Back to ARCHES NATIONAL PARK

One additional quick tour of Moab and Arches National Park. This place is crowded despite the heat. If the kids weren't so young, I would love to get off the beaten path to thin the crowd. Parking is limited in some of the more popular sections - an absolute at Delicate Arch. Going early in the morning and after dinner is a much better choice - both for temperature and crowd reasons.

CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK

Canyonlands National Park is just up the road from Arches National Park - both just north of downtown Moab, UT. (Deadhorse State Park is on the same access road as Canyonlands National Park).

Canyonlands has three entrances. We went in the main entrance due to limited time and could access most of the northern section of the park. The Maze and the Needles are accessible elsewhere and are more back-country and require some serious self preservation skills.

To say it was HOT here is to grab "understatement" by the throat. About half way into the park, the kids refused to leave the truck - it was like stepping into a furnace. Truly too hot to get excited about wandering too far for anything.

A couple of highlights are the Islands in the Sky Overlook (you barely have to get out of the car) and the Mesa Arch (probably a 1/4 mile hike but well worth it even with the heat). In the distance is "Washer Woman Arch" which looks like a woman washing clothes in a tub - front & center of one of these pictures.

THE HIKE TO DELICATE ARCH

We tried to leave early for the hike to Delicate Arch - Utah's icon. We didn't get going until close to 9am with the flat tire fiasco. When we started the hike, it was getting hot. The hike is probably 1.5 miles up hill to the arch. Mostly on "slick rock". The hike is considered moderately difficult, but it is made more difficult by the heat and anticipation (and that I had my 5 year old daughter on my shoulders the entire way). The last 100 yards is a narrow strip of slip rock with a steep cliff off to the left (see the picture here). By the time we returned, it was 104 degrees (F).

As I have said in some of my other blogs, the people you see doing these hikes are often in no condition to do anything beyond walking to their pantry and back. We passed one couple that averaged 270 lbs each, in long pants, long sleeves, and carrying a small dog in a dog carrier. They were just starting the hike around 1pm. I would bet a month's salary they never made it. Unbelievable!

EVENING IN ARCHES NATIONAL PARK

We made our way up RTE 24 north to I-70 east to 191 South. About 60 miles altogether. We arrived in time for dinner. After dinner, we discovered the first of two flat tires on the rental car - that was fun! (NOT!). After changing a tire, we went over to Arches National Park. The night was going to be a full moon. There is a full moon hike, but we really expected a long day tomorrow. Also, I would need to replace or repair the damaged tire. As we later discovered, it was unrepairable and had been previously repaired although it never should have been fixed.

GOBLIN VALLEY STATE PARK

We were leaving Capitol Reef and driving to Moab, UT to visit Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. En route, we were making a quick break to stretch our legs at Goblin Valley State Park. (http://www.utah.com/stateparks/goblin_valley.htm). This side trip is several miles of the main highway, but it was well worth it. I could have spent a lot of time at this park - otherworldly. I would absolutely recommend this side trip.

CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK

We returned and picked up the rest of the family for a trip to the rest of the park. I use the term loosely because unless you are willing to go "off road" it is basically a short ride along the road past the visitor center (which you then have to backtrack to get out).

There are a few places that are truly awesome for that off-road trip (if you so choose), but budget about 6 - 8 hours for the drive, fording a couple of rivers, etc. Temples of the Sun and Moon and a large gypsum hole are in the northern (off road) part of the park and worth visiting. Check with the Park Rangers at the Visitor Center before going off and make sure they (and others know your route and expected timeline).

Southern Capitol Reef National Park

I got up at 5:00 am before the sun for what I hoped would be a quick trip along the "burr trail". The Burr Trail is a mostly gravel road that runs through Capitol Reef NP. The scenery is spectacular and this part of the park is much less crowded as it is less accessible. I really wanted to view the "Waterpocket Fold" from the Strike Valley Overlook. Unfortunately, it was unaccessible due to a storm that had washed out the access road. It is visible in many online photo sites and quite a spectacular view.

The rental car we had through a top national brand ended up getting two flat tires, which when I tried to repair them was told that they had already been repaired but the original damage was so bad that they never should have been repaired. After traveling over 1000 miles on these tires, I was happy I would be getting home. If it had happened on the remote section of Capitol Reef, I would have been found a week later. I assume that the rental car company did the repair because most of their cars never leave the Vegas Strip. End result - they did not charge me for the rental car (a large SUV).