Day 4: Arches and Colorado River

Day 4 (May 30, 2022) We got up early this morning as we had a 7:00 am reservation to enter Arches National Park. Our plan was to get some hiking in before the day got too hot. This time of year can be hit or miss when it comes to temperatures. We got lucky that the storm blew through and cooled it down. It was still in the 50’s in the park which sounds cold, but with the sun out in a desert environment, it actually is an ideal time to hike. We started with a short hike to the Delicate Arch overlook. The hike to the arch itself we were saving for another day. This iconic arch is frequently on posters associated with Arches. 

Next, we stopped by Wolf Ranch, a historic early settler homestead. This is also the starting point for the Delicate Arch hike, but just took a short walk to look at the homestead and some nearby petroglyphs. Both are worth seeing if you’re interested. 

Next, we stopped by the Fiery Furnace overlook. This is an area that would be awesome to explore, but you’re not allowed without a permit or a ranger as it is easy to get lost amongst the formations. In fact, to discourage visitors from trying to sneak in, trespassers face a $500 fine and sixth months of jail time. As all of the permits and ranger tours were booked, we decided against risking jail time, and took a few pictures from the overlook. It’s an amazingly beautiful part of the park. 

Our next stop was the coolest hike of the day, both literally and figuratively. It is a hike to see two arches. The first is the Sand Dune Arch. This is the part of the hike that both Jenny and I enjoyed the most as you’re hiking between sandstone walls that kept the temperature remarkably cool. We called it Fiery Furnace Lite as it provided a little bit of canyon exploration without the need for a specialized permit. 

The appropriately named Sand Dune Arch is also neat to see and is a short hike from the parking area. 

The hike continued across a wide open stretch of desert to Broken Arch. I would not recommend doing this hike in the middle of a hot day. Otherwise, this arch is quite picturesque and worth a visit. You can actually continue through the arch and complete a loop, but as it involved a bit of rock scrambling, we turned around and returned the way we came. 

Our final stop in the park was at Devil’s Garden which is at the end of the park road. This area gets quite crowded, and we had to hunt for a parking spot for a while, but it is definitely worth exploring despite the crowds. If you’re willing to rock scramble and hike a fair distance, you can see a number of different arches and some interesting terrain and rock formations. After an already lengthy day, we settled for exploring the first three arches, Tunnel Arch…

Pine Tree Arch…

And our personal favorite Landscape Arch…

This last arch is definitely worth checking out as you can see it from several different angles along the trail. There’s even a view point near the bottom of the arch. 

The rest of the scenery is also quite spectacular…

Later on this same day, we had booked a dinner and night cruise on the Colorado River. This is an interesting experience. The food was surprisingly good, nothing spectacular but tasty, and it is all you can eat. The river cruise itself includes a “light show” which is a little cheesy and touristy, but it was neat to drift on the river in the darkness. It was a surreal experience. Our guide was also quite amusing and pointed out rock formations that resembled different animals, people, and famous icons, including Winnie the Pooh” and “E.T.”  Our one disappointment was that it was a cloudy night, and it kept us from seeing the starry night sky. It would have been a perfect night for it was the new moon. Overall, I recommend the experience. 

Oh, and I forgot to mention one last surprise, Jenny spotted a beaver on the river bank. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the best picture, but here it is…

Day 3: Moab and Arches National Park

Day 3 (May 29, 2022) After leaving Albuquerque, we drove through some amazing scenery to get to Moab, Utah. We also passed through a small patch of Colorado which makes for 26 states Bitey has visited. He is one well-traveled cat. 

Jenny found a Homewood Suites in Moab on Main Street with an amazing view. For a chain hotel, this one is very nice and has a fair amount of character. I would recommend it especially if you’re traveling with pets as it is pet friendly. 

Moab is a cool place with a lot of character. A little warning if you want to visit, Main Street is a fairly busy street with a fair bit of traffic most times of the day. Luckily, we’re on the third floor and our room is fairly sound-proofed. 

Despite six hours of driving, Jenny and I were both excited to stretch our legs a little and explore our surroundings. We wandered the town a bit and went to have dinner at Thai Bella, an amazing Thai restaurant around the corner from our hotel. We shared an order of larb, pad Thai, and sweet basil shrimp. All three were delicious. 

After dinner, we decided to head into Arches National Park. FYI, the park has implemented a timed entry system to try to keep the park from getting overcrowded. If you’re planning on visiting, set this reservation up way in advance. The other work around is to visit before 6 am or after 6 pm as the booth is closed and no reservation is required. One of the cool things about Arches is that the park is open 24 hours, so you can enter early or late and still enjoy the park. 

We entered the park a little after 6 pm enjoyed exploring several of the sights before the sun began to set around 8:30 pm. Our plan was to hopefully enjoy a beautiful sunset and some star gazing, but it was a little cloudy. When we first arrived in Moab, there was a freak storm that actually had some hail. While it was no longer stormy when we entered the park, the cloud cover kept the sky a little gloomy. Having said that, it was still cool to see the amazing rock formations that make Arches one of the more beautiful parks in this country. Here are some pictures from our first evening in the park…

Below are pictures of the famous Balanced Rock…

We stopped at some other interesting sights on our way to the Windows and Double Arch area…

The Windows Arches are definitely amazing and worth a visit…

We finished with a visit to Double Arch, appropriately named…

And enjoyed the changing colors of the sky as the sun went down…

And some beautiful cactus flowers…

All in all, it was a spectacular way to end a long day of driving. This place is amazing, and as with most of the places we visit, photographs do not capture the absolute majesty of the scenery. 

Day 1-2: Abilene TX and Albuquerque NM

Day 1-2 (May 27-28, 2022) We’re off on another epic road trip to California with some stops along the way. We’re bringing Bitey along for the ride. He continues to be a very well-traveled cat. I know we come off as crazy cat people, but we’re really not. We just don’t like the idea of him being home for three and a half weeks with only a cat sitter checking on him once a day. 

Here he is relaxing before embarking on his next adventure. 

Our first few stops were to break up the drive to get to our first long-term destination, Moab, Utah, the town closest to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. 

I’ll post a few things about these two before writing about our experiences in Moab in a separate post. 

Abilene, Texas was our first stop, and while we were only in town one evening, we did find time to explore the downtown area for a few hours. We ate at a restaurant called Cypress Street Station. Jenny really enjoyed her crab cake. My trout was only okay. We wandered through a few parks and saw a high school graduation being celebrated at the Paramount Theater. We also stopped be an interesting dessert place, The Roll Shack, that sold rolled ice cream. It’s what it sounds like, ice cream rolled with ingredients on the inside. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but both Jenny and I found the treat amazing. Try it if you get the chance. And now a few pictures…

Albuquerque, New Mexico, was our next stop, and neither Jenny nor I had ever spent much time there. While it was just an overnight stay, we made it to the old town, and enjoyed a nice dinner at the Church Street Cafe. The service was a little slow, but that seems to be fairly normal these days. The food was good, and apparently one of Jenny’s friends said the place was haunted. We didn’t encounter any ghosts. 

After dinner, we explored the old town to see some of the interesting architecture and shops that make this a particularly charming part of town to visit. Jenny and I happened to notice that a band was setting up in the old town plaza which apparently happens most weekends this time of year. We ended up staying for a bit to watch a jazz band play a few songs. It ended up being a relaxing and unexpected way to end a travel day. Experiences like this one are what continue to drive us to explore. 

And Bitey always explores his new surroundings as well…