2018 - Blog #5 - Red Rocks, Canyons, and Mesas

Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park - Island in the Sky

We finally reached our most western destination for this trip, Moab, Utah.   We choose Portal RV resort, on the northern edge of town, as our campsite for several reasons.  It was a nice campground for being out in the desert, it had water, electricity (a necessity for out here), and great showers. 

Drone photo of Portal RV Resort with Jerome & Joe in the foreground (flying the drone).  Our HiLo is the third camper from the left in the front row

  Restaurants, grocery stores, and gas stations were nearby.  It was close to Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Dead Horse State Park.   Also, the Moab Airport was only 14 miles away… a perfect  place to pick up our oldest son, Joe, who stayed with us for 4 days. 

Joe, Jerome, and Jean at Fiery Furnace - Arches National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turet Arch - look closely and you can see the people hiking up to the arch and people sitting along right side of the arch base (they are sitting at the edge of a sheer 200ft or more drop off!) - Arches National Park

Turet Arch - in this picture if you look closely you will notice the people up at the base of the arch on the left (middle of the picture) and Joe in the bottom right forefront - Arches National Park

 

  

The first day we spent hiking and exploring Arches National Park.   It features the greatest concentration of natural stone arches in the world.   Miles and miles of beautiful red sandstone formations and arches tower into the skyline with a backdrop of muted blue-greys of the La Sal Mountain Range in the distance,  making it an incredible sight to see. 

Delicate Arch - the most famous arch in Arches National Park - look closely and you can see the people standing under the arch and the people hiking to the arch (on the left)

Balanced Rock - Arches National Park

   It was VERY hot and dry so we had to dress accordingly and carry a lot of drinking water with us.   The line of cars to get into the park must have been a mile long but surprisingly, there was so much to see and so many different hikes that the crowds of people really didn’t interfere with our sightseeing as much as we thought it would.

Green River Overlook in Canyonlands National Park - Island in the Sky

The second day we spent our time hiking and exploring Canyonlands National Park – the Island in the Sky area.   We learned that there are actually 3 areas in Canyonlands, the other two are The Needles, and The Mesa.   We all think that we liked Canyonlands as much as, or maybe even better that we liked Arches.   Canyonlands National Park for the most part seemed like an upside-down version of Arches National Park.    For as far as your eye can see, it too has red- rocked formations, including the impressive Mesa Arch, but here there are also  towering mesas and  deep canyons.

Shafer Canyon and the "100-mile Road" - Canyonlands National Park - Island in the Sky

  The dirt “100 mile Road” snakes its way down hairpin turns along the steep walls of the Shafer Canyon then  along the ridges overlooking the Green and Colorado Rivers, which ribbon their way along the valley floor 2000 feet below the canyon rim.   To bike or take your vehicle on the road requires a special permit and it is said to drive it takes 1 – 2 days to complete the trip.    The vehicles on the “100 mile Road” below looked like ants from our view up on the canyon rim.

Panorama from Dead Horse Point Overlook

For our third and last day here we drove out to see Dead Horse Canyon State Park.  It was quite a bit smaller area to see but the scenery is no less impressive than what we experienced the previous two days.  By this last day we had to admit to our son that we just could not hike one more hike!   We left him at the visitor’s center with the agreement that he would hike the 2.5 miles along the canyon rim to Dead Horse Point Overlook by himself.  Jerome gave him one of our walkie-talkies and we took off in the truck to meet him later at the end of the trail.  It actually ended up being a good decision because as we were sightseeing at an overlook at the ½ way point, Joe called on the walkie-talkie to tell us that his camera battery was dead.   Luckily, he was very near-by, where the trail paralleled the road briefly, and we were able to give him a new battery to finish his hike.

Joe and Jerome at Dead Horse Point Overlook

By the end of our visit in Moab we were thoroughly exhausted but we all agreed that we had hiked, visited, and seen so many incredibly beautiful sights that it was a trip we would always remember and cherish.  It was bittersweet to hug Joe and send him off at the airport, then pack up our trailer and hit the road again. 

Prickly pear cactus in bloom - on hike to Mesa Arch in Canyonlands - Island in the Sky

 

Now we are heading back home but at a more leisurely pace than our trip out here.   We hope you are well and finding enjoyment in each and every day.   ‘Hopefully our adventures and misadventures are adding a bright spot to your day as well.     ‘Until later,     Jerome & Jean  (and Carly, too)