Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Glitter Mountain near St. George, Utah







These photos do not do Glitter Mountain justice. This place is only about 10 miles from St. George, Utah. If you are looking for something fun and free for the whole family to do while you are in St. George, you have to find Glitter Mountain. My kids like to call it Sparkle Mountain. We all had so much fun here.

Glitter Mountain is an old Mica Rock mine in Arizona, about one mile from the Utah State line.

You can chip away Mica near the bottom of the pit, or choose a piece of glittery rock from the thousands that are scattered on the ground surrounding the mountain.

This is a great place to go in the winter. The temperature was only 55 degrees, but it felt much warmer with all the rocks reflecting the sun. I can't imagine how hot this would feel in the summer. Be sure to bring water with you.

The directions we found online to get to the mountain required 4 wheel drive. On our way home however, we found a much faster and easier way.

Here's how to find Glitter Mountain:

(Traveling in a Minivan directions)
• Find Telegraph Road in Washington, UT
• Turn south onto Washington Feilds Road
• Keep driving south on Washington Feilds road.
• After a while you will go under the Southern Parkway road.
• Soon the pavement will end.
• Take the first right onto a nameless dirt road heading South.
• Drive about 10 miles, until you will reach some houses at the Utah/Arizona border, do NOT turn down this street, keep going straight.
• Drive about 1.5 miles. Soon you will see the glittery white mountain to your right.

If you are looking for more advendure, and you have a 4 wheel drive vehicle, follow these directions:
(Check the weather to make sure there is no rain in the forecast.)
• Take I-15 South to Southern Parkway
• Travel East on Southern Parkway. After 3 miles take the River Road exit.
• After crossing the AZ/UT state line, look for a sign to your left that says: Little Black Mountain Petroglyphs.
• Go about 3 miles, you will see a bathroom and the Petroglyph site.
• Continue East on the dirt road.
• About 2 miles, you will sees some houses and a sign that reads, St. George 10 niles.
• Turn right at the sign.
• Drive about 1.5 miles. Soon you will see the glittery white mountain to your right.

Be sure to pin these directions on your Vacation board on Pinterest.




Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Camping in San Diego

We headed down to San Diego for a few days with my mom, my sister, and her family.

We've never been camping on the beach and thought it would be fun to try. It was fun. The campground we stayed at had some nice swimming pools and hot tubs. It also had a playground. Plus it was right on the San Diego Bay.

There was a wild bachelor party with lots of drunk guys in attendance that happened 2 feet from our tent. It went on until 3:30 AM Sunday morning. then we listened to what seemed like a synchronized chorus of loud snoring the rest of the night. Other than that incident, I'd highly recommend camping on the beach.

 
During the day, the girls had fun exploring Balboa park with their cousins.




Old Town San Diego was one of my favorite spots. I just loved these stairs.


We played at the beach.


Lily loved the street performers.
It ended up being a really fun road trip!