Nurturing Nature

Comb Ridge · Bluff, Utah

Nurturing Nature

We’re on a wander. With a bit of a timer on it, but doing the best we can.

May 24, 2026 · Words and photographs by Michael Berglund

Beauty and the Beast dispersed camping beneath Comb Ridge near Bluff, Utah — Middle-of-nowhere quiet beneath Comb Ridge.

We’re on a wander. With a bit of a timer on it, but doing the best we can.

Yesterday we visited two places, the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary, and El Morro National Monument. It was a hot day so the wolves were mainly laying about in the shade but seemed happy. If you know any wolves that need rescuing, let these folks know.

A rescued wolf resting in the shade at Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary — A hot afternoon at Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary.

El Morro, what a great site, a place where people have inscribed on a magnificent stone bluff for centuries. From Petroglyphs to Spanish in the 1600’s to settlers and pioneers, the area is full of geology and history.

We are taking short hikes these days due to an unfortunate breaking of Paula’s little toe while we were in Mexico. It’s one of those breaks that you really can’t do anything for except treat it gently and let it heal, so we are a little less ambitious than usual but still getting out there.

Pro tip from Paula: Watch out for wicker furniture.

Michael and Paula at the sandstone bluff of El Morro National Monument — El Morro National Monument.

The trail winding beneath the monumental sandstone walls at El Morro — A short hike through centuries of history.

Historic Spanish inscriptions carved into the sandstone at El Morro — A stone record written by many hands over many centuries.

We stayed in the parking lot of Route 66 Junkyard brewery, a favorite of ours in Grants, NM. I love their beer made with Piñon Pine nuts, and eating BBQ sitting in a junkyard can’t be beat. They let rigs stay overnight there, it ain’t nature but it’s great.

Michael and Paula raising beers among old wheels and seats at Route 66 Junkyard Brewery — It ain’t nature but it’s great.

Sunset over the Route 66 Junkyard Brewery in Grants, New Mexico — Our glamorous overnight accommodations.

Today we hiked some lava beds in El Malpais National Monument, a tricky scramble over cracked lava, dramatic but not a tough hike. Then we drove north through Navajo nation, past Shiprock, and on to Four Corners.

Michael among black lava flows at El Malpais National Monument

Paula and Axel hiking across lava beds at El Malpais National Monument

Axel standing happily among the lava flows

We were aware that it’s underwhelming but still seemed like a pilgrimage. Even so, we weren’t going to wait in line to take our picture on the square. Somehow we are glad we went anyway but we don’t mind driving to nothing if you’ll recall.

Visitors waiting beneath red shade canopies at Four Corners Monument — The pilgrimage. We declined the line for the square.

We don’t mind driving to nothing.

We are now settled in at Bears Ears National Monument in some dispersed camping. Middle of nowhere quiet. There are a few other rigs here but hundreds of yards away. This is the very best camping we do.

Settling in under a dark sky, and going to explore the area tomorrow!

Michael playing guitar beside the trailer beneath Comb Ridge — This is the very best camping we do.

Beauty and the Beast beneath cottonwood trees in the late afternoon — Hundreds of yards from the nearest neighbors.

Paula and Axel relaxing beneath Comb Ridge at dusk — Settling in.

The moon glowing above the trailer and stormy blue clouds — Dark sky arriving.

The travel trailer glowing beneath a deep blue night sky — Home for the night.

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