Following the Colorado River: My Visit to Arches National Park.
Let me show you one of Utah's natural wonders: Arches National Park. It's one of those iconic National Parks in the American West where you feel overwhelmed by the creative power of nature.
I traveled from Cisco to Moab on April 18 in the late afternoon, taking the scenic route 128. I shared photos of that spectacular journey here, where you can see how I followed the Colorado River's winding course while surrounded on both sides by massive red rock formations.
Known as the state's adventure capital, Moab, Utah, is a small community in the eastern part of the state. Mormon settlers founded a mission here that can be traced back to the 1880s. When Moab's mining business collapsed by the middle of the 20th century, the town shifted its emphasis to tourism.
I noticed many tourists from around the world on the busy main street of town who come to explore the nearby natural splendor. Many enjoy driving in powerful 4x4 Utility Terrain Vehicles used for exploration. These are not just for off-the-road trips but can even access very steep slopes.
I suppose that most tourists come for two of Utah's most well-known national parks, Arches and Canyonlands, with miles of hiking trails and spectacular geological formations. I noticed the increased number of biking lanes, even for a part along Route 128, and more activity on the river than I could remember from earlier visits, like rafting, kayaking, or stand-up paddleboarding.
When I got to Arches National Park, I discovered that because of its popularity, tourists now need to reserve a time slot between 7 am and 4 pm to enter. Fortunately, I arrived later and had no trouble entering the park.
I knew the park from previous visits and knew which of the highlights of the park I wanted to visit again. So I started at Park Avenue, a beautiful street-like formation of massive red rocks rising towards the sky. For many visitors, this is the first view of what the park offers.
I wrote more on Patreon about this unique spot, the history of New York City's Park Avenue, and especially about how to use AI to integrate the image of the 'real' Park Avenue with the one in Arches to create a stunning visual effect.
You can find that post here.
This is Balanced Rock, one of the park's most recognizable rock formations. The enormous boulder seems to defy gravity and the laws of nature as it balances precariously atop a narrow older formation.
The magnificent Double Arch in the park's Windows Section was one of the highlights of my trip. I shared it already with you in my previous post, but it fits better in this longer post, and for me, it is one of the most beautiful places in the park. So, if I enjoy seeing it again, I guess you will not mind either. I walked to the bottom of these twin arches and admired their sheer magnitude and grandeur.
I had climbed to the Devil's Kitchen in Colorado National Monument just two days before. Standing inside 'the kitchen,' I was reminded of the Sand Dune Arch path further into Arches National Park. So I went there but discovered that the spot between the rocks I wanted to revisit had been shut down because of damage caused by tourists. I was alone there and could easily have walked the last minute to the formation (see opening picture), but I followed the rules everyone should follow to protect these natural treasures. Unfortunately, tourists have carved their names on rocks, climbed on them, and trampled on the sensitive soil in desert regions, which is highly vulnerable and needs decades to restore.
At sunset, I was at the trailhead for the park's most recognizable monument, Delicate Arch. I watched the sun gently sink beyond the horizon and decided not to walk to the famous arch that you see daily in this region on Utah's car license plates. Instead, I left Arches National Park feeling happy to discover its breathtaking natural splendor again.
Here is one last photo, after sunset and on my way out of the park:
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It's real. Here we can be stepping from one Archaeology period into another in minutes, without any ill effects, perhaps goosebumps. I hope It may make all of us ageless on the next visit (-:
Thank you, Alexander! I love the photos! 🌻
This brings back so many memories. Stunning pictures. Thank you!
I will never understand how people can carve their names in ancient rock formations or just not respect the land they are walking on. No official bike routes the last time I was there. I might enjoy cycling along route 128. Oh and thank you for mentioning time slots. They definitely didn't have those way back when.
I love your Patreon post - AI is crazy cool, but scary too.