In case you've never been there, Moab is like the epicenter of all the outdoor activities one can do in Utah. Once a sleepy little town, it is now a beehive of activity Spring through Fall, and may even be gaining in Winter visitation. With two extremely popular national parks, one dynamite state park, nearby mountains and virtually unlimited red rock wilderness, it is a mecca for hiking, biking, four-wheeling, horseback riding, rock climbing and, oh yeah, boating on the Colorado River. History buffs can enjoy exploring Native American ruins and rock art, or visiting the many sites where movies and commercials have been recorded. Several vineyards have opened in recent years to add to its appeal.
Arches National Park is one of the more popular attractions, with more than a million visitors each year. In fact, recent crowding led to implementation of a reservation system that times entry to avoid the traditional traffic jams at the gate. The park is a geologic wonder with more than 2000 arches, the densest group of natural arches in the world, and many other features such as fins, spires, petrified dunes, towers, etc. Many such features are easily accessible by road and short to moderate trails. At the same time, quite a few features are seldom seen due to difficult access via rough roads and/or long, strenuous hikes. On this particular visit, we concentrated on the more accessible formations.
Delicate Arch is perhaps the most famous feature in Arches and has long been the symbol appearing on the Utah license plate. A new good friend made the three mile hike with me and took the following photo, which I don't think he will mind sharing here. Remember this, Ed?
I loved Moab . . my fondest (and scariest) memory was taking a jeep right up to watch the sunset and then on the way back the driver turned off all the lights and we came back in pitch black . .
ReplyDeleteGreat 4WD roads around Moab. Thanks for your comment.
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