Rambling

Days 61 & 62-July 29 & 30

Our first stop of the day is the visitor center at the entrance to Arches National Park. We pick up a map and make a battle plan for our day. Many of the amazing formations at Arches can be seen from the scenic drive through the park. That is great, but we also want to see some of the arches that require some pretty strenuous hiking to see. Unfortunately we have become spoiled by the cooler temperatures that we experienced prior to arriving in Utah. Getting a good look at Balanced Rock is no problem and we were definitely up for the hike out to Turret Arch, the Windows and Double Arch. By 2:30 we had also managed to see Sand Stone Arch, Broken Arch and Tapestry Arch, but the temperature was hovering around 100 degrees so we decided to call it a day.
After supper and a few competitive cribbage games (I am starting to win my fair share) we do something we have not done all summer. I set my phone alarm for 5:00 a.m. so that we could try to beat the heat while hiking to two arches that I don't want to miss.
The sunrise was beautiful as it came over the horizon shining through the eyes of the windows. Our first hike was the three miles to Delicate Arch. This hike crosses an area of steep rock with no shade so it was a must to do before the heat of the day. Seeing Delicate Arch as it stands alone on a bed of stone was well worth the hike. The trailhead to Delicate Arch leaves from the homestead of John Wesley Wolfe who settled in the area in the late 1800's. The home he built in 1906 when his family joined him is still standing. It was quite modern for its day because it boasted a wooden floor. I can not imagine trying to exist in the total isolation these people survived in.
My next quest was to see Landscape Arch. This hike is only about 1.6 miles with a short side trip to Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch. Landscape Arch is much larger than the others. It actually spans an area large enough to cover the length of a football field. Part of the arch fell off a few years ago so visitors can no longer walk under it. Time and the elements are taking their toll on this arch and someday it will no longer be here to enjoy.
After completing our mission for the morning we headed back to camp. Jess took his nap while I worked on the blog, then it was time for an afternoon trip to Canyonlands National Park. We expected this to be basically a drive through with a few picture taking stops. Not so. We hiked up to see an area called Upheaval Dome where there is a huge crater that geologists differ on their ideas of how it was formed. Some actually believe that a meteor may have been the cause. The canyon views here are nothing short of incredible. We were on a land formation called Island in the Sky. It is a mesa bordered on one side by the canyon formed by the Green River and on the other side by the canyon formed by the Colorado River. The vastness of the region is hard to grasp. It rained off and on while we were in the park and we were thrilled by the sight of a rainbow as it formed over the canyon wall.
Our time is running short so we will not be able to visit other sections of this awesome park.