We had a brief stay in Glenwood Springs Colorado before driving to Utah. We stayed at the Glenwood Springs West KOA. We just had three nights (two days) which were taken up with grocery shopping and laundry.
We arrived at Moab Utah on 2 October 2024 and stayed at Portal RV Resort in Moab for four nights. Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park were all near our campground so we saw all those while in Moab. Arches NP requires a vehicle pass from 7am-4pm and the passes are available at 7pm the night before you need the pass. Well we watched online and were ready to get our pass but by 7:04pm the only timeslot left was between 3-4pm. We opted to get up early and go in before the 7am timed entries begin.
We woke up at 5am and were in Arches National Park by 6am. It was still very dark at that hour, so we didn't see much till the sunrise we were headed to. The temperature was 49! We drove out to "The Windows" for sunrise on 3 October 2024. We were there with about a hundred other tourists, but it was well worth getting up at 5am! We watched the sunrise and then walked around the area to see the other arches. After sunrise, the tourists scattered, so we didn't feel as crowded as we walked around. The sunrise was beautiful and the early morning sun made all the rock formations awesome.
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
(Picture taken on our way out of the park)
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Sunrise at The Windows
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Sunrise at The Windows
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Sunrise at The Windows - Turret Arch
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
On our way up to Sunrise at The North Window
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Sunrise at The North Window
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Sunrise at The North Window
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Sunrise at The North Window
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Sunrise at The North Window
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Sunrise at The North Window
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Sunrise at The North Window
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
The Windows trail map
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The North Window
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows (Turret Arch in background)
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows - Turret Arch
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows - Turret Arch
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise - The South Window
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows - North Window
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows - North Window
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Walking around after Sunrise at The Windows
Bright spot is sun concentration through the arch (North Window)
We left The Windows and drove out to Devil's Garden Trail to do the hike to Landscape Arch. A gentleman walking around after sunrise had told us the views are awesome. We enjoyed the maintained portion of the trail, but opted not to go on the primitive part, which we'd been told is treacherous.
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Devil's Garden Trail
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Devil's Garden Trail - Tunnel Arch
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Devil's Garden Trail - Pine Tree Arch
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Devil's Garden Trail - Pine Tree Arch
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Devil's Garden Trail - Partition Arch
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Devil's Garden Trail - Tunnel Arch
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Landscape Arch Trail
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Landscape Arch Trail
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Landscape Arch
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Landscape Arch
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Landscape Arch
After the Devil's Garden, we drove to Wolfe Ranch, Delicate Arch (on Utah license plate) and the Petroglyph Panel, which we'd driven by on the way to and from The Windows. We did a short hike there and saw what's left of the ranch, delicate arch from a distance and the petroglyphs.
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Delicate Arch (Enroute to Wolfe Ranch)
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Delicate Arch
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Delicate Arch
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Delicate Arch Trail Map
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Wolfe Ranch
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Wolfe Ranch Home
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Wolfe Ranch Root Cellar
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Wolfe Ranch Corral
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
behind Wolfe Ranch
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Petroglyph Panel
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Petroglyph Panel
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Petroglyph Panel
Next we went to see the Balanced Rock. That was another short hike which brought our summed distance walked for the day to 5 miles. We were ready to remove our hiking gear and just drive to see the rest of the sites.
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Balanced Rock Trail
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Balanced Rock Trail
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Balanced Rock Trail
The background is hazy from wildfires in Idaho and Utah
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Balanced Rock
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Balanced Rock
After we left Balanced Rock, we drove to the Visitor Center and then had our lunch just outside the park alongside the Colorado River. We had driven into the park so early it was dark and we didn't see the beauty, so we got pictures on our way out of Arches National Park.
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive near entrance of Arches NP
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive near entrance of Arches NP
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive near entrance of Arches NP
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive near entrance inside Arches National Park
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive through the park
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive through the park
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive through the park
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive through the park
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive through the park
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive through the park
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive through the park - The Three Gossips
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive through the park
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive through the park
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive through the park
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Visitor Center
Arches National Park Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive through the park
As I'm writing and seeing this picture of the road, I am reminded of our talking about how Arches National Park's roads are so nice. Their trails are well maintained with good signage too. We were blessed with beautiful sunshine and temperatures up to 90.
Lunch spot on Colorado River in Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Lunch spot on Colorado River in Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Lunch spot on Colorado River in Moab Utah 3 October 2024
Our drive on Scenic Byway Rt.128 Red Cliffs
Our drive on Scenic Byway 128 along Colorado River
Our drive on Scenic Byway Rt.128 Red Cliffs
On Friday 4 October, we got an early start again to beat the heat for our hikes. We got up at 6am and were on our first trail around 9:15am. This day's hikes and site seeing were in Canyonlands National Park's Island In The Sky portion, which is about 30 miles from Moab. We did the Grand View Point Overlook trail first and it was spectacular. We drove north going back up to the Mesa Arch trail next. We stopped along the way to check out scenic overlooks and we were simply awed by the deep canyons and recesses in the rocks. We had all of our hiking (5 miles) done before lunch again, so we shed the hiking gear for the afternoon.
On our drive to Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
We felt like God was saying "Good Morning"
On our drive to Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Sunrise looking westward
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Shafer Canyon Overlook Morris Udall then Governor of Utah
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Shafer Canyon Overlook
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Shafer Canyon Overlook
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Grand View Point Overlook Trail
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Grand View Point Overlook Trail
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Grand View Point Overlook Trail
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Grand View Point Overlook Trail
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Grand View Point Overlook Trail
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Buck Canyon Overlook
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Buck Canyon Overlook
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Buck Canyon Overlook (other third of sign above)
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Buck Canyon Overlook La Sal Mountains in background
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Buck Canyon Overlook
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Lizard we saw at one of our stops
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Mesa Arch Trail
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Mesa Arch Trail
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Mesa Arch Trail
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Mesa Arch Trail
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Mesa Arch Trail - Plant growing out of the rock
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Mesa Arch Trail
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Candlesticks
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Candlesticks
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Whale Rock
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Whale Rock
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Aztec Butte
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Aztec Butte
Canyonlands National Park 4 October 2024
Again, we stopped at the Visitor Center on our way out because they weren't open on our way in...
After lunch on Friday 4 October, we headed to Dead Horse Point State Park. Anita had never heard of this park nor of the legend about it. According to the brochure at the Visitor's Center, the legend goes like this: "...the point was once used as a corral for wild mustangs roaming the mesa. Cowboys rounded up these horses and herded them across the narrow neck of the land on to the point. The neck, which is only 30 yards wide, was then fenced off with branches and brush, creating a natural corral surrounded by precipitous cliffs. The cowboys then chose the horses they wanted and for reasons unknown, left the other horses corralled on the waterless point, where they died of thirst within view of the Colorado river 2,000 feet below".
Other variations of the legend Anita found online say the horses smelled the water and jumped to their death.
We were done hiking for the day by the time we reached Dead Horse, so we opted to just walk around the .25 mile Nature Trail outside the Visitor Center. It was afternoon by then and very hot, so after that little walk, we called it a day. We hung out at our camper the rest of the afternoon and went out to dinner that night in Moab.
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Visitor Center
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Visitor Center
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Dead Horse Point Potash evaporation ponds in background
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Dead Horse Point
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Colorado River
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Potash Evaporation Ponds
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Nature Trail at Visitor Center
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Nature Trail at Visitor Center
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Nature Trail at Visitor Center
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Nature Trail at Visitor Center
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Nature Trail at Visitor Center
Dead Horse Point State Park - Moab Utah 4 October 2024
Nature Trail at Visitor Center
After two days in a row of early rising, we decided to stay around the campsite for the day on Saturday 5 October. We took a walk around the campground before it got too hot that morning. Steve sat outside and read his book in the shade while Anita was inside making phone calls and working on the blog. Later in the afternoon, Steve went to the hot tub and Anita read before mass at 5pm at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Moab.
We took so many pictures in two days that we're posting before we leave Utah. We'll be heading to Bluff Utah tomorrow for a week. From there we'll explore more of Canyonlands National Park. We've only seen the Island in the Sky portion from Moab. There are two other sections called The Maze and The Needles in Canyonlands NP. We'll at least try to get The Needles from Bluff. We've heard The Maze portion is mostly gravel roads. I'm sure we'll find lots more to see from Bluff. Utah is just beauty anywhere you look!
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