We crossed a wide plain and reached Moab in the afternoon, one of the destinations from our original trail. We are returning to the Inca Inn, where we stayed last visit as it was one of the nicest motels we stayed in and found our room enhanced by a disco shower!
Arches is the park that had most inspired us when we saw the PBS series, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” which sent us on our Utah Trail in the first place. Last time, we did get to see the fabulous Corona Arch which is outside the park, but are looking forward to seeing quite a few more arches now we can enter the park.
We spent our first sunset at Fiery Furnace, watching the sun turn the rocks redder and redder …
… and it looked so much richer than when we returned in the middle of the day.
As we left the park, we saw Balanced Rock and then the sunset.
Cloud and rain are forecast, but the first morning was fine so we visited the most iconic spots in the park, starting with Courthouse Towers, with The Three Gossips on the left and The Organ on the right.
Next up, North and South Windows, known together at The Spectacles …
… together with the strange looking gyroscope that is Double Arch …
… and yes I was there!
All these features have names, so here is Turret Arch and then there was desert with stubby trees and cacti.
We hiked over slickrock to Delicate Arch – probably the most photographed arch, which features on the Utah numberplate …
… looked back to see how far we had come …
… reached a corner …
… and there it was!
There were even petroglyphs on the way back.
By now the temperature had risen to 30 so we took some time out for lunch and a look round the shops in Moab.
We returned later hoping to see the setting sun add extra colour to the park which it did, but then the sun went behind cloud.
Here are Park Avenue with skyscrapers and the whimsical Garden of a Eden.
We thought that was it, but we waited and a final flash of light repaid our patient wait and got us a couple of great shots.
There was rain in the night and next day was grey, with rain predicted, so we drove to the far end of Arches park to see some of the other arches in the Devil’s Garden. The hike to Landscape Arch, which seemed the most delicate of all the arches we saw, was busy …
… and even the more challenging extension attracted a fair few intrepid souls, but we chose to turn back here.
Instead we took another path and almost had the trail to ourselves which was far nicer, giving views at every turn starting with Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch …
… views …
… then Tapestry Arch …
… Broken Arch and a skyline Arch.
The last arch of the day was Sand Dune Arch but more interestingly the trail that led there went through a narrow slot canyon where we met Vicky and Stuart from Pennsylvania and stood chatting about travels and photos.
Today we headed off to Island in the Sky in Canyonlands National Park.
This mesa extends to a point with the Green River on one side and the Colorado River on the other. From Shafer Overlook, we saw the Shafer Trail, once a rugged track, but since the 1950s Uranium Boom, widens to take mining trucks.
We took a short trail to Mesa Arch …
… and saw the two river canyons highlighted by the white rim of limestone 1000ft below.
We had a bit of a hike to Grand View at the point of the Mesa where we saw the Green River one side …
… and the Colorado River the other.
We saw the rain coming our way …
and were caught by a heavy thunderstorm, without our waterproofs, and sheltered under a rocky overhang till it stopped. Afterwards, we didn’t fancy climbing the wet slickrock to the end of the trail, and instead returned to dry out.
Its not just rocks and sand here, there are plenty of plants like Utah Juniper and Narrowleaf Yucca …
… Mormon Teaplant and Pinyon Pine …
and even a deer and a cottontail bunny!
Since we have been travelling together, this is the first time we have returned to the same town, stayed in the same place and eaten in a couple of the same restaurants, and we have been lucky that they were all as good as we remembered. Also, with the parks being open we’ve had plenty to see that is new.
Off Travelling Together 