June 8, 2026 (Mon.) – Fantasy Canyon.

The plan for today was to visit Fantasy Canyon—the whole reason we came to Vernal in the first place. But after reading up on it, we learned the best time to go is early morning or evening. Midday is apparently the worst possible choice. And since “early morning” is not a phrase that pairs well with Kirk (he treasures his beauty sleep), evening it was—especially with the forecast calling for heat.

Lynn was up at 6:00 a.m. as usual, got her morning walk in, and Kirk joined the land of the living around 9:00. We headed to Betty’s Cafe for breakfast on the recommendation of the couple we met earlier. It did not disappoint—excellent chicken fried steak, a fantastic cinnamon roll, and perfectly fresh fried potatoes. A definite redemption meal after the mediocre dinner the other night.

By 11:00 we were back at the RV doing chores, blogging, and enjoying the breezy weather. With hours to kill before our evening outing, we made a Walmart run, watched a movie, and continued blog duties.

At 6:30 p.m., we set out for Fantasy Canyon—about an hour away. This is where things got interesting. Kirk followed Google Maps. Lynn followed logic. Logic saw a sign that said “Fantasy Canyon – 18 miles →” and thought, “Turn right.” Google Maps said, “Go straight.” We went straight. Naturally, Google took us on the “scenic” route: rough roads, oil fields, pipelines, and even wild horses. Cell service? Absolutely not. The final destination on the map was… not Fantasy Canyon. But after rounding a hill, we finally found it—Google had delivered us to the back side of the canyon! You’d think we’d have learned by now not to blindly trust the map—it has led us astray more times than we can count—but hey, the scenic detours make for great exploring and even better memories. Lesson learned: follow the signs, not the apps.

We arrived around 7:45 p.m. The air was cooler, the sun was setting, and we had the entire place to ourselves. The rock formations were incredible—many shaped like dragons, snakes, or mythical creatures…it’s all up to ones imagination. At one point, Kirk discovered another section of the canyon, but getting down required navigating some steep rocks. Lynn wished she’d brought her walking stick. In true Kirk & Lynn fashion, after climbing down, we found the nice flat path that led to the same area just around the bend from where we were! Rock climbing was not required!

We spent about an hour exploring and took hundreds of photos—it was absolutely worth the trip to Vernal. As darkness settled in, we headed back, this time following the actual signs and finding the proper route to the highway. Much easier. On the way out, we were treated to more wild horses and a few deer along the roadside, a perfect bonus to end the evening.

Back in Vernal around 9:15 p.m., we discovered nearly every restaurant closes at 9. Even the brewery. The only places open until 10 were Mexican restaurants, which made the decision easy—Lynn loves Mexican food. We chose Plaza Mexicana. It was decent, though not spectacular.

We returned to the RV around 10 p.m. A long day, but a great one!

Weather – High 85*, Low 55*. Winds 3-18 mph with 27 mph gusts. No rain, no humidity.

Traffic – None.

Food – Betty’s Cafe – excellent!

Notable – Fantasy Canyon – awesome!

Screen time – Office Romance – very good!