Our next to last stop is in Moab, Utah to see Arches National Park and Canyonlands. Holy cow, it’s hot. Late August requires us to get on trail super early to avoid the 100 degree heat that rises by midday. We have 2 full days – one for Arches and one for Canyonlands.
Our campground was great – but who could imagine needing a hot tub (yes, the pool was definitely needed) in this heat. Have to say, it was nice once the evening began to cool the earth.
We heard/read that seeing Delicate Arch at sunrise was not to be missed, so we rose very early to reach the trail summit by 6:47AM. We had about a 35 minute drive to the trailhead and its rated as a “difficult” trail given the elevation gain; so took another 30 minutes (for Brian) and 40 minutes (for me) to get up the mile & a half to the Arch. Brian was determined NOT to MISS this, so I did not even try to keep up (5’5″ v. 6′ 1″ — my legs cannot measure up LOL). I arrived right at sunrise, thankful for the glow as she rose to light the trail along the way. It was quite spectacular.
Sun begins her ascent 
B ahead of me on the trail 
Delicate Arch 
Fellow trekkers 
Dab it 
Me, B & Delicate 
Look how tiny I am!
We then planned to do the Devil’s Garden Loop Trail with 7 arches – nearly a 9 mile trail. We did the Primitive Trail with some tough scrambles – and at the suggestion of hikers on the All Trails app, did counterclockwise which was great. At the end of the day, we hit our highest mileage on trail – over 14 miles for the day. We were exhausted to say the least. What spectacular scenery, just amazing.
Tunnel Arch 
Pine Tree Arch 
Landscape Arch 
Landscape Arch 
Private Arch 
Private Arch 
Private Arch 
Dark Angel 
Landscape view 
Navajo Arch 
Partition Arch 
Partition Arch 
Double O Arch
Day 2 we left not quite so early, but still…early to reach Mesa Arch in the Canyonlands. Brian & I agreed that other than Delicate Arch, this was the most beautiful arch we saw. And we were grateful we did not get there at sunrise as most people do as we heard a guide telling his group that there were 40 people there at sunrise that morning – it would have been tough jockeying for the perfect picture with 40 other people.
Canyonlands at sunrise 
Mesa Arch 
Under the Arch 
Fellow trekkers
We left from there to the Grand View Point Trail, a short trail at 2.2 miles. Our last stop there was to visit the Green River Overlook. We wondered if this was where Thelma & Louise drove off the cliff…we were close, it was Dead Horse State Park.
Grand View 
Grand View 
A small arch on Grand View Point 
Grand View 
Green River 
Green River
Then went over to see the last couple of arches we didn’t have the strength to see the previous day in Arches National Park, Windows and Turret Arch and Double Arch. And we stopped to see Balanced Rock too!
Turret Arch 
Windows Arch 
Windows 
Windows 
B under North Window Arch 
Perspective 
Photo Bomb! 
Double Arch 
Balanced Rock
That evening had a surprise in store for us when the lights went out in Moab, including our campground. It was magnificent in the pitch black with the sky full of stars! We could see the Milky Way galaxy and we saw 3 shooting stars. What a great way to cap off our Moab adventure.
Moab, home of the mountain biker 
Away we go…
Wanderlust In Silver 