Capitol Reef National Park to Arches National Park
Woke up to a glorious panorama of the Grand Staircase. Ate some breakfast of yogurt and homemade granola, we are running on the crumbs of our tasty treats from home, packed with love by both our mommas. Hit the road, Capitol Reef bound. Wandered amongst a birch tree forest. Stopped by the visitor’s center for a little background on this “sleeping rainbow”. Capitol Reef was so named for the inability to pass through this area with its raged peaks, steep canyons, and crazy colorful landscape, the seamen coined it a “reef” for that reason. The drive through the park is parallel to the colorful rainbow laid in the cliffs’ sides, layers of red, orange, green, white and brown. From this scenic drive we decided to off road a bit down a side wash, Grand Wash. If a flash flood was to hit, which are common here, the water rushes down the washes in the area, so it is no good to be caught in a wash during a storm. We were traversing through a canyon, Robin was pretty excited to go on this adventure! At the end of the river bed we climbed the rocks around for good looks of the valley below, but quickly decided to leave as stormy dark clouds began to approach from the west. Wiping our foreheads with relief, we escaped the wash just in time as little drips of rain began to fall, but lasted only seconds before the clouds passed on, so much for flash floods. Admired petroglyphs on a rock face that are thousands of years old. Continued our drive through rock formations and out the other side of Capitol Reef, but it felt as if they drew the border line too early. We continued to pass sandstone creations that looked as if they belong on the moon. Once on the prairie we looked back in joy to see these mountainous shapes littering the horizon. The drive to Arches National Park was long and straight. Braked for a wild turkey to cross the road. Arrived in Moab as the sun laid a pink and purple blanket over the snowcapped La Sal mountain range. Joined the rowdy crowd at Moab Brewery (Moab’s only brewery… oh Utah) for burgers and beers. Drove along the river bank in search of a place to camp, ended the hunt at Big Bend in an overflow lot, it’s a crazy busy week in Moab preparing to host their annual car show, and here we are wanting to look at rocks 😉 Tucked Robin in with beautiful views of the red rocks surrounding us and the Colorado river flowing beside.
