Arches and more
Moab, Utah, is a small resort town that has its share of tourist attractions: small shops, restaurants, galleries, craft breweries and the like. Further, it is surrounded by stunning red rock landscapes that alone make this a desirable vacation destination. But the Arches and Canyonlands National Parks along with the cool waters of the Colorado River make it one of the most sought-after destinations in the American Southwest. The town bustles for those wanting to experience the outdoors. The main street is lined with guide services, outfitters, jeep, ATV, raft and bike rental shops. The town just buzzes with activity and it is contagious, it’s almost impossible to relax here when there is so much to see and do.
Arches National Park
Of all the National Parks I visit in Utah, Arches is my favorite. The park is compact enough that there is a lot to see in a short time but also spread out enough to support long hikes when I so chose. I enjoy the 1-3 mile hikes that have something as a destination. Arches Park provides just that.
The hikes are a bit hairy at times, requiring scrambling over rocks and traversing narrow ledges (fins) at dizzying heights. In this litigious era, I’m surprised you can be so free from guard rails and warnings. I gladly accept the responsibility for my own safety in exchange for the unspoiled views the park offers.
Though an arch is just the end result of water, ice and underground movements of ancient salt beds, each arch has its own unique personality and becomes easily recognizable from the next one. There are over 2,000 arches in the park and I only see a small fraction of that but never tire of seeing a new one.
Canyonlands National Park
The vastness of Canyonlands National Park is immense, similar to a smaller Grand Canyon. It is 527 square miles in size and consists of three distinct districts: Island in the Sky, Needles, and The Maze. The Islands in the Sky district is a mesa that rises 1000 feet above the terrain below it. It is the most visited district and offers a single road that dead-ends at Grand View Point outlook.
There is the notable Mesa Arch in Canyonlands. Mesa Arch is an attractive rock formation at the edge of a cliff through which you get great views of canyons and the La Sal Mountains. It’s an easy .5 mile hiking trail. This makes it extremely popular. I arrive in mid-afternoon and there are many aloof people standing in front of the arch. It takes about 15 minutes to get an unobstructed view of the glorious arch with striking blue mountains behind it.
Other viewing stops highlight huge canyons and the Green and Colorado rivers that created them.
I drive the Island in the Sky route and keep noticing a road below (White Rim road). To traverse the canyon from below can take up to 2 days. I wish I had time for that as it looks like a totally unique experience. However, logistically it’s just not possible this trip. To see more of Canyonlands, I opt for an aerial tour instead.
Birdseye View
I book a charter with Red Tail Adventures the 2-hour tour was $240. I bit pricey but well worth it.
The vast geologic diversity, which attracts scientists from around the world, can best be appreciated from a bird’s eye view. I received a more thorough overview of eons of geologic history on this flight than I might obtain in years of hiking. Gain access to the remote, restricted districts of Canyonlands and bypass the lines and crowds in Arches.
There is no better way to visit Arches, Canyonlands and Moab so comprehensively and comfortably. The pilot /guide was knowledgable friendly and accommodating. It is truly a memorable and awe-inspiring experience to see these great parks from the air.
Extra, Extra Read All About It!
Back On Ground, I find a bit of a surprise in the Needles district in Newspaper Rock. The aptly named sandstone wall is etched with petroglyphs dating back over 2,000 years.
The Navajo refer to it as “Tse’ Hane” or “Rock That Tells a Story. The 200-square foot Wingate sandstone panel is covered with more than 650 symbols evidencing nearly 2,000 years of human history. The human, animal, and abstract symbols etched into Newspaper Rock are mostly undeciphered, but are believed to represent the Basketmaker, Fremont, Ancestral Puebloan, Navajo, and even Anglo cultures that have occupied the area throughout the centuries. The images have been inscribed in the rocks desert varnish, a black manganese-iron deposit common on sandstone cliffs.
Man if only those walls could talk…Otherwise, we can only conjuncture as to the story they are trying to tell.
Arches and Canyonlands in 5 1/2 Minutes
Every morning for a week I was in one of the parks. Though I see much of what I wanted to see I can easily spend another week exploring these two parks not to mention the Dead Horse Point State Park that is nearby.
When not on the road, he helps others fulfill their yearning to travel as a Membership Specialist for Thousand Trails.
I loved Arches and canyonland but was ill prepared on one of the hikes and thought I’d die of thirst before I made it out. Beautiful rock formations! I also enjoyed Dead Horse even though the story behind it was so very sad. I bought the tee shirt with the upside down horse logog☹️
Thank you for sharing the video as it brought back such good memories.
I know what you mean. I too would head out before the heat of day and still find myself without water and parched. It’s a very dry climate, that I didn’t always prepare for properly.