by Jim and Melanie
This is the final post about our visit to Utah. Links to: Oct6, Oct7, Oct8, Oct9. Thanks for following along. If you have been to this area before, you know how special it is. If not, we hope you will be able to visit in the future. This day was more special for us since it was also our 40th wedding anniversary.
by Jim and Melanie
For our fourth day in the Moab UT area, we decided to hike in nearby Grandstaff Canyon instead of in the national parks. This canyon has an interesting history. Here are typical views of the left and right canyon walls. We met a lot of hikers, many of them with children and dogs.
by Jim and Melanie
The weather forecast for this day was for light rain by mid-day. We arrived early at our destination in Arches NP called Park Avenue. This picture is from the viewing platform next to the parking lot. We chose to follow the trail in the center for a mile into the distance. There, you have the impression of walking along a grand avenue in a major city with tall buildings on either side.
by Jim and Melanie
Sunset in Arches NP the previous day was beautiful. We decided to enter the park at sunrise this day for a comparison. At the La Sal mountains viewpoint we watched the sunrise and the sandstone glow orange.
by Jim and Melanie
We love the mountains and scenery of the western states. Being cooped up due to COVID has prevented us from visiting those places. We decided it was time to venture out. Instead of driving from Iowa to Utah, we flew to Grand Junction CO, rented a car, and drove the rest of the way to Moab UT. We stayed five nights in Moab and made multiple visits to Arches and Canyonlands N Parks, Dead Horse Point S Park, and numerous other less advertised attractions. Hiking was our primary goal.
The Road to Moab
Part of the way from Grand Junction to Moab we drove on I-70. We got off at hwy 128 which followed the Colorado River to Moab. It was a good choice. Little traffic, smooth road, and fabulous scenery made the ride perfect.
Our View From Iowa 