Last August, we took a long road trip from San Bernardino, California to my hometown of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. One of the highlights along the way was Arches National Park outside of Moab, Utah. Come along for look at some of the natural wonders that bless Utah.
Just driving along highway 191 to enter the park, is some of the most gorgeous scenery I've had the pleasure of witnessing. In Southern California, we rarely see these blue skies and fluffy white clouds so I was very fascinated with the sky over Arches.
The first official sight is the Courthouse. I love how all the names are so descriptive. It adds a magical feel to the places.
The Three Gossips.
The Tower of Babel:
The Delicate Arch is the most famous landmark in all of Utah. It even graces the Utah state license plates. We drove to a viewpoint for our look at this wonder and then took a 1 mile hike to get closer. This is one of the most beautiful landmarks I have ever seen. Look at how small the people are in relation to the Arch.
Here's a wider view picture of Delicate Arch so that you can see how the surrounding structures are also very impressive and the desert terrian is strikingly beautiful:
After Delicate Arch, I was most impressed with The Windows. Windows are small arches that are created without the aid of rushing water - just a slow process of erosion. The Windows are awesome and make fascinating photographs because they provide a natural frame around some of the most beautiful sky and mountains on earth.
This Window will soon be an Arch:
The reason why the landscape is so strange is because the area lies on top of an underground salt bed called the "Paradox Formation". The salt was laid down over 300 million years ago when this area was a sea. The salt is unstable and it presses the top layer of sandstone into strange shapes as it shifts. In addition, there is a giant fault running under the park called the Moab Fault. These mountains were also created by the Moab Fault.
The winds picked up and an afternoon storm loomed threateningly. We had to hurry to get see the last geological formation, Park Avenue.
It's a shame that Arches National Park is one of the least visited in the Utah National Park system. It's not far off of Interstate 70 and it is only a short drive to Canyonlands National Park. I highly recommend that next time you are driving through this amazing part of the Western U.S., to take a day-long detour and see both of these parks.
rate
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 116
Thank you, Heidi! I finally got organized after having taken these photos almost a year ago.
Yes, it is ALWAYS nice to meet someone from there. My mother's family was from Salem and has spread to the SF area over the years.
Mr. Bill, you should have taken the drive up to Arches when you were in Moab. It's so close! But, usually the problem is that National Parks take a full day to see all the sights. Moab is such a nice community and a beautiful place. I understand that it is difficult to get a hotel room there because of all the outdoors activities like rafting and mountain biking along with its close proximity to two very beautiful National Parks. We didn't stay there but we did have a very nice dinner in Moab. I'm going to do a photoessay on Canyonlands soon. That is another under-appreciated National Park.
Cindy, we made that trip once from San Bernardino to Dallas and it is a very long drive! I'm so glad we did it though because there are many things to see along the way. I think Utah, with its five National Parks and many National Monuments, is probably the most densely interesting state in the country. I wish we would have had more time to spend in Moab because the surrounding area is fantastic.
Susan, my kids were 9 and 11 on this trip and they did not appreciate all the beauty of the National Parks we saw. They just wanted to hurry and get to the final destination. I hope later on they realize how lucky they were to see so many spectacular things, but you know how kids are....
Renda, thank you so much! If you do ever get an opportunity to visit Utah or Colorado, be sure to try to squeeze in a side-trip to Arches and Canyonlands. They are within 30 miles of each other and yet two totally different experiences.
I can remember vividly, walking uphill, unable to see two feet in front of my face because the snow was blowing so hard, carrying my son and his diaper bag in snow that was drifted deeper than my armpits. We lived on a dead-end road where the county, city and township couldn't decide who was in charge of maintaining the road...
You don't have to wonder why I left, do you?
Love and hugs - S.
I have a funny story about Arches. We saw it before it was a national park, probably mid 60s. My father found a young rattler and was teasing it with a stick, all the while telling us we should have been in long pants, not shorts. My stepmother had a fit in short order and I've now been able to visually and auditorially identify those pesky and very dangerous rattlesnakes.
I think Utah is on record for having the greatest number of National Parks in one state.
Been to Zion and Bryce, Cedar Breaks, tons of times.
Never been to Canyonlands. We left in the late 60s for Canada.
I know Utah has five full National Parks and I think California has at least seven that I can think of off the top of my head - because now Joshua Tree is a full-blown National Park. But, Utah is a much smaller state so you could hit all five of the Utah National Parks in one big tour, while that would be really hard in California. Utah is just beautiful all over even when you aren't in a National Park. It's my favorite state to drive through. Cedar Breaks is a place we visited for the first time last summer. I was so amazed at how beautiful it is. Maybe I'll have to do another photoessay. My dad has worked in Bryce so we've been there several times. Possibly my favorite National Park in the U.S. for just enjoying fun times is Zion. I love that river.
Elizabeth, you never forget those camping trips ever. That's so brave to take a six month baby. I really want to go camping at Arches next time. There is so much to see there that I wish I had a full week just for that area.
Moggy, thank you! You should definitely try to see all of the Utah National Parks. They are truly stunning.
When I first drove out to California back in 1984, one of my stops along the way was Moab, UT. Unfortunately I had not planned well and did not get to see the Park then. Now that I have seen your photoessay, I will definitely have to make a point of returning to Moab to visit Arches. Your photos are spectacular!
I doubt I will ever get to visit the Arches, but after your wonderful photo esay,I feel like I have. We have one massive red rock right in the middle of Australia called,Ayers Rock. But I have never seen rock formations like that in my life,such a special mystical place I bet it would be beautiful at sunrise and sunset. Wonderful photos Jennifer you are quite a photographer, and you have captured the spiritual essence of such a place, in your very well presented esay,well done.
Darcey D.
Do they have any petroglyphs in this area?
Thanks, Virgil! That's so sweet of you to say.
Thank you, Marco. And thanks so much for the connection request. I've really been enjoying your macro pictures with the guessing game. How fun!
Darcey, since I met you and some other folks on Gather from Australia, it is now a serious dream of mine to visit your beautiful country someday. You have amazing wildlife and such a beautiful country. I'm so glad we connected and I can hear more of your stories about enjoying the wilderness. The entire state of Utah is covered in neat rock formations. If you ever get the chance to visit, you should take it.
So nice to connect with you, Joy! I do not remember any petroglyphs inside of Arches National Park, but we did see some amazing ones in Capital Reef National Park which is also in Utah. I wish I would have had a digital camera when I visited Capital Reef and then I would do a photoessay just for you. I'll have to make a point to go there again someday. It was a very nice place, just like Arches, but even more interesting in a historical way.
Nina, you would LOVE Utah and all the National Parks. I hope that you enjoy your sight-seeing. I would love to have the time to really see the entire United States and not have to hurry either.
Mariana, thank you so much! You have been a huge inspiration to me with your desert wanderings and your love of cats and people and things of beauty. I always think of you when I think of traveling up the eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas.
Thank you so muhc, Selene!
Serina, now that would be a way more fun job than my current job! I think I would love going to work in that case.
Rebecca, they didn't take you? You'll have to get yourself out there some time. It is so amazingly beautiful. I want to go again!
Michelle, I'm so glad you got a chance to see Arches for yourself. Moab is such a nice vacation town - lucky you! Did you get over to Canyonlands National Park too? I have to do a photoessay on that one eventually. I had just bought my digital camera special for this trip so I was having fun learning how to use it. I'm surprised the photos did turn out, but I had a lot of time in the car to really read the manual.
Gary, I'll be right over to see your pictures! It's so great to get the chance to go the America's National Parks. We are really lucky to live in such a beautiful land.
Debbie, I would love to join that group! I love reading photoessays that people submit. I've learned so much from my fellow Gatherers about the beautiful places in the world by reading photoessays. Thank you so much for coming here and I'm so glad we connected.
Jennifer, it's easy to get the photos large. All you have to do after you import them into the article is look down at the little options and one is Larger Image. Click on that and it makes your picture go to its own little window behind your article. Then, click on the photo and drag it into the article where you want it to go, and it takes up the entire width of the article. I'm not good at explaining it so try it and if you have any questions, email me and we will do it together.
Thank you, Larry, for coming by to look at this. I enjoy your photos so much of Kansas. I am so glad you and your wife had the opportunity to travel out to Utah and see all the beauty of that state.
Chris, that is SO nice of you to say! I really appreciate that so much. I wish I were a great creative writer like you, or a poet like some of my other Gather friends, but all I can really offer are these travel photoessays. Thank you so much for your words.