Moab, UT

After putting in a full work week over Thanksgiving, my holiday break came the following week; naturally, a four-day break quickly transformed into a road trip. Utah is home to a whopping five national parks, two of which are located outside Moab. An easy 5.5 hour drive makes Moab a popular destination from Denver.

11/26-11/29

Red and I set off Sunday morning heading westbound on I-70. I recalled the dramatic change in landscape from my fall Colorado road trip; mountains collapsing into desert mesas. The forecast predicted mostly sunny skies ahead with mild temperatures in the 50s-60s.

I arrived at Dead Horse Point State Park around 2pm. This state park sits at 5,900', high above a gooseneck in the Colorado River. Immense vertical cliffs meet with canyons carved by ice, water, and wind. Native plants and animals have adapted to a land of scarce water and extreme temperatures.

Seven miles of hiking trails navigate the rim rock and desert plateau landscape, connecting eight overlooks. All trails are relatively easy, traversing the mesa top with minimal elevation change. Leaving from the Visitor Center, I connected the East and West Rim Trails to form a 4-mile loop.

Dead Horse Point is a peninsula of rock atop sheer sandstone cliffs that is connected to the mesa by a narrow strip of land called "the neck." According to legend, Dead Horse Point was used as a corral for wild mustangs. After rounding up the horses, cowboys would chose the horses they wanted and let the rest go free. One time, however, the horses were left corralled on the point where they died of thirst within view of the Colorado River below.

The view from Dead Horse Point is one of the most photographed scenic vistas in the world--especially at sunset.





Using my dad's hefty employee discount, I lodged at the Marriott's Fairfield Inn & Suites, conveniently located across from Arches National Park and five minutes from downtown Moab.

Monday was spent at Arches National Park. As you might have guessed, Arches contains the world's largest concentration of natural sandstone arches--over 2,000 arches are located within the park. A paved scenic drive takes visitors to most of the major viewpoints. Short trails provide opportunities to explore the arches and rock formations up close. It’s an easy park to navigate, making it great for a day visit.

I followed the scenic drive to the main viewpoints/short walks, including Park Avenue, Balanced Rock, the Windows Section, Fiery Furnace, and Landscape Arch.

Winter can be a tricky time of year to visit in terms of weather, but crowds are thin and you’ll find a lot more solitude. Plus the snowy peaks of La Sal Mountains create a terrific contrast with the red sandstone. The clouds and lighting that day made especially unique photo ops.

The iconic Delicate Arch is the state symbol, appearing on Utah license plates. Almost 500' above the valley below, Delicate Arch is hidden in a bowl at the top of one of the park’s famous sandstone fins. The arch is freestanding and magnificently alone in the natural sandstone bowl, standing out against the multitude of horizontal planes around it. The three-mile hike is common to do at sunset for the lighting/shadow features.

I visited Canyonlands National Park on Tuesday. Unlike the manageable size of Arches, Canyonlands is Utah's largest national park. It is cut into three districts by the Green and Colorado rivers; Island in the Sky in the north, The Needles in the southeast, and The Maze in the west (the most remote and challenging).

Most start with Island in the Sky, the district closest to Moab. It sits atop a massive 1500' mesa. 20 miles of paved roads lead to panoramic views that encompass thousands of square miles of canyon country. The 100-mile White Rim Road is popular among 4WD vehicles, motorcyclists, and mountain bikers.

My first stop was Upheaval Dome. A steep but short trail leads to an overlook of a three-mile wide rock formation that has several geological theories of origin.



Next was Aztec Butte, where a steep climb offers views of Taylor Canyon. Despite a pair of trail runners that passed me, the final scramble was a no-go for my grandma knees.

The Green River Overlook is a pull-out stop with a spectacular view, especially at sunset.

An easy two-mile walk at Grand View Point winds along the canyon edge to the end of Island in the Sky mesa. I developed a healthy fear of heights along this trail, but the panoramic views were unbeatable.









My final stop was a short hike to Mesa Arch. This famous structure sits on the edge of a 500' cliff,  framing views of rugged white rim country and La Sal Mountains. Some of the best photos are taken at sunrise.

I spent Tuesday afternoon in downtown Moab. The little hippie town is largely seasonal, as many of the stores had already closed up for winter. The natural grocery store, Moonflower Community Cooperative, quickly became my go-to spot during my stay. I also paid a visit to the Moab Brewery.

My spontaneous road trip to Moab was the perfect last-minute get-away. I feel fortunate that it was relatively low maintenance in terms of planning and cost. Now, of course, I am anxious to explore more of Utah--especially the other three national parks. Until the next adventure!