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.
