I was so tired last night! So this morning I’m writing from our cozy little cabin at Moab Valley RV Resort, as I munch on my left over pizza.
We got up early yesterday and drove straight to nearby Arches National Park to inquire about joining a guided hike through the Fiery Furnace section, but unfortunately the next available slots are on Sunday afternoon.
For some reason I didn’t sleep well last night, so after breakfast at Denny’s I take a quick nap before going back to the park.
Now where was this sign yesterday? We didn’t see any today and according to the park brochure sightings are very rare. I wonder if they are more prevalent in Capitol Reef or if we just got lucky?
I forget which one this is, maybe the Organ?
Adorable Sheep Rock
The famous Balanced Rock
North and South Windows, known together as the spectacles … kind of looks like there’s a nose too.
We did a loop to Turret Arch and then back over the primitive trail. Arches is pretty busy, so it was nice to hike in this quieter section.
A short hike to Double Arch.
You can never have too many bumper stickers.
Skyline of part of the Garden of Eden.
Random landscape pictures.
Viewpoint at Fiery Furnace. I’m so bummed we didn’t get to go hiking there!
The ranger had suggested the Devils Garden as a good substitute for hiking the Fiery Furnace, after seeing most of the major viewpoints on the way up we decided to spent some time exploring those trails.
It had gotten really cloudy by then; in the distance the clouds were almost black and it looked like it was snowing in the nearby La Sal Mountains. Here the sun broke through the clouds just as I took the picture.
Overview of the beginning of the trail.
The trail is easy all the way until Landscape Arch.
After that it’s a climb up the mountains, dodging and climbing boulders left and right, with of course a pretty steep drop off to the side.
Sandy thinks the better of it and waits down below while I climb to the top. I walk around for a few minutes then head back down.
You can clearly see the fins that make Devils Garden (and Fiery Furnace) such a fun place to explore.
We hurry back to the Delicate Arch trailhead so that we can watch the ‘sunset’ at the arch. We walk past old Wolfe Ranch first.
Then some well preserved petroglyphs of men on horseback, big horn sheep and what might be dogs.
Different layers. This is something we’ve seen a lot of everywhere we’ve gone on this trip.
Great views from the mountain.
The wind is really picking up, but we press on. We’ve made it to the slickrock area on top.
There it is!! But what a struggle to stand up and take a picture when the wind has so much force.
I make my way under the arch for a picture, but the wind is so strong Sandy can’t hold the camera to her face without blowing off the mountain so it’s a bit blurry. That deep pink dot is me though!
We’re worried about getting caught on the mountain in the dark so after taking a few quick pictures we scramble back down. The wind is absolutely insane at this point and it’s causing little sandstorms that make it almost impossible to see where to go.
When we get back to the parking lot we realize it’s only 7pm, not an hour later like we thought. So much for watching the ‘sunset’ (it was completely overcast anyway) from the top! We're both hungry and tired thoug, so it's okay. We head to Eddie McStiff's for dinner and then I go straight to bed.
Hotel: Moab Valley RV Resort
Breakfast: Denny's
Dinner: Eddie McStiff's
Breakfast: Denny's
Dinner: Eddie McStiff's
Hai,
I marvel at all the rock formations, like the Sheep and Balaced Rock.
I wonder if they were made by wind or water as well.
The Garden of Eden doesn't look like abundant or plentiful, but more depleted and barren.
Most striking on the hole trip is the colouring of the landscape, there is such a great variety in colours and the greenery is so different. I never saw landscapes like that before.
Wow, the rock formation at Devils Garden looks like a launch installation platform for interstellar space crafts!!!!!!!!!!!!
Picture of the day (esthetically): The one with the tree and the pile of stones in the foreground.
I wonder who made the petroglyphs? Indians? and how old they are.
Thank you for sharing your wonderfull trip with me.
xxxxx Joeve