Day 30-Ute Mountain Casino and The Four Corners
Drove 122 miles in 2-3/4 hours. Temp went from 82 in the AM to 100 by 5PM
Continued south on Route 191. Passed the Hole in the Rock-a 14 room house built in a huge rock in the 1940s by a couple who then lived in it. They now have tours going through it (supposedly it’s just like it was in the 40s). There’s also a petting zoo and of course gift shop. Saw another arch, Wilson Arch, right on the highway and then the entrance to the Needles section of Canyonlands. Continued to Monticello and then turned onto route 491 and into Colorado through towns such as Dove Creek, Cahone, Pleasant Valley and Yellow Jacket. Flat farm land has now replaced scrub sage and mountains. Beans and wheat seem to be the big crops here, they proclaim “Home of the Anasazi Beans”. A lot of the farms look unplanted but maybe they’re getting ready to plant a second crop. Through Cortez, CO, then on to Towaoc, CO, and the Ute Mt. Casino and Hotel. We’re staying at Sleeping Ute Campground, adjacent to the casino, owned and run by the Navajo tribe. Nice big campground, heated pool and sauna. We got in early, checked in and then got the shuttle to the casino, even though it is quite walkable. They gave us each $15 in free play, $10 for staying at the campground, $10 each toward dinner in their restaurant and a nice water bottle. We played for almost two hours and were still ahead when we left.
We then drove 20 miles through nothing to get to The Four Corners, the only place in the US where four states come together-Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. There’s a monument, flags of all the states flying overhead and Navajos selling jewelry and souvenirs all around the perimeter. Really cheesy, but where else but the US can you find stuff like this? Tourists from all over standing in line in the hot sun (100 degrees) to have their pictures taken while standing in four states at the same time. I love it! There were umbrellas at the site to use to shield you from the sun and we just kept passing them around.
Back the 20 miles (still nothing there) to the casino for dinner. Nice restaurant, good food, spicy enchiladas! And almost free. Played the slots for about an hour and came out exactly even. The casino got really busy at night. Filled up with gas, it’s 25 cents a gallon less than the regular gas stations because we’re on the reservation.