Day 6: Arches National Park

We left Spanish Fork as quickly as we could so that we could get to Arches as quickly as possible.  It was a beautiful drive.  Crystal clear skies and such great scenery over Soldier Summit and down into Carbon County.

 Landscape Arch (above and below)

 Landscape Arch

near the southern border of Arches National Park

 

We got to Arches around noon and decided to drive all the way to the far end of the Park and then work our way back.  The park closed at 7pm for road paving, so we couldn't stay past sunset.  All the pictures in the next section are from the Fiery Furnace section of the Park.

We got to Devil's Garden and started hiking toward Landscape Arch.  About halfway there, it was obvious that the twins weren't going to make the whole hike.  So Dohnele and Emma kept going (and took the pictures in the next section of Devil's Garden) while I took Zephyr and Zoë back to the car.

Dohnele and Emma hiked to both Landscape and Navajo Arch before turning back to the car themselves.

 Petrified Dunes

 Rock Pinnacles

 Sheep Rock

Skyline Arch

 

Once we all reunited at the car, we drove toward the exit while stopping anywhere we could to take pictures of scenery around sunset which was beautiful.

We stopped at Balanced Rock (all the pictures in the next section), however so that I could take Emma on the short hike around the pillar.  Balanced Rock must be the most underrated attraction at the Park.  From the main road, it's pretty small and pales in comparison to The Windows in the background, but when you're standing at the base, it's amazing how big the rock is!

After Balanced Rock and a few more pictures on the way out, we drove to Moab and our hotel.  Dohnele picked up some authentic Mexican food for dinner and we crashed for the night.

 The Great Wall

 The Windows with the La Sal Mountains in the background

 Three Gossips

Tower of Babel