Grand Junction was quiet this morning when we left around 7:30. We drove through gorgeous red rock scenery to Canyonlands National Park in southeastern Utah, near the town of Moab. We spent the morning hiking up and down rocks and looking at canyons. If the Grand Canyon is bigger and more spectacular than the canyons that are here, I don't think I'll be able to comprehend it.
After Canyonlands, we drove to nearby Arches National Park, which was packed with families enjoying the sandstone arches and red rocks. We started out hiking to Delicate Arch, probably the most famous site in the park and also the arch that is on Utah license plates. It's a really popular hike, and even though it's really steep and pretty strenuous, there were lots of kids and parents carrying toddlers on their back. We showed them all up by hiking extra fast.
We spent the rest of the afternoon taking short hikes to other famous arches and sites, such as Landscape Arch, the Windows, and Balancing Rock.
Between the two parks, it was probably the most efficient use of time ever recorded in southeastern Utah, as we drove two hours from Colorado, saw the major highlights of both parks, hiked 4 trails for a total of over 8 miles. Our efficiency was curtailed back in Moab, where we contended with silly Utah liquor laws in trying to buy beers at the local microbrewery before contending with the terrible laundry facilities at the hotel. We're both exhausted.
-M
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