We stayed at Portal RV Park in Moab and the Arches was just a 5 minute drive down the road. Wow….I really liked the Arches National Park. There is so much to see. We went on two different days and there were still many places to go. It was really “HOT” over 100 degrees  but we still hiked to Delicate Arch. It is considered a strenuous trail for a 3 mile hike…up hill….in the sun. We made it no problem. When you get to the top and you stand under the arch in the shade with the breeze blowing and you watch the clouds go by….I thought it was breathtaking and worth the hike. Even though there were numerous people there….it was still peaceful….to look around and think about the energy and force of nature to create the landscape.

Delicate Arch

Arches National Park

Driving in the park

Driving in the park

Delicate Arch

Delicate Arch

Delicate Arch

Delicate Arch

Delicate Arch

Delicate Arch

Our second day in the park we took easy hikes. We hiked to Skyline Arch  which was only .4 miles round trip and then to Broken Arch which was 1.3 roundtrip. Those hikes are considered easy trails. On the Broken Arch trail there was a bonus side trip to Tapestry Arch, which of course we took the trail. If you have Verizon, you have cell reception….as we were exploring Tapestry Arch, my phone rings…….I was shocked….so I thought it was kinda funny to be what seems so far away and yet so close. We continued on and made the loop to Broken Arch. It was a quiet trail, we only met a few on the trail. After we finished that trail we headed over to the Windows section of the park to do those hikes. It was so crowded there was no parking so photos of Turret Arch and the Windows are all from our truck. I look forward to returning and seeing more beautiful arches.

Skyline, Tapestry, Broken Arch – Windows Section

Skyline Arch

Skyline Arch

Tapestry Arch

I love cool looking trees – I think it is a Juniper Tree

Broken Arch

Broken Arch

Broken Arch

on the trail loop

All of the below photos where taken from the truck because there was no parking available to do the hikes…maybe next trip back.

Turret Arch

Double Arches

North Window

Double Arch and Cove of Caves

We where staying in Moab, Utah and decided to drive to Natural Bridges. It was 119 miles one way……it was worth the drive. We took the girls with us because we knew we would be gone to long to leave them home. Since we had the girls with us we couldn’t hike the trails to the bridges but we could see them from the overlook areas where dogs could go. They do have a beautiful primitive campground in the park. We stopped and had a nice snack in the campgrounds before leaving. While sitting there having a snack, I could image all the stars you would see if you camped there…..you never know…maybe on another trip There are three bridges in the park and it is just beautiful.

Natural Bridges

Natural Bridges National Monument

Sipapu Bridge

Horse Collar Ruin Overlook

Love the texture and color of these canyon walls. If you took the hiking trail you would find Puebloan ruins.

Kachina Bridge

This bridge is difficult to see in the photo…it is in the shadows, but is back behind the trees in the canyon.

The girls – We are trying to get them to sit…but people are coming up the trail

Owachomo Bridge

How Bridges and Arches differ – Natural bridges are formed by the erosive action of moving water. Arches are formed by frost action and seeping moisture, which also enlarge natural bridges once stream erosion forms them.

So on our way out of the park there is this house on a corner…you just have to love the slide from the second story deck…had to take a photo…

Unique way to get down from the second story.

Canyonlands National Park

We stopped at Canyonlands National Park on the way back to Moab. Canyonlands is divided into several sections and we visited “The Needles” area. Our next trip back to Moab, we will visit the “Island in the Sky” and hopefully “The Maze”. There is so much to see here. As you are traveling into the Canyonlands, you can stop and read the news at the Newspaper Rock Archaeological Site….it is really cool to see all the petroglyphs on the wall.

Newspaper Rock

Newspaper Rock

Newspaper Rock

Newspaper Rock

It is amazing to think how long the drawings have been on the wall….totally cool.

Canyonlands

The Needles

There are hiking trails and campgrounds in this park too….this was all in a single long drive day. The girls and Kelly were ready to get back to camp. I think we drove over 350 miles in one day. We saw a lot of magnificent rocks and canyons and valleys. I never grow tired of looking at the natural beauty that surrounds us.