Arches & Canyonlands

Our day started with pancakes at the campground. They were huge and Lisa and I couldn't even finish our three flapjacks. With full bellies, we headed to Arches National Park, just north of Moab. Since we had already hiked through the Courthouse Towers Formation the day before, we headed for the Windows Section. We hiked the loop trail with a view of the North and South Windows as well as the Turret Arch. The overcast skies were a welcome change and we even enjoyed a few raindrops in the desert.

Heading north we hiked to the Delicate Arch viewpoints. Delicate Arch seems to be one of the most famous landmarks in Utah and appears on many signs, advertisements and on the newer license plates. It was the only free-standing arch that we viewed.

After a picnic (cheese and crackers) at Devil's Garden, we hiked to see Landscape Arch - one of the largest natural arches in the world. We took the spurs to see Tunnel and Pine Tree Arches on the way. The path into Landscape Arch was closed since a large section had broken in 1991. We got a great view and snapped some pictures before hurrying back to the air-conditioned car in the mid-day sun.

Pine Tree Arch:



Landscape Arch:



After lunch at the campground, we headed to the Island in the Sky portion of Canyonlands National Park for the evening. The park featured sandstone canyons carved by the Green and Colorado Rivers. The views were expansive from the Grand View Overlook and the evening sun was casting shadows on the canyon floor. Getting the birds eye view of the canyons made us understand the rustic and impassable nature of the park. We stopped at many of the overlooks and hiked the Mesa Arch Trail but decided to move on to the next destination since the gnats were swarming viciously. We bid farewell to Amy, Mike and Tom and headed north.



We're spending the night in Green River, Utah and planning on going to Capitol Reef National Park in the morning!