to Four Corners. Four Corners is the only place in the United States where four different states meet at one point. There are several places where three states meet, but this is the only place with four. And it is in the middle of desert NOWHERE!
The corner is Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. I remember going when I was a kid. I thought it was in the middle of nowhere then. It is the same today. Except they have poured cement and bleachers to sit and view the area. They have also build four rows of stalls around the area. One for each state. When I was a kid it was just small shanty style stalls. So it is nicer.
Here we are all standing in different states, but still holding hands. (actually, we didn't hold hands because it was so hot and we all had sweaty hands. HAHA
The drive from Grand Canyon to Four corners took us through Utah, Arizona and part of New Mexico. It was miles and miles of desert. It is diverse desert too. Some were dunes. Some pink hills. Some had red plateaus. Some had Junipers and Pinion pines, others had cacti and sagebrush.
Lady Hiva wanted to see a rattle snake. When we stopped to take photos, she would walk around saying, "come here snake! Come out, come out, snake!" I told her that all of the animals would be LONG gone with all the noise we are making.
It was fun to see random horses around. Some looked wild, others were clearly from the Native American Reservation.
We stopped at one spot with big signs in the Navajo Reservation that said there were dinosaur tracks. We were not convinced that was what it was. Was a nice HOT walk haha. Still no rattle snakes.
I did get pulled over in Arizona. oops. I did not realize it had gone to a construction zone--there were no construction workers or trucks--the cop was waiting at the bottom of the hill where the limit went from 80 to 55 then back to 80. YIKES!
Our next stop along the way was Monument Valley. It has been on our bucket-list for years since we saw it in Walt Disney World's Soarin' Around the World. It is one of the stops. It was a bit out of the way and it was more lonely desert roads, but we were glad we went.
We played the "what does that rock look like?" game. This one we decided was a Pirates of the Caribbean style ship.
Mexican Hat. This rock gave the same name to the small village along the San Juan River.
At the visitor's center in Monument Valley they had some traditional mud huts built. It was cool to see the intricate wood work to keep the families cool and warm in the fluctuating desert temperatures. Lady Hiva started to do research on Juniper trees and the natural fire retardant they have because of the high level of Silica. That is why when the forest fires come through everything is gone except the Juniper trunks.
We loved seeing the "Mittens" at Monument Valley. We found ourselves being in awe and just staring across the valley trying to soak it all in. Again, photos do not do it justice.