NV to Colorado

From Death Valley I drove across the lower tip of Nevada into Utah on highway 15.  Virgin River canyon is spectacular.  I had one overnight in Utah just before climbing up to the highway 70 traverse of Utah's central mountain range. The following night I spent in Colorado National Monument.  Wow !  Its like Zion Park, in Colorado. There is not one central canyon to look at here.  Many ancient rivers created many intersecting canyons. NPS maintains hiking trails into several of these canyons.  Juniper Titmice, White-throated Swifts and a Virginia's Warbler were the exciting birds. 
     The following day I traveled across the Rocky Mts on highway 70.  All the campgrounds are closed because its still winter up there. I made a brief detour up to Loveland Pass, to see a White-tailed Ptarmigan.  Life Bird !!   I continued to the Highway 25 corridor and was able to leave my skis, snowshoes, and other boxes in my storage unit.
     Moving along highway 14, out of Colorado, I stopped at Pawnee Grasslands to see the McCown's Longspurs in their early morning song-flight. 

    Above photo from an overlook along highway 70, in eastern Utah.  Early European travelers, Native Americans, and the RR all detoured around San Rafael Swell.  Today highway 70 travels thru a huge rock cut blasted out to make room for the modern highway.