After all the walking through Arches the previous day, our legs needed a bit of a break, so we decided to go on a bit of a look-see round the "local" area.
Stop one was Crystal Geyser - several miles outside of Green River, and slightly off the beaten track (at times we wondered if we were still on the track, but the brief directions proved accurate) (but maybe not recommended in a Toyota Camry).
It was a little desolate looking at times - echoes of wobbly polystyrene Star Trek sets, lunar landscapes and mounds of just-poured concrete.
Eventually, after several miles of gravel track and pot holes, we reached the end of the "road" at Crystal Geyser. Not exactly the busiest tourist spot - we were the only visitors.
Crystal Geyser is reportedly a rare cold water geyser, getting its power from carbon dioxide. It erupts every 12-16 hours to a height of around 30 feet (but not whilst we were there, although we could hear it bubbling away beneath the rocks). We had a good opportunity to explore the beautiful mineral-formed travertine terraces - wrinkled stone, brightly coloured crusts of rock and lingering pools of slightly scummy-looking water, right on the banks of the Green River.
Having explored to our heart's content, our next stop was Sego Canyon, back along I70 and through the dead-end town of Thompson Springs. Coming out of the other end of the town, and down yet more gravel tracks, we gradually came to the foot of a canyon, where we would hopefully find some good examples of Native American rock art.
Utah is named after the indigenous Ute Indian tribe, located in the northern and central parts of the state. The Ute are one of five distinct American Indian cultures (along with Goshute, Navajo, Paiute and Shoshone), and have inhabited the region since 1300AD, up until the present day.
We saw several panels of petroglyphs on the canyon walls - amazingly still intact and visible, with a little searching in the bright sunlight. These rock art sites are considered sacred to the Ute and are situated on private land, and most were carefully fenced off. There was still evidence of newer graffiti though - from 1884!
One mile further brought us to the ghost town of Sego, dominated by the old company store which still partially stands in the centre, surrounded by cabin ruins and signs warning of mineshafts, as well as the rusty remains of an old car and fridge (with memories of Indiana Jones escaping a nuclear blast).
Very peaceful, very remote, and very hot, although the state of the washed out tracks and water-ravaged road was a reminder that the rainy season must take its toll.
Our final stop of the day would be Swasey's Beach (when we eventually found it at the end of a looooong side road, and according to the car mileage, much further than the stated 10 miles...). We were distracted, though, by the thousands of kamikaze yellow butterflies who seemed to prefer hot tarmac to the roadside wild flowers, and threw themselves at the car with wild abandon in their dozens. Distressingly, when we stopped, the windscreen and front grille were covered with yellow butterfly dust and wings...
Swasey's Beach is a natural sandy beach formed along a bend in the Green River. The area has a well-used boat ramp (kayaking is popular), and a camp ground. But it was just nice to sit on the sand and contemplate the scenery - once again we were the only ones there. That is, until we spotted a paddle-boarder sat in the shade on the other side of the River, who decided to hop on his board and paddle against the current to a spot on our side, and then ride the fast flow towards the rapids with regular "whoops" of enjoyment.
After watching him for a bit, we decided to head back to the hotel and treat ourselves to a large calorific dinner - obviously to keep our energy levels up for more hikes!
