Canyonlands, very different from Arches but just as beautiful with its canyons, mesas, buttes, fins arches and spires. As with Arches, nature has sculptured those beauties with water and gravity.
Grand View PointWe started our day with the Grand View Point hike. It was a stunning in and out trail with panoramic views going for miles and miles. The hike was only two miles, some up and some down. At the end of the trail we chatted with two ladies from Utah and were lucky enough to get a picture of the two of us. As I’ve said earlier we are complete failures when it comes to using a selfie stick! The trails at Arches were marked with large rocks but on this trail the markers where cairns or small rock piles. We could easily find the correct way to go. The view at the top was wonderful and well worth the walk.
We stopped at the Buck Canyon Overlook but instead of using the picnic area we chose to have our lunch in the warmth of the car. I think Gertrude and Heathcliff followed us as they were right there as we ate. We also glimpsed a blue bird. Animal views at this point are two herds of deer, three or four deer in a cove, a roadrunner and a bunny outside our coach yesterday and today – not really impressive.
Our next stop was the Upheaval Dome first overlook. This was a short but steep and rocky trail not clearly marked that led to a fairly clear view into Upheaval Dome. There was a further trail that led to a second overlook but we decided that we’d be seeing the same thing albeit it a different view so we clambered back down over the rocks and returned to the car.
Our last trail was the Mesa Arch. It was another short trail, only a half mile round trip but wow! As we were walking along suddenly Jerry said there it is and oh my – a glorious arch in the gorgeous sun. What a view.
Enough hiking today although shorter – we didn’t quite make it to four miles. A quick stop at City Market to pick up a few groceries and then on to the coach making preparations to leave for Monument Valley tomorrow.
Another glorious day at Arches National Park. We had studied our map of the arches but wanted to verify our plans with the ranger so we stopped by the Visitor’s Center again. Since some of the trails were either closed or icy we wanted to make sure we were making safe choices. The two trails we were interested in hiking were Landscape Arch and Delicate Arch. The ranger told us that the Landscape trail was pretty icy and suggested we buy the $12 cleats in the bookstore. There were only two pair left so we bought them with the promise that we could return them if we didn’t use them.
We watched the video again just to get more familiar with the beautiful arches silhouetted against the horizon everywhere we looked. Arches National Park has the greatest concentration of natural arches on the earth. An interesting contrast mentioned in the video was that arches built by man are the purposeful product of construction while in nature the arches are the product of destruction. The very processes that create the arches also destroy them. The landscape is ever changing and we know that the arches we see today may well be gone in a few years as they tumble to the earth and more are formed.
Jerry putting on his cleatsAfter the Visitor’s Center we headed all the way to the top to Devil’s Garden where the Landscape Arch was located. It is marked as an easy trail 1.6 miles round trip with a relatively flat, hard-packed trail. It would have been an easy hike were it not for the ice and there was definitely ice. We didn’t put the cleats on our shoes initially but after I slipped twice I found a rock to sit on and Jerry help me put them on. They just fit around the shoes and are fairly easy to put on. Once we realized that we could keep them more secure if we tied our shoelaces through them we had no problem. It was just a few minutes later when Jerry decided it would be wise to put his on. What a difference they made. We easily walked through the ice with no slipping and sliding and no fear of falling. It was a pretty cold hike as the wind was blowing a bit. I ended up putting my earmuffs on and then my scarf over my head. BUT – it was worth it. When we saw the Landscape Arch we were absolutely amazed. As with all of the arches that we have seen it defies description but it was stunning.
Landscape ArchAfter the hike we sat in the car and had our picnic lunch and then headed for the 3 mile round trip hike to Delicate Arch. The hike description says “some exposure to heights”. Well yeah! The entire trip is uphill and it is described as difficult. It wasn’t really hard but it was arduous and exhausting. Just before we reached the top we ran into a lot of icy path and it was treacherous to say the least. Jerry said he was proud of me because of my fear of heights but I never noticed the height as I kept my eyes on where I was walking. Some folks from Taiwan were walking nearby and they were very helpful as we all walked the treacherous path plus they took some pictures for us. And then…we rounded the corner and there in all of its splendor was the Delicate Arch. Oh my, what a spectacular sight to behold. We very careful traversed the area and made it down to the arch itself where we had our picture taken. You can hardly see us though because the arch is so large. It was a difficult hike but so worth every minute of it. The return trip was much easier as it was all downhill although steep. It took us about an hour to go down and the parking lot was a welcomed sight.
After the hikes we went to City Market Pharmacy to pick up a prescription for Jerry and then to the Grill for a very mediocre dinner. We were back at the coach by 6:30 exhausted but exhilarated and ready for Canyonlands tomorrow!
We woke up this morning to 16 degrees with a real feel of 9 degrees and Jerry had to unhook everything plus we had to hook the car up! At 7:00 it showed no signs of warming soon. We got everything done inside and then went out to get the car hooked up. Of course the windshield on the car was frosted again so with my head out of the window I drove the short way to the back of the RV. It wasn’t so bad and we were on the road by 8:40. About 15 minutes later we stopped to fill the propane tank which we knew was low. I had read that most RV propane tanks last about five days in cold weather and we had used ours four.
As Jerry drove along I searched for a campground for the night. I had called and left a message yesterday with a Passport RV park but had not heard from them so I continued my search. I called Spanish Trails RV and they had space so I made the reservation for three nights.
As soon as we got checked in and got some lunch we headed to the Visitor’s Center in Moab. We got a lot of information and a lot of good tips. We then headed to Arches National Park where we watched an informative video, talked with a ranger and got recommendations on what to do with our afternoon. Some of the trails were closed due to ice so we decided just to drive the park and stop when we wanted to.
Our first look at the majestic view was absolutely overwhelming. The beauty, the majesty, the ruggedness defy description but suffice it to say it was breathtaking. The park has over 2000 arches and they are easily visible. Interestingly enough the arches have a life cycle just like humans do. They are ever changing even from day to day. Rain, snow, cold, and heat all play a role in the life span of an arch.
The Three GossipsWe began with the winding road going up and first stopped at the Courthouse Towers Viewpoint. From there you could see the Three Gossips, the Sheep Rock, the Tower of Babel and the Organ very clearly.
We continued on to the Balanced Rock which was amazing. We got to walk all around it and even clamber over some of the rocks. There was a path going around and the signs instructed tourists to please stay on the path as going off could cause extensive damage to the vegetation and cryptobiotic crust. Another way to say “Leave no trace”.
The ranger had suggested that we might want to be at the Windows Section at 4:30 when the sun began to set so we bypassed that turnoff and continued on the road up. Our next stop was the Viewpoint for the Upper Delicate Arch and the Lower Delicate Arch. The path to the Lower Delicate Arch view was very short and there in the distance was the beautiful arch. The path to the Upper Delicate Arch view was a bit longer, a half mile of moderately strenuous trail and part of it muddy and icy. Someone had placed rocks along the muddy parts for walking across but that person certainly had longer legs than I. At one point they had placed a log to walk on. Jerry circumvented it but I walked across both ways without falling in the mud! The hike was surely worth it and the arch was stunning.
We continued up to the Skyline Arch which again was stunning. We walked up as far as the path allowed and got some pretty pictures. We rode on up to the Devils Garden Trailhead but knew immediately that it was beyond our capability – 7 ½ miles!
On the way down we stopped at the view point for the Fiery Furnace. The red rocks reflecting in the sun were mesmerizing. We heard some others trying an echo so as we left Jerry yelled “Wolfpack” and we heard it faintly echoing over the rocks.
We quickly headed to the Windows to see the sunset. Apparently everyone had the same idea as there were lots of people there and some serious photographers. Many had tripods and were quickly going to their favorite spot to get the best shot. We walked around quite a bit with Jerry trying to find the perfect spot to catch a shot of the sunset through one of the arches. A difficult task surely but I think he got some nice shots.
Afterward we went by the City Market, got some groceries and headed to the house!
Our last trail was the Mesa Arch. It was another short trail, only a half mile round trip but wow! As we were walking along suddenly Jerry said there it is and oh my – a glorious arch in the gorgeous sun. What a view.
Let's Go RVing! 