USA Road Trip Day 11 Moab,UT > Arches National Park

Yesterday the temperature hit the mid 90’s in Moab and the forecast is for 100……so we finish breakfast quickly load up on water and Gatorade and we are off (oh yeah sunny and blue sky). Arches National Park lies north of Moab about a 10 minute drive from our lodgings. Bordered by the Colorado River in the southeast, it’s known as the site of more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches, such as the massive, red-hued Delicate Arch in the east, which is our first objective for the day……as the road climbs from the valley floor the views smack us in the face…..the scale here is huge !!!

The trail to see Delicate Arch up close and personal is 3 miles (4.8 km) roundtrip and climbs 480 feet (146m). Even though we got there by 8:00 the parking lot was full but we managed to squeeze the car in anyways. Gear-up, sunscreen on and very soon we pass the Wolfe Ranch cabin:

….which is beside the last water we will see..

from here it is a steady uphill trail but without the steep switchbacks we experienced in Zion…

soon there are neat rock formations on all sides …

…we come across a group of Hutterites silhouetted against the sky, on one of the rock formations, very cool….

and then, voila the Delicate Arch …it would be great to be alone to take this in, but alas, not today (nor tomorrow)….it is a steady stream of people who want to see this iconic site:

…seeing some people on a ridge across from the arch….

……we decide to go x-country to see what we can see……amazing, in a few minutes we have left the madding crowd behind and feel like we are part of this desert environment…

…..soon we are now looking at the Arch from the ridge with a canyon separating us from the Delicate Arch…

….and then, the money shot:

… and the happy couple, yes us!!!!

…well it is time to head back although reluctantly…hiking here is just fantastic..

Moosie was having fun and decided to ham it up with the friendly cairns:

We are not through, back in the car for more fun, and, along the way > a view of the Balanced Rock..

…then we are at the Sand Arch Trailhead….although only a short walk from the parking lot, this sandstone formation with a shaded, ground-level arch is accessible via a cleft in the rocks onto a beach like trail of red sand…..a family friendly area with kids revelling in the sand as if they were at the beach…

After a sandwich and a bottle of Gatorade…… we drive to one more trailhead to hike the Windows Loop and Turret Arch Trail. It is a short 1.2 mile trail but packs a lot of sights…..there are 2 choices and we pick the “primitive” trail…….we find ourselves sharing the trail with one or two small groups…a lovely walk:

 
…the first arch reveals itself….

and then a few minutes walk further, bang > the second:

Well we are done …….this is a fantastic park and there is tons to explore, it would be great to return. Back to the Neighbourhood Suites (one of the owner couples wife is French and an x-ski patroller from Val d’Isere) > she acted as interior designer for the remodelling of this motel …the French do have some class) in any event Mexican fare is the order of the day. In town it is HOT…yes those are misters for those opting for dinner on the patio:

we opt to eat inside….good eats:

after dinner walk around town a bit……

but soon realize the day has taken its toll !!!