Goodbye Jericho Dunes

I took this picture yesterday at the Little Sahara Sand Dunes. I hadn't been here for several years. It's a state park in the middle of Utah. Seems like yesterday it was $10 to enter. Now they've raised the day pass to $18. We just wanted to stop for a few hours at the Jericho Picnic Area to play in the sand. 

I remember the days, probably about 30 years ago now, when the parking lot at the picnic area was mostly empty. Now it's full of RVs of all shapes and sizes with their accompanying four wheelers and motorcycles loudly zipping around. In recent years, I've been able to more or less ignore those once I've climbed up into the dunes. No more. Things have changed. Yesterday was probably particularly busy because of spring break and the upcoming holiday weekend. 

There is a fence that separates the safe play area from where ATVs can go. When did they move the fence?!? The area is probably only a third smaller, but visually, moving the fence has changed everything. See those trees on the right? It was the high point of the play area. The fence was several hundreds of feet down on the other side. At the base of those trees was my favorite place to sit and overlook the vast expanse of sand dunes. I could almost ignore the fence and feel part of the emptiness. Rocks below the trees provided a place to sit off the sand and in the shade. I'd relax there for hours and watch everything-- my children playing in the sand and the beauty of the dunes. Yesterday I wanted so much to cross that fence. I probably would have if I'd been alone. I'd have found a safe way to get there. But another reason not to cross was the thought that any ATV coming my direction might not see me climbing up the dunes below the trees.

The ATVs have acres and acres and acres of land. Yes, the sand is still there. The view can be found. But to me, without that place under the trees, the magic is gone. 

I know where there are better dunes-- no entrance fee, no ATVS, views and trees included. I blogged about them here a year or two ago. Next time I want sand dunes, I'm heading north.

But the children still had fun. Children can be so resilient.