A few weeks ago, when we were still getting regular snow and going outside required a scarf and coat–yes, this is called “spring” here–I headed south for some much needed sunshine and relaxation. I have been to Arches National Park in Moab several times before, including a stint last year that involved a frigid white-water rafting trip. This time around I went rafting again as well, it wasn’t nearly so cold nor nearly so intense…and there is no photographic evidence. So, this post isn’t gonna be about that.
When I was a kid my family went camping in The Devil’s Garden area of Arches every year for Easter. I remember hiking around the various arches on the Devil’s Garden trail, but I hadn’t been there for about a hundred years (ok, maybe only 15).
We arrived an hour or two before sunset, when the light is all golden and turned the red rock columns into pillars of fire.
Looking into a valley of finger-canyons and ridge after ridge of smooth red sandstone. There is not a bad view anywhere in the park.
The hike to Double-O Arch goes right past Landscape Arch, which is the thinnest, longest arch in the park. I am always a little worried that it will crack into pieces and crash to the ground.
It’s amazing, isn’t it? The trail goes underneath the smaller arch at the bottom and then you can hike up the back and walk out over the top of the big arch (see that tiny person up there?).
A view through the Big-O of Double-O Arch.
This is part of the group that hiked up to the top, which included a pretty skinny rock bridge, some scrambling, and then cramming more people than any safety board would approve on top of that rocky tower. So, a guy who went down to Moab with us, Peter Chen, is a bonafide stock photographer, and he snapped some gorgeous shots, including this one. If you see that in a magazine, advertisement or newsletter somewhere remember that you saw it here first, okay? And then email me so I can see myself famous somewhere, okay? Okay, I’m glad we’ve had this discussion.
A happy girl: sunshine, red rock formations, and a weekend of adventure and good friends.
Looking into the Devil’s Garden.
The La Sal mountains were named by the first Spanish explorers who came to the Moab area. The Spanish arrived in the middle of a blazing hot summer and could not believe that with weeks of 100-degree temperatures those peaks could still be capped in snow, so they assumed the mountains were made of salt and named them La Sal, the salt mountains.
These are some of my favorite people, and I love that we are all laughing at ourselves and our own silly antics.
No, I don’t know all of those people, but I know a lot of them. Can you imagine camping with 100 people for the weekend? It was pretty awesome.
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Seriously, I want to go to SoUtah now. I haven’t been in ages! So so pretty, love the first Peter Chen pic!
Comment by pinksuedeshoe 2011 June 6 @ 9:41 amI love, love love LOVE Arches! That is the hike Kendell and I took 18 months ago and I still think about it. So gorgeous! Although…I didn’t climb to the top of the double O.
Just curious…which way did you go back? We took the more primitive trail on the way back and it was also amazing, but in a different way. Fewer arches but also fewer people. I loved that part, too. Glad you got away and had a great time!
Comment by Amy So 2011 June 6 @ 10:11 amBeautiful! Makes me miss So-UT somethin’ fierce.
Comment by Sra 2011 June 6 @ 7:13 pmOooh love seeing these pictures, especially since we didn’t have the time (or weather) to also do Double and Big-O. Love that shot by Peter of everyone on top of the cliff–so cool!
Comment by Camels & Chocolate 2011 June 9 @ 12:11 pmGORGEOUS photos!! Arches is one of my favorites! Very jealous you were there. Love it!!!
Comment by Vanessa 2011 June 15 @ 5:54 pm