A short drive later, we’d end up in Arches National Park and whew, it was hot. Really, really hot. Of course this meant that Jullet had to take a picture, ‘shivering’, in front of the park sign. Haha.. That was a fun moment.
Arches was pretty cool. As with everyone I’ve seen so far on my trip, it still amazes me that all the rock formations were left by mother nature. How? Just how did she do it?!
The park has over 2,000 natural stone arches and a landscape that will make you feel like you’re in a whole new planet. We were able to see the Balanced Rock, Double Arch, & Delicate Arch.
The four of us made the short hike up towards the Delicate Arch where the plan was to see the stars at night. We were there when the sun started setting but realized that the sky was full of clouds ..turns out that our plans would be denied.
If I remember correctly, we stayed overnight at a nearby campground. The next day, we were going Rafting and Canyoneering in the Moab! I was super stoked. We were going on a tour with Red River Adventures. The tour was really fun. It wasn’t a large group and everyone was super friendly.
At the beginning of the tour, we met up at their offices where we were shuttled to a site near the river. Meals were included on this trip so they already had set up a little picnic for us stocked full of healthy goodies to keep us fueled through the day. Unfortunately, I decided to not take my camera with me during this part of the trip. I didn’t want to get it wet (obviously) and ruin my camera.
We were rafting along the river and let me tell you that it was hard work. We were going against the current in the beginning but eventually, it was better. I later found out that we were rafting in the Colorado River! Knowing that, Jullet and I just had to dive in for a quick dip. Floating along the Colorado River? Yep, it was pretty awesome.
We also went Canyoneering! Scaling rocks and boulders, I never knew how much fun a simple task would be. Our tour guides navigated their way to a higher elevation where we would then make our descent back to the ground. Not going to lie, it was a little scary at first.
I’m just sitting on a harness and I have full control of how fast or slow I choose to make my descent. I remember having a little rope burn on my hand. Looking back at it, Canyoneering in Moab is another thing I can add to my list of ‘have done & must do’s’ in my life.
Arches National Park would be our last stop in Utah and I loved every second that I was here. Moab is beautiful. There’s something about the warm colors of the rocky landscape that will always make me want to visit here again. Until next time, we’re making our way towards Grand Teton National Park!
A Cook's Shenanigans 