We made it to Utah! Utah contains some of the most famous National Parks, known as the Mighty Five (Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce and Zion). The awe-inspiring landscape of southern Utah offers a glimpse into the geology of the region ranging from famous stone arches to beautiful canyons to towering hoodoos. We experienced 3 of the 5 and are anxious to explore the next two in the coming weeks.
We began our travels through Utah in Moab which is considered by some as the gateway to the American Southwest. As we got closer to Moab, it was amazing to watch the landscape change. We began passing desert cliffs, sandstone mountains, canyons and creeks. We found ourselves immersed in red rock! Our campground, located in the heart of Moab, was surrounded by towering red rock walls.
My parents took a bus tour to these parks several years ago. My mom has raved about the red rock of Utah ever since. Her pictures were beautiful but I wasn’t completely sold. However, it wasn’t until we experienced the red rock formations for ourselves that I understood why she loves the red rock so much! Once again, you were right Mom! 😉
We spent a week in Moab which afforded us some much needed down days. We also took advantage of beautiful scenic drives and gorgeous hikes. Moab is home to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, 2 of the mighty five national parks in Utah.
Arches National Park, one of the most visited parks, is known for its namesake arches and stunning red rock landscape. The park contains over 2,000 arches, some tiny to the biggest, landscape arch with a span of 306 feet.
We really enjoyed taking advantage of the hikes in Arches. Many nights, we packed dinner, eating sandwiches beneath towering arches and finishing the evening with a hike under the beautiful star filled night sky.
Here are a few of the hikes we enjoyed:
•Delicate Arch- one of the most famous arches in the park which is also the largest free standing arch.
•Park Avenue featuring towering red rock walls and a canyon
• Balanced Rock -a 3,600 ton boulder balancing on a pedestal shaped rock
•The Windows Section-this was our favorite part of the park with a variety of arches including double arch which was just amazing!
We spent just one day in Canyonlands but made it a full day. The park is divided into 4 districts, but most of the park is only accessible by primitive roads which were not necessarily designed for minivans! So, we stuck to the main area of the park, Island in the Sky. Canyonlands is filled with countless canyons and amazing buttes carved by the Colorado and Green rivers. Although different in landscape from Death Valley, it had a similar feel, like stepping onto a different planet. It was truly amazing!
We hiked to the famous Mesa Arch which is a spectacular stone arch on the edge of a cliff with vast views of canyons and rock towers. I said no less than 100 times, “Grant and Miles, not so close to the edge!” We found a secluded little spot to eat lunch as we enjoyed the amazing views!
We also enjoyed the 2 mile White Rim Overlook hike with unbelievable views of monument basin. We felt like we were on top of the world being able to see for miles and miles in every direction!
On Sunday, we packed up the camper and headed west to a campground near Capitol Reef National Park, #3 of the mighty 5! Contrary to what I had envisioned when I heard Capitol Reef, we did not need scuba suits for this visit! Capitol Reef got its name from the sandstone dome formations that resemble domes that are often placed on Capitol buildings.
The Waterpocket Fold is the major geological feature in the park. It is a buckle in the earth’s surface. It is the largest exposed monocline in North America. The fold forms a north to south barrier that has barely been breached by roads. Early settlers to the area (many with nautical backgrounds) referred to these impassable ridges as a reef since it was a barrier to transportation, giving the park the second part of its name.
Capitol Reef is a little different than the other parks. Nestled among the soaring red rock canyons is the Fruita District, famous for its orchards and cultural sites. The National Park Service maintains 3000 cherry, apricot, peach, pear and apple trees planted by early Mormon settlers in the 1880s. Unfortunately all of the orchards were closed for the season, but we were able to enjoy pies made with orchard fruit and homemade ice cream from the historical homestead. What a deliciously refreshing treat between hikes!
We did several hikes while in Capitol Reef but our 2 favorites were:
•Grand Wash-a temporary riverbed trail that takes you through canyon walls and into a slot canyon called The Narrows. Although the hike was 5 miles, it was a relatively easy flat trail.
•Hickman Bridge-a not-so flat hike up to a beautiful natural bridge formed by running water. This hike was a little more strenuous, but the views were amazing!
Ken and the older boys finished out our time in Capitol Reef by doing the scenic drive through the Waterfold Pocket. They said it was the most beautiful scenic drive we have ever done! The 6 hour drive took them over dirt roads, through several tight switchbacks, past Grand Staircase State Park, and past many scenic view turnouts. They came home with lots of excitement over the beauty of the drive!
Stay tuned for the final two mighty Utah parks: Bryce and Zion! We cannot wait!
It all looks so dreamy, especially the photos at night!