Category: Utah

Arches National Park

Good morning from Arches National Park. It is quite amazing how each park in southern Utah is distinctly different from the last, how land just miles apart can have such a different feel from one area to the next, mind boggling this world of ours. Arches is most popular for the arched rock formations found in the park, over 2000 and counting as they are taking shape every single day. Our first stop was a hike into Devil’s Garden where we admired Tunnel Arch (two arches connected by a tunnel) and Pine Arch (a picturesque window out into the rugged shrubscape). Further into the hike we stumbled upon Arches’ oldest and longest arch to date, Landscape Arch, it is 300 feet long and only 6 feet wide at its thinnest point, they do not know how much longer it will exist before erosion finishes it off. Back at the car we ate quesadillas and salsa for lunch before embarking on another hike to admire the Delicate Arch, it is so famous Utah uses it as their state symbol. By now the sun was in full blaze, and we begin our 3 mile hike up slabs of red slickstone. It was hot and sweaty, but turned out to be the right time to see this monument with exceptional lighting, little crowds, and a soft breeze welcoming us. What a gorgeous sight! Through this perfectly perched arch you can see the snowy La Sal mountains. After getting our pictures under the arch, seems like the popular thing to do, we headed back down but decided to head back for one more look and we are so glad we did. Before you take the last corner of the trail to the arch, a climb up the side of the cliff offers a perfect place to sit and enjoy the view from another arch in the stone. We climbed up into our window seat, not another soul around, and gazed out into the valley with mountains and arches, the best view of the Delicate arch in my book. The hike back down felt much quicker as a light breeze settled in to nudge us along. We hopped in the car and ventured back to the visitor’s center to get a permit to sleep out in the park under the stars. Loaded up our backpacks after dinner, and hiked through the Courthouse Wash to the designated zone for tents in the park. The ranger recommended hiking the wash to find a spot for two reasons, it is nicer on the surrounding wildlife to hike in an area regularly disturbed by water, and it is a lot easier to get back the next day with a natural trail guide. We found the perfect place tucked at the end of the river bed a few miles from anything, pitched our tent and enjoyed the stars before the full moon rose in all its glory like a spot light in the night sky.

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.

Bryce Canyon to Grand Staircase National Monument

Oh the joys of a hot shower after a chilly nights’s sleep! Once the sun made its appearance we warmed up pretty quick. Had some breakfast then headed into the national park. Bryce has been on the list largely because of other people’s recommendations. We had no idea what we would encounter, and perhaps that is what made it all the more magical! Below the rim a canyon of hoodoos surprise their audience but look as if they are the audience filling a grandstand. After we mustered up the ability to close our jaws that had dropped in awe, we set off down a squiggly trail that leads through the hoodoos. Ancient tradition believes that the hoodoos were actually people encased in stone, but would come alive one day and walk away. It was fun to imagine this and creatively try to identify faces amongst the tall red spires. It is amazingly quite in this amphitheater of stone, each sound is illuminated by its surroundings, bird calls, people chatting, airplanes overhead, each sound is distinct and very clear. We stopped by the queen’s garden to admire a rock that looks surprisingly like Queen Elizabeth. Then found the two natural bridges, arched into the stone. Continued to hike amongst these giants then into a canyon with Walter Wiggle-esc switch backs taking us to the top and a view of Thor’s Hammer with a landscape shot of the whole valley with surrounding mountains. We just could not get enough, we stopped by inspiration point on our way out of this magical place just to gaze a little longer at the ridiculousness of this natural beauty. From here we headed toward our third Utah National Park, Capitol Reef. But after a full day falling in love with hoodoos, the sun was beginning to descend. Traveling through Escalante and the Grand Staircase National Monument, for a second time in the same day we were blindingly stunned by the glory of this land. At the top of the climb we decided to pull onto a dirt road with dispersed camping sites. Pulled up five feet from the spectacular view of everything below, completely alone on top of a mountain with a view of a national monument! We couldn’t get over how lucky we felt! Popped out our chairs to watch the sun say farewell till tomorrow, cooked some dinner and talked by the fire before reading ourselves to sleep tucked toasty in our bed.

Zion to Bryce Canyon

Rise and shine, it’s a fabulous day in Zion! We got up early and made some breakfast, packed a lunch, and headed off to catch the shuttle that would take us to Angel’s Landing trail head. This hike has been on my bucket list for ages, we were beyond excited to embrace the day and all that Zion has to offer. The trail starts out crossing the Virgin River then wandering along its shore with views of the mountains that surround the valley. A bit further along we began to hike upwards with long lazy switch backs following a sandy path that turns to solid cement; along the way shrubs, cacti and wildflowers were smiling and happy to see us. Once at the top of this section, we entered into a wonderland of green leafy trees reaching up to the sun through the thin crack between the canyon rock faces, it was straight out of Land Before Time. The trail through this red canyon flattens out allowing you to gaze up at the staggering rock faces, the trees hanging off the side of the cliffs, and to listen to the bird calls echoing off the walls. Around the corner from the canyon you begin to climb again but this time it is practically straight up a path coined Walter’s Wiggles, a 24 level sharp switch back zipper. The wiggles were definitely a highlight, built of brick rocks back in the thirties. At the top there is a resting place called Scout’s Lookout, providing a beautifully clear view of the valley and steep drop offs below. But this is just getting started. Across the rock face the trail leads along a knifes edge before summiting to Angel’s Landing, which earned its name because it was believed only angles could land on such a place. We hiked along the trail that became rocks/boulders for stairs and a chain bolted into the ground and on the cliff’s face for a hand hold. Along the knifes edge there are shear cliffs on either side of a rock trail about three feet wide. Scrambling along the rocks and side of the cliff was exhilarating but the anticipation of the viewpoint ahead was beyond words. As we pulled ourselves up the last stretch of rocks and chain we walked out across the landing, jaws dropped and socks knocked off. This peak jets out between the rest with a stunning 360 view of Zion Valley. At the edge of the peak, the valley in full view, we reclined along the sun warmed rock and ate some lunch. I have never felt a place so full of light and clarity. Hiking back down proved just as much a task as climbing up, but it was just as fun! We were on pure adrenaline after that, joyous with the knowledge and memories of this mystical place. Left Zion on the same beautiful red highway we came. Wound our way to a campground in Bryce Canyon. Prepared dinner but when I turned the burner on, no propane. Panicked for a bit as reality set in, cold cereal for dinner! Until Mitch remembered he brought his hiking camp stove! He always has a back up plan. Mitch built a fire to eat next to since the low for the night would be 20 degrees. One of our neighbor campers joined us for a moment, it was she and her husband’s last night camping and they still had a few groceries they wouldn’t need anymore, pork chops, green beans, and tomatoes, she offered them to us. Gladly we accepted and in the conversation that followed we discovered her husband is a popular black and white film photographer down in Florida, he is famous for his photos of the swamps because he gets waist deep in them to get the perfect shot! Here is the link to his website, www.clydebutcher.com, pretty cool, check it out. After we parted ways, Mitch got creative about how to keep the van warm without propane. Usually, the fridge runs on it and pumps out the heat to keep it cool and us warm, but tonight with record lows for this trip, no such luck. Hot rocks! That was the solution. I watched as Mitch heated stones in the camp fire, chopsticked them out of the fire and onto a metal plate, with makeshift oven-mitts he carried a plate full of hot rocks into the van. You may be skeptical, but it actually worked pretty good! We slept in our winter wear and puffy jackets that night, only to wake in the morning to discover, I had forgotten to open the main propane valve the night before, we had propane the whole time!!

Grand Canyon to Zion

We set our alarm this morning to wake up before the sun. Shuttled back out to Yaki Point and “our rock spot” just in time to admire the sun painting the canyon walls with every shade of red and orange. Cuddled up together we just sat and sat and sat, on the edge of the world gazing out into eternity. A couple hours later we stretched our legs back to the shuttle that took us a few miles west toward other lookouts and views of the tiny thread of a Colorado River, that just happens to be 300 feet across! Back at the van we wandered north in the direction of Zion but stopped by the Watchtower to see one last view of the canyon. The interior of the tower is painted in authentic Hopi designs. Back on the road we stopped at the Utah border so Mitch could get some “moonshine” and I bought an awesome trivet made of tumbled rust red and white swirled sandstone from a stand on the side of the hwy. Entering Zion National Park via the red Mount Carmel Highway, through tunnels and amongst multi colored giants, was and forever will be etched into my mind. We claimed the last site in the campground, snuggled in for a good night’s rest before the world of Zion showed itself in the morning.