Arches National Park

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK

    Arches National Park is just outside of Moab, Utah. This park is similar to Yosemite National Park. There is only one main road. The viewpoints and sights are easily visible by driving. Besides driving in your motor vehicle, the park offers many hiking opportunities. The more strenuous trail is in Devil’s Garden. Behind Courthouse Towers is a hiking trail. This trail can be walked going down hill and return up hill (Park Avenue Viewpoint). Or the trail can be walked by going uphill and returning downhill (Courthouse Towers Viewpoint). A less traveled trail is behind the arches in the Windows Section. Then there is the walk up to Delicate Arch. The pictures that follow are unusual because of the presence of clouds and rain.

      A trip to Moab should include a visit to the Dead Horse Point State Park. The Colorado River is easily seen from the bluff. The legend is that a herd of horses made it to the edge of the cliff and could see the river. They died since the horses could not find a way down to the river.

If you have traveled as far a Dead Horse Point State Park, you should journey onto Canyonlands National Park.

The following pictures are where taken in Arches National Park.

Park Avenue Viewpoint and Trailhead.

     The following photographs were taken on the walk down the trail. This walk was taken just before sunset. Note the shade. In reviewing the brochure there are suggestions where to be to enjoy a sunrise or sunset. During this hike the sky conditions changed. 

 

    The following three pictures are not on the Park Avenue Trail.   The Courthouse Towers Viewpoint is where the following photographs were taken.

 

This looking down the trail as well as the following pictures taken as you proceed down the trail.

These pictures were taken in the walk back up the Park Avenue Trail to the trailhead.

 

Courthouse Towers Viewpoint

The following pictures are taken around the Courthouse Towers Viewpoint.

Next day after cloud cover left.

Windows Section

Traveling along down the road for about 9 miles, the Balanced Rock will mark where the road is to travel to the Windows Section.

 

 

Drive on another two miles passing the Garden of Eden and Parade Of Elephants to reach the North Window and the South Window.

The following pictures were not taken in the afternoon. The images were captured just as the sun was rising.

Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint

Dead Horse Point State Park

Before you get to Dead Horse Point State Park, there are two rock formations as well as view of how the road snakes up.

Now on to Dead Horse State Park. The scenery can be easily seen by going to the viewpoints by a motor vehicle. A walk from Dead Horse Point viewpoint to the Visitor’s Center along the rim is worth the walk. The trail is pretty flat. The following pictures were taken on this walk.

The following three pictures were taken from the same area. The composition is the difference.

 

Canyonland National Park.

The following pictures were taken in Canyonlands National Park after visiting Dead Horse Point State Park.