Arches and Canyonlands National Parks

Spanish Trails RV Park
Moab, Utah

May 18-24, 2014

What a beautiful trip here, traveling along Route 24 (again a Scenic Highway) up to Interstate 70. Moab, so much different from our recent destinations....a true tourist and recreational destination....so much to do and all the tourist stops to take you where you want to go.

 

Our first stop was Arches National Park for our trip on day one!  (I will rate the parks, as to my personal preference, at the end of this blog!)  Again, I can't believe these parks are in the same state....they each have their own personality and are so different from each other!!

Arches National Park has the densest concentration of natural stone arches in the world.  There are over 2,000 documented arches in the park, ranging from sliver-thin cracks to spans greater than 300 feet.

 

 

Balanced Rock, this massive sandstone boulder perched atop the pedestal is estimated to weigh 3,577 tons.  That's the weight of an icebreaker ship or approximately 27 blue whales.












The Organ

Three Gossips





 



 

Turret Arch at The Windows

Next stop was the Windows Section of the park.  This is a one-mile improved trail taking you by North Window, South Window and Turret Arch.  However, once we were up there, Ken decided we should take the primitive trail back.  Have to say, I handled the trip quite well!!!  Better than the Delicate Arch trail.

A view of North Window from the primitive trail



South and North Window

Turret Arch

North Window

Double Arch takes its name because of it consists of two arches that share the same stone as a foundation for both of their outer legs.  The southern span of Double Arch soars 112 feet above ground level.  It is also the second-longest arch in the park, at 144 feet 

across.







Delicate Arch....we did not visit the Arch trail....we went to the Upper Viewpoint where Ken got this picture.  Click on the picture to enlarge and note the kid in the middle....love it!! However, this was NOT a trail I liked....had to stop several times to "catch my breath"....and, again, asked my spouse why he took me up here???  As always, though, the trip was worth the trek!!

Sand Dunes Trail leads through a close trail and deep sand to a secluded arch among sandstone fins.

We waited a long time to have this arch vacated to show it on it's own.  This is one of my favorite spots here at Arches...although I have to say, the sand in my shoes was comparable to any dunes you may visit on the Cape....love it!!

Broken Arch

Heading to Broken Arch

Arches National Park....enjoy.....

A return to the Park Avenue Viewpoint....

And then to the "local" Ken met in the supermarket who said we HAD to experience the Mountain Loop Road...a 50+ mile road around the Lasal Mountain....let's just say, Ken truly enjoyed the experience and those photo opportunities....me....I found myself (while driving) leaning forward or backward most of the trip when those roadways showed crumbling and deterioration; thank goodness I only met three cars at this point (what the hell were they doing up there?????  What the hell was I DOING UP THERE???)  Then the trip down.....first gear with the engine roaring and the brakes grinding...need I say more???  Ken loved it...I, on the other hand, could have loved the drive had I not been driving!!

This is our picture!!! Can you imagine???

Of course, I never saw the original picture....way too much for me to look at; especially considering those roadsides falling into nothing on the left side....keep me grounded on the right....keep me grounded on the right...

Way too  beautiful!!!  And remember, these are Ken's photos...time for his own blog; right??

On to Canyonlands.....split into three different sections:  Island in the Sky (where we were), The Maze and The Needles.  Ken calls it the Grand Canyon that wasn't; but to be fair, we never saw the entire park.

The Island in the Sky: the most accessible district, the one we could access easily from our stay here in Moab, offers view from many overlooks, several (not always happily accessed by yours truly) hikes of varying length.  The areas we missed were:  The Needles offering backcountry experience; the Maze, a remote district requiring more time and self-reliance to visit (certainly not in my realm of experience-making!!!), and the river trips, which usually involve two or more days of boating (and that rustic camping not meant for the older bodies, even if the heart is in it!!)

First stop at Island in the Sky:  Shafer Lookout....not, believe me, for the faint of heart.  The picture cannot compare to the view and watching what, I think, were tour vans descending down, down, down.....stopping when they met the many bicyclers visiting the canyon.  All I could say was, "Nope, no way!!"



This is where we enjoyed our lookout views at Shafer. 

Mesa Arch



Not a happy Linda!!!



Mini Half Dome?

Interesting thing happened on our way to our Canyonlands experience:

 

I think it was our second or third "hike"...the one where I was telling Ken why I was divorcing him...we met a couple coming down as we were going up and my inquiry:  "does it get any better?'  She responded, "the joints don't care....they hurt both ways!"  Next stop....same we're going up, they're going down.  Now the third time, I promised her we were not stalking them!  Talked a minute and promised to meet at the next stop; which didn't happen because I was done with any more "climbing" hikes.

 

However, next day, our destination was to check out the shops in Moab....no sooner had we started our shopping excursion than we turned the corner; nodded and said "hi" to the couple we passed, when both of us turned around and said "that's the couple from Canyonlands we ran into yesterday."  Stopped to chat and found out we were not only in Moab at the same time; but we were in the same campground!!!  Planned a later dinner at the Blu Pig for some bbq and later dinner talk at the rv...another great friend-find in Cecelia and Larry Waggerman from California. Can't wait till we talk them into a trip to the east!!!  WHAT....no picture?????

A few more pictures from Moab:

 

 

 

Another "friend" hook-up happened when we met Tim Pine, son of our friends, Joe and Leslie Pine, who you will remember from our Fountain Hills blog.  I am truly a Facebook fan because I get to watch the kids of my friends' grow up....now I get to meet the kids of our long lost high school friends' kids...who could ask for more!!!  We had a great meal and listened to Tim's experiences as a Park Ranger in these beautiful Utah parks, discovering and documenting what these parks have to offer....his is a unique experience desired by most of us as young people to discover the wild.  And, Joe and Leslie, what a great kid....I know you're proud!!

 

We finally ran into some rain....something greatly needed in this area.  They are experiencing some horrific fire near Sedona, Slide Rock State Park, a place we visited both on our previous trip and just a couple of months ago....can't believe the inn where we enjoyed a wonderful, peaceful lunch may no longer be there!!

 

We now leave Utah....on our way back in Massachusetts, not knowing if we would even make this trip...in New Orleans in November when we thought this, our destination of this trip, was so far away....we are now leaving...WOW!!!

 

Okay, here are our conclusions of the five Utah state parks; all absolutely beautiful and unique unto themselves; but our ranking:  (1)  Bryce; (2) Zion; (3) Arches; (4) Capital Reef; (5) Canyonlands.  However, both Capital Reef and Canyonlands could not be visited completely this trip!!!  But, an experience I am so thankful for...the chance to visit these beautiful parks.

 

Now, I can't complete this trip without a tribute to a woman who has been there all of my life; and one, I am thankful to say, I had the great opportunity to know even in these later years....my Aunt Beulah, my Dad's oldest sister.  Beulah died May 22nd, at the age of 98...a lady always and to the end.  I will so miss her; but my memories of her will carry me through the rest of my life; only to emulate the gracious lady she was!!!

Have changed our itinerary a bit.  We'll be saying goodbye to Utah and are heading to Glenwood Springs, Colorado.  See you there.