Riding the Paiute Trail in Marysvale, Utah

Folding Chairs
Prizes!

We leave our perch in Fruita and head west to Marysvale, Utah.  Here we ride the Paiute Trail and visit with Jim Brown, Punkin and Keith.  We win two sturdy camp chairs with stools at the Memorial Day party at the South Forty RV Park – hurray!  After a few Paiute rides, I sense that Storm has been spoiled by the challenging trails in Moab.  I think he is a little disappointed by the tame, 2WD forest roads that compose the Jeep accessible parts of nearby Paiute Trail routes.  This trail has much more challenging offshoots, but those are restricted to 60″ wide (or sometimes less) side by sides and ATVs.

Paiute Trail
This trail is starting to get ugly

In spite of the dearth of obstacles, we still manage to find ourselves searching for the “quintessential mountain lake” – Barney Lake, on the wrong funnel-like forest road.  We barely find room to reverse course before we have to break out machetes to advance further.  Unfortunately a few pointed branches draw some Utah pinstripes down the sides of the Jeep before we escape their grasping reach- yikes! 

I struggle to photo Barney’s Lake.  By the time we find the right road to it and pull into the parking area, rain is chilling the already brisk air.  Clouds darken and raindrops mar any reflections on the water. When I get out of the Jeep, the seat rips out of my shorts adding a new dimension of cold to my already too summery ensemble.  While frigid drafts drift up my backside, anyone or thing behind me risks being mooned.   We decide to abandon our pursuit of a pristine aquatic photo and head back home before our situation further deteriorates.  Heaven forbid that I traumatize some innocent, lonely fisherman or peaceful, grazing deer with an unexpected afternoon full moon!

Riding the Paiute Trail

Miner's Park
Outside Coal Mining Museum in Miner’s Park, Marysvale

 

Manning Meadows Reservoir
Manning Meadows Reservoir on the Paiute Trail
Ground Hog
Hidden Ground Hog – can you spot him?  Did I moon him too?
Barney Lake
The Elusive Barney Lake
Miner's Park
Is this not the most awesome Pit Toilet you have ever seen?  Visit it at Miner’s Park in Marysvale

About Sunny Weathers

Pilot, motorcyclist and full time RVer. Follow me as I travel all over the US in my Country Coach RV volunteering, making new friends and pursuing a constant outdoor temperature between 70F and 80F. I'll share the fun and the tribulations and any great survival tricks I learn!

4 Replies to “Riding the Paiute Trail in Marysvale, Utah”

  1. Jane & Leyman says: Reply

    You paint a very real picture!

    1. Sunny Weathers says: Reply

      Thank you! I know Storm wishes we had stayed an extra week or two in Moab and done Elephant Hill with you. We are looking forward to that! Both of us… really 🙂

  2. Jim & Sandy Dukeman says: Reply

    Bet there would be some great fishing in that lake. :>)) Thanks for the journey and hope you got extra shorts in the RV.:>)))) GOD BLESS
    JD
    Jim

    1. Sunny Weathers says: Reply

      I think you are right! Yes, extra shorts have replaced that pathetic pair.

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