Last time I was writing in this neck-of-the-woods it was a doozy so let's lighten things up a bit around here, shall we? You may have thought that when I returned from six weeks in Jamaica I would have prioritized getting my ducks in a row back in NYC. You would be wrong. After spending most of spring in the Caribbean, I thought what better way to adjust back to life stateside than by going on vacation. I know it's a rough life.
I've mentioned before that I have a friend who's just as crazy if not crazier when it comes to planning epic hiking adventures. Our current goal is to hit up a new national park each year. Past trips include British Columbia and Montana but after a couple years of hiking in snow and avoiding post-hibernation bears we both were ready for something a bit warmer. When the opportunity to spend a week in Park City presented itself, we went for it knowing that Moab would be less than a morning’s drive away.
Since the weather in Park City was expected to be rainy and cold the first couple of days we were in Utah, we decided to throw some blankets in big bertha and head on down to the desert. (I name my cars… I can't help it. And yes, they’re all cars. I don't care if you’re a hemi pick-up. I'll still call you a car. I know; I'm special. And I digress.) Our initial plan was to check out Arches National Park. My friend had never been and it's definitely worth the hype. Apparently, this is a well-known fact because when we arrived at the park entrance, there was a long line of cars backed up to the main road. We moseyed our way in and eventually made it to the visitor center. I've probably mentioned this before but my first stop to any park is to chat it up with the park rangers. They know the best spots to check out for the time of year you are visiting, any hazards to be aware of, and are just genuinely awesome people. Actually, I have yet to run into a parks person that I didn’t like - even the gift shop lady got me a bandaid from her purse! Anyway, the friendly folks at Arches told us that unless we wanted to spend our day with the masses, we should take the time to drive to Canyonlands. Given that we both prefer hikes when you forget other people exist, we hightailed it on over to the Needles.
The drive to Canyonlands National Park is like no other park I have visited. Miles of windy roads interspersed with cattle force you to slow down and just take it in. This is not to say that I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed my other national park adventures but hypothetically speaking I may sometimes get a bit more focused on the destination rather than the journey. It can be a struggle for me to remain focused in the present. Perhaps a bit of the human condition. Perhaps a bit personality quirk. All of this is to say, if you find yourself in need of a perspective reset, Canyonlands is the place to be.
After another stop at the Visitor Center, we eventually made it to the trailhead with maps in hand and ready to stretch our legs in the desert scenery. I could not have been more excited about it. By the time we hit the trails, we had been in the car for the better part of 7 hours and little miss does not do well being confined indoors for extended periods of time. We climbed up and down amongst the red rocks inching our way closer to the spires in the distance. Every 10 feet or so I would stop and say the same sort of phrase on repeat about the beauty of the place. I’m fairly certain my travel buddy wanted to silence me as I could not help but proclaim my awe of the world around me. The end of May/beginning of June is the perfect time to see all the spring flowers blooming and it is just so freaking gorgeous. It was spirit fingers inducing. (I wish I were joking.) Despite my best efforts, it could not be captured by pictures.
We had originally planned for a quick 6 mile hike as it was already mid afternoon by the time we reached the trailhead. Given the scenery though we just didn't want to leave. A few fellow hikers we met along the way mentioned that if we had the time, we had to make our way over to Druid Arch. We had headlamps and fresh legs so we decided to go for it, effectively doubling our proposed hike and causing some hustle in our bustles. The trail has a number of scrambles and is not for those with a fear of heights but the view is worth it. We reached the arch just as the sun was beginning to set, changing the color of the desert rock before our eyes.
As soon as we hydrated and munch on some snacks, we scampered back down the rocks and hurried along the trail in an effort to beat the setting sun. With only an hour or so to cover five miles, our steps quickly became a jog keeping ourselves (and anyone within earshot) entertained by singing Disney classics and childhood camp songs. Just as the sun slipped behind the horizon, big bertha came into view and we full out sprinted with open arms. The heaviness of the previous weeks was lifted.
"What makes the desert beautiful," said the little prince, "is that somewhere it hides a well."
-- The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
notes:
in case you are interested in following our route, we parked at elephant hill and made our way to chesler park before cutting over to druid arch. according to this handy map, the entire hike was about 12.6 miles with a fair amount of scrambling, especially as we approached the druid arch. as with any hike (but even more so with a desert hike), be sure to bring plenty of water, snacks, and sunscreen. there's limited shade and we never came across running water. i carried 4 L of water. yes, i am a camel.
we didn't have time to make our way to island in the sky or the maze while we were in canyonlands. there are rivers in between the different sections of the park so unless you plan on hiking through you need to drive around. as each part of the park has unique offerings, it would definitely worth be worth checking it out but just keep in mind you'll be logging some quality time in your vehicle.
relatedly, if you are driving on over to canyonlands from arches, make sure you get gas before you leave moab. ask me how i know…