Another hot, dry (humidity at 4%) day greeted us this morning. Today we are headed to Canyonlands National Park, about 35 miles southwest of Arches. Again we got up early, having taken our showers last night. We were on the road before 8:00 a.m. The drive south was unremarkable--open desert. Canyonlands is a park that is divided into 3 sections by the Green and Colorado Rivers: Island in the Sky on the northwest, Needles to the southeast, and The Maze to the southwest. Alex, Ray and I had last visited in the Needles section. This time, our trip took us to Island in the Sky.
On entering Canyonlands, everyone is warned to take lots of water because there is no water in the Park after the Visitor's Center. After a brief stop there, we set off to explore. First stop was Mesa Arch. The short 1/2 mile trail gave no clues as to the fantastic view we came upon at its end point. Mesa Arch frames the White Rim plateau, Colorado River and canyons 2000+ feet below us. From that vantage point, you take in spires, rock formations, and the plateau below. Since we were there early, we had that special spot to ourselves. we sat in absolute silence for a while relishing the complete peace of the place. Someone had described it as "the perfect silence".
Next stop was at the very end of the paved road, the aptly named Grand View Point. This 2 mile round trip takes you along the mesa top ridge to expansive views of the plateau and canyons below. What an amazing place! We are thankful that this park was set aside in 1964. Prior to then, the land had been used by cattle ranchers and uranium miners. At the top of the Grand View Point trail, we happened upon 2 couples we had met on the Arches Devils' Garden trail.
Even though the trails we had taken were not long, we were drinking a lot of water. We decided that we didn't have enough water to do any more of the longer hikes in the park, but stopped at all the overlooks along the road. These were incredibly scenic views by themselves.
Back at the Visitor's Center later in the afternoon, we listened to a young interpretive ranger talk about the park. Her presentation was interesting and informative. She showed photos of one point in the park as it is normally, and the same point right after a heavy rain. Before, it looked like a rock cliff, after, there was a huge waterfall roaring over the cliff. She also showed us photos of the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers, only able to be viewed from a plane, or an incredibly tough 16 mile hike. Where the 2 meet and the rivers flow together, one is green, the other brown, and the waters do not mix until a few miles downstream.
After this, we decided to go back to the cabin and return to Arches in the evening, when we took the viewpoint trail to Delicate Arch. That is a favorite sunset destination. The wispy clouds and blue, blue sky as the sun set were beautiful. With this place, you find yourself overusing the words: fabulous, fantastic, and wow.
Back to the cabin for evening showers and another episode of The Pacific.
A few side notes:
We found out what the bugs were that were raining on the windshield the day we arrived in Moab. They were tamarisk beetles, specifically brought in to eat and hopefully kill the invasive tamarisk trees that grow along the Colorado River.
The pool that was in the middle of the primitive trail at Devils' Garden was alive with hundreds of large tadpoles is called a pothole. We thought that it was weird that it had water in it, but found out that this is one of the largest in the park. In spring it can be 6 feet deep. Now, it was maybe a foot deep. The ranger was surprised that it hadn't dried up. Even when dry, these potholes hold life that springs back when the rains come. Amazing!
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