Moab Part One – Canyonlands National Park

We had heard much about Moab, UT, but nothing prepared us for the real thing. The views are stunning, the town has a Wild West charm to it, and, with two of the country’s most scenic National Parks minutes away, there is plenty to do. We checked into Archview RV Resort, just a short distance from the entrance to Arches National Park, ready to take it all in. We pulled Lucy into our campsite, complete with a great view, and surrounded by off-roaders, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts from all over the country.

After unhitching and getting Lucy settled, we drove into Moab to explore the town. We arrived in the late afternoon. Temperatures were comfortable, so we decided to stroll the sidewalks, then stop for dinner. The streets were busy, but not overly crowded…until we reached the Moab Brewery and it was if everyone had vacated the sidewalks and piled inside this place.

Knowing that crowds like this are a good sign, we decided to stay and sample the offerings. We thought we would have to eat standing up until Helen coaxed a young waitress into giving us the high sign as soon as a customer was ready to leave. She worked with us and, in less than five minutes we had great seats close to the bar. The food was good and the beer was cold—a great start to our four-night stay.

With so much to do, we asked folks in the restaurant for suggestions. As expected, both National Parks came highly recommended but, if we chose to do Arches, we should plan on starting early to avoid the long line of cars that usually formed at the entrance. Not ready for an early start just yet, we decided to visit Canyonlands first.

Helen did some map work and determined that we should take Highway 313 out of Moab and drive about 20 miles to the Island In the Sky Visitor Center.  From there, we would hike along a broad canyon rim to the Grand View Overlook with stops at several overlooks and landmarks along the way. From the moment we stepped on the trail, the views of the canyon floor, some one thousand feet below us, were breathtaking.

Mesa Arch, our first stop, is a fifty-foot span that sits about 1,200 feet above Buck Canyon. Looking through the Arch, we could get a look at the snow-capped LaSal Mountains in the distance.  The arch also provided an eye-opening view of White Rim country as shown in this picture. A second picture gives a better view of the scale, as well as evidence of the popularity of this landmark.

The trail continues along the rim and Helen and I stood spellbound by the incredible formations below us.  We passed arches, mesas, buttes, spires, and canyons. Each formation defied description so I’ll post a few pictures and hopefully readers get an idea of the amazing display.

 

 

In addition to the rock formations, we had wildflowers to admire also. Although Canyonlands usually receives only 10 inches of rain per year, there was enough this year to bring out a nice display of desert primrose to enhance the beauty of our canyon hike.  The pinion-juniper also added some color beneath several interesting formations.

 

Additional stops at Buck Canyon Overlook and Grand View Overlook were just as amazing. The pictures show remnants of old roads and trails carved into the canyon floor during the days when Native Americans, cowboys, and uranium prospectors passed through before Canyonlands became a National Park in 1964. A close look at one picture from Buck Canyon, the Colorado River is visible in the far-off distance.

Grand View Overlook, the farthest point of our hike and pictured at the top of the paged, proved to be the most spectacular. A vast canyon stretched for miles and miles into the distance and the rock formations rose from the desert looking much like red totem poles.

This over-the-top experience was incredibly fascinating and truly unforgettable. I hope you enjoy the pictures because I can’t add much more in words…Goodbye for now—we’ll be Easin’ Along.