It was a short 6 mile drive from the hotel in Moab down to Arches National Park. The view from the highway heading into the park gives no hints about what you're about to see. It's carved through the same red rock that is everywhere out here but once you start the climb into the actual park it goes up a couple notches. The initial views are very impressive, huge sheer cliff faces, rock formations and small arches visible on the way in. The first overlook/trail is at the Windows. I drove through there and it was absolutely packed. I did actually find a parking spot but I didn't like it, too many people, so I checked the guidebook and found a more difficult hike and headed there instead. Harder hikes usually mean less people. The hike out to Delicate Arch is 3 miles and there's a 480ft climb, this is at about 5k ft as opposed to 6k at Canyon de Chelly so I figured it'd be easy ;) I finally remembered everything too, camera gear, water, sunscreen and a couple granola bars. The hike out is boring. At Canyon de Chelly there were at least some really interesting views that became visible as you traversed the trail. The Delicate Arch trail is pretty much all exposed slickrock, only a couple of spots with shade and not alot of photo worthy stops. You don't get to see the arch until the very end of the trail, you come around a bend and it's there. There was a group under it when I got there so I had to wait a bit to get some clear pics of it. The arch is at the edge of a cliff with a bowl cut out below it so you can still kind of get behind it to shoot up underneath it.
The hike back out was almost all downhill and much faster. From there I headed deeper into the park to go see Landscape Arch. This was a shorter hike, I think only 2 miles, and less elevation gain. There were also two side hikes to go see Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch. This was a great hike because you're down on the valley floor with these huge rock formations towering over you. There are incredible views in all directions and way off in the distance there are snow capped mountains providing a beautiful backdrop. Lots of blooming cactii and interesting trees to take pictures of too. Apparently Delicate Arch used to be Landscape Arch but somebody swapped the names on a map by accident and it stuck. After seeing the current Landscape Arch it makes sense, there's not much landscape behind it and it looks like a thin ribbon of rock arcing across the sky. In 1991 a 60ft chunk fell off so no more hiking underneath it so it was difficult to get good pictures with the sun behind it. The trail continues beyond Landscape Arch to a couple other arches but it is more difficult and it was getting late in the day.
On the way back out I stopped off at the Windows again and it was much less crowded and the sun was at a lower angle so the light was getting better too. My first stop was at Turret Arch and you could get right under this one and to both sides so it was great to take pics of.
I continued over to the South Window (I may be turned around here, could have been the North Window) and there was no one else around so I was able to spend quite a bit of time here taking pictures. I think this was my favorite spot of the day and I was glad I waited to see it. It's absolutely massive when you're standing below it and the sky was so blue and the line along the rock so crisp that it all seemed surreal. There's a primitive trail that hikes around the backside of the windows and back to the parking lots. I was hoping to get under the North Window from there but it doesn't quite work that way. There were still some great views along the way though.
After Arches it was back in the car for the short hop to Torrey which is just outside Capitol Reef. The drive down Hwy24 is now in my top 5 favorite drives ever. Incredible scenery (when I could see it before the bugs attacked) and a great road. Then you get into the park and it was about 6:30 so the sun was getting low and I really think it was as good as driving through Yellowstone. I'm looking forward to checking out the rest of the park and I'll be staying for sunset pictures instead of motoring off to Bryce. Unfortunately it looks like the really good stuff is only accessible by 4wd vehicles and I don't think they mean a TT with quattro. We'll see how far I can get though :)
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