Moab to Grand Canyon ~ North Rim

Please double click on each pic to get a larger look (you can't get the full impact on your cell phone!) 

 ;-)

                                                 Broken Arch in Arches National Park

Thanks for Joining us on our Trip!!  

We are back in Utah and after leaving Colorado and Grand Mesa we ventured west to the Moab area of Utah which is one of our favorite places - with 2 National Parks and amazing scenery every way you turn.  We stayed out on Hwy 128 which runs north from Moab along the Colorado River and is a beautiful scenic drive.  We stayed at a BLM campground on the river  about 6 miles from Moab and Arches National Park.  There is a paved separate biked trail that runs along the river all the way to Arches and it was a great way to see the surrounding area.
   

                                           Ready to roll down the Colorado to Arches N.P.

 We also took various drives in the area along with the amazing 26 mile round trip through Arches we did the Castle Valley Loop, Sand Flats Rec Area, and the Colorado River road going south out of Moab and features petroglyphs, dinosaur tracks, rock climbers, amazing views along the river, and a great hike to 2 arches (Bowtie and Corona).

                                               Moon rise over our camp on the Colorado

                                                "Blue" bird at Camp...... (ID anyone??)

                                                             Overlook of Castle Valley

                                            Peek a boo view of the La Salle Mtns.
    

                                                                  Desert Bloom

                                              The Colorado on the way to Corona Arch

                                                Cairn Garden on the hike to Corona Arch

                                                         Bow Tie (left) and Corona Arch

                                           Corona Arch with Carol on left

    The most famous arch in Arches NP is Delicate Arch -  and we have done the amazing hike to it twice before -  so this time we did it at sunset and it was a special treat.

                                             Delicate Arch with La Salle Mtns. Backdrop

                                               "The Scene" at Sunset"

                              Valley of the Gods is in SE Utah just north of AZ border

                                      This formation is called Balanced Rock and the one below

                 is called Lady in a Bathtub ~ they are the same rock from a different angle

                                                            Valley of the Gods View

                                               Valley of the Gods View

                            This is how the nearby town of "Mexican Hat" got its name!

From SE Utah we drove into Arizona through Monument Valley, along theVermillion Cliffs to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  This was another must for our "Fall" trip as it closes on October 15th every year because of snow at the high elevation (over 8,000') and our former winter travel window precluded going there.
It has been years since we went to the South Rim - and really have no desire to return as it is such a tourist mob scene (more like a city than a National Park ~ Edward Abbey's worst nightmare).
   In any case the North Rim is completely different and we think more beautiful.
it also reminded us of Yellowstone with beautiful foliage, high plateau and lots of wildlife ~ deer, bison, coyote, etc.
 

                                                                      Buck Fever!

                         Carol below the Lodge on the North Rim on Bright Angel Point Trail

                                     Angel Arch at Cape Royal on North Rim

                                                                   Close to the Edge!

            Quaking Aspen Everywhere on the Drive (I am sure I have 100 pics of them!

Thanks Again for Joining us!  We are now in Kanab, Utah for a Week and this was another area we knew we wanted to explore.  We are very excited as we send this out as we just won the lottery today for "The Wave" which only pics 10 people per day for the next day to hike one of themost scenic wilderness areas on the planet!

here is a little teaser:
            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wave,_Arizona


But that is for next time.......Our best to you all !!!!
Don and Carol