Canyonlands National Park
We arrived at the park around 7:15AM. No one was at the gate and the Visitor Center didn’t open until 9:00AM. It was nice. Later in the day the parking lots started filling up and the hikes get more crowded. We timed our visit perfectly. We hiked two longish hikes of 2 miles each: Grand View and Upheaval Dome.
Canyonlands National Park. Utah
Mesa Arch
We didn’t attempt to arrive at sunrise, but we did arrive between 7:30-8:00AM. It was just a short walk from the parking area to this arch. The only arch we saw, but a famous arch.
Mesa Arch
This was the only arch we saw at Canyonlands, but it was a spectacular background.
Mesa Arch
Mesa Arch is a bucket list item for professional photographers. At sunrise it is always packed with photographers. These four guys had cameras the price of cars. I told them they could borrow my iPhone, but no takers.
Grand View Hike
Montie is probably contemplating our next trip.
Grand View Hike
We were early enough to have most of this first hike to ourselves. We are in a desert, but the mountains in the distance still have snow. The Spanish thought it must be salt, so they named them the La Sal Mountains.
Grand View Hike
This was at the very end of the Grand View Hike. I passed on climbing up on that giant stack of rocks destined to fall anytime in the next 1000 years. It was making me sick just watching her up there.
Grand View Hike
Deep contemplation. I wonder if my gardens are getting watered back in Texas? Are the Staghorn ferns still alive?
Shafer Canyon Outlook
Shafer Canyon
I keep reminding Montie that the view is behind her. I think she was selling something on EBay.
Shafer Canyon
Grand View Hike
If you have the ability to zoom. Look at the formations down inside the fingers of the canyon. This photo is a considerable zoom already. This is a very deep canyon.
Grand View Hike
Grand View Hike
Grand View Hike
Montie is getting so clumsy. This is the third time she tripped and pushed me over the edge.
Upheaval Dome- 2nd Lookout
This was the end of a 1 mile hike (2 miles round trip) and we climbed up to the top of this giant rock with no rails. I had trouble taking this picture with one hand clinging to a Pinon Pine with the other. Now we have to go down!
Upheaval Dome
Scientists continue to debate whether this huge crater was caused naturally from beneath the earth or by a meteorite.
Starry Night
For our last night in the Moab area, we drove back into Arches NP to star gaze. There were so many stars that we were unable to recognize any of the usual constellations…the sky was just too “busy”. Montie got this shot of the night sky which shows the glow of the lights from Moab which is about 10 miles away.