Arches National Park...Part Two

 

(Click Here for part one) People come from all over the world to see the Arches in Arches NP.  If you want to see a good bunch of Arches, all within fairly easy walking distance, then go to the Windows area of the park.  There are five named arches: North Window, South Window, Turret Arch, and the two arches that make up Double Arch all in this concentrated area.  I have, in my lifetime, walked to at least four of them (where I actually stood under the arch), but when it is closing in on a hundred degrees, and as I close in on 70 years old, I saw no need to visit them that close again.

Tell me that this guy, standing guard along the road to the Windows area, doesn't look like it came out of a Sci-Fi movie...

 

Next is the most famous arch, Delicate Arch.  You can see it on many of the Utah license plates.  I walked the football field length to the lower observation area to get this shot.  There is an upper observation area, which is about 4 more football field lengths, and 100 feet in elevation...have been there before, and frankly, the view from the lower area is just about as good, perhaps better, due to the angle.

There is a way to walk all the way up to Delicate Arch.  It is a three mile round trip, considered moderate to strenuous, with about 500 feet in elevation.  This white line shows only a portion of the trail, and if you look close, you can see people on the trail...and yes, I have made this hike twice in my lifetime, and the third time I made it about 2/3rds of the way...but the heat (95+) and my body (can you say 'fat') would not make it the rest of the way.  Stephanie and Ryan (my youngest two) made it there along with their mother.  The first time was when I was in college...Michael (oldest) and Stephanie were toddlers...Ryan was not around yet.  It was probably late February or early March, there were only a handful along the trail.  When I got there, it was one of those moments when you say, "How did something this large end up way up here..."

There are over 2,000 documented arches in Arches NP, most of them so small you have a hard time calling them all an "Arch".  Above is Skyline Arch, on the northern side of the park near what they call the Devil's Garden area, pictured below.

        

Marcia has visited Arches about five times now...only getting out on her second visit to ride her GoGo along a couple of trails.  She LOVES the park because you can see so much right from the front seat of the vehicle...in this case, our Camper Van.  So "IF" you are less mobile, this is the park for you to visit.  And although the temps were in the 90's, high 90's around 4 pm, you can still enjoy the park from the comfort of your vehicle.  Be sure to bring lots of liquids (not speaking about alcohol which is not good for you in the heat), and bring some food since there are no concessions except, perhaps, at the visitor center at the entrance to the park.  However, Moab, which use to be this little town, is now a thriving city with lots of eateries, stores, and lots of fun things like a Zip Line, kayaks rentals, lots of guides who will show you around the National Parks by helicopter, horse or mules, and especially by 4 wheel drive vehicles.

Next up on the Blog, Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway U-128

 

Delicate Arch – Colorado River Canyon Drive

Two days ago the road to Delicate Arch View Point was flooded and closed….today there was no sign of water whatsoever. That’s how it is here in arid, parched Moab….when it does rain, it does not take long for it all to disappear.   So we went back into Arches to get a another view of one of the most impressive arches there is.

From the view point you are a good mile away, and this gives you an impression of what it looks like to the naked eye.

This is what it looks like through the lens of a camera with a 24X magnification.  Here you can see two people, one sitting on a rock, which gives you a comparison as to how large it truly is.

If you were to walk up to the Arch, you park in the Arch Trail parking lot, which is also the Wolf Ranch parking lot.  You walk a mile and a half, come into the Arch area from the other side of this mountain/rock on the far left.

Here is a close-up of the same picture showing some people walking along the path.  The person at the far left is sitting down.  As one who has been there a few times I must say that it is such an impressive awesome sight….words cannot explain the feeling you have when you first see it.

As we were leaving the park we caught a picture of this, the last arch you see as you exit….

….never said it was natural….(yes, Marcia married a “Smart A—“

   

Most people who come to Moab either enter from south or north on highway 191.  However, the most scenic route in is from the east along highway 128, which follows the Colorado River through a canyon right into Moab.  When we first visited Moab back in 2011 on the way home from Utah to Arkansas we entered on highway 191 from I-70, and returned to I-70 along highway 128.  It has been such a nice drive each time I have driven it, and Marcia was so blown away with her first, short visit to Arches that she did not remember this canyon drive….so we drove down it again about 10 miles to see it again.

There are many views of the river along the way, and adequate turnouts to see the views.

   

And a number of side canyons too.

I lost count as to the number of BLM camping spots along the way, some limited to 24’ or under, some with 40’ access.  But they all included a view, such as this unoccupied spot.  Yes, not far from the road, but the road is not that busy, especially at night.

I had never seen an outhouse without a roof on it, but there were a number of these.  Guess it is better than nothing.

We did see a group of Kayakers on the river having a good paddle. 

But mostly we saw very few people, a number of campers in the campgrounds closest to Moab, but a lot of this….wonder scenes.

Tomorrow’s road will take us out of Utah, and on to Colorado.  Our next stop is for a week, at Mesa Verde where I expect things to be a bit greener, less red, and just as magnificent.  Besides Mesa Verde National Park, which I don’t think I have ever been to, and if I have, I was only a toddler, I have some great day trips planned.   Telluride Loop Scenic Route, and a day to the Four Corners area. Other ideas are appreciated to help us fill up at least two more days…