Canyonlands NP

 Hello again,

We left Yellowstone on Tuesday.  We had a long drive to Moab, UT.  But we arrived safely and have a nice place in Moab to explore Canyonlands and Arches NP.  Dinner upon our arrival was at the Moab Brewery (thanks for the recommendations, Darby and Welton).

Yesterday and today we saw Canyonlands.  The Park is divided into three sections: Island in the Sky (sits between the Colorado and Green Rivers, The Needles (the Southeast corner of the Park) and The Maze (West part of the Park - this part is completely remote, 4-wheel drive only, make sure your will is in order, etc.)

First day was Island in the Sky.

First hike was Upheaval Dome (about 2 miles).  This area is interesting because this:

In the center here are rocks that are fractured and tilted, forming a circular depression more than two miles wide.  Scientists do not know exactly how it formed.  There are two theories: 1. a salt dome that cracked and tilted the rocks over time, or 2. a violent meteorite that instantly fractured the rock.  Recent findings support the meteorite theory but questions remain.  So that is kind of cool!


There was more to see along that hike as well...


Next stop was Green River Overlook:
balancing act:
Life finds a way!
Green River

The Green River and the Colorado River join at the Confluence (aptly named).  Below the Confluence, the combined rivers' flow spills down Cataract Canyon with remarkable speed and power, creating a world-class stretch of white water (refer to the above about having your will in order).

Finally, Grand View Point Overlook:

Sheri out on a rock ... perfectly safe!
some "needle" type rock formations
a handy crevice - looking for shade...
just more...
See... Mr. Safety is messing around too....

It has been quite hot here and so DRY.  We are up early and getting to the trails to hike before the real heat of the day settles in.

Today, we went to The Needles part of Canyonland.  It was an hour and a half drive to the Visitors' Center.

The hike we did was called "Slickrock" - it was 2.4 miles.  By the time we were done it was getting hot!

This is "The Needles" - you cannot get too close to them without a 4-wheel drive vehicle.  This is about 5 miles away (and zoomed).
A little rest on this 2 mile hike.


We later went into Big Spring canyon:
The boulders were just huge!


This is Wooden Shoe Arch:

i think these rocks look like a stack of pancakes....

Newspaper Rock is a petroglyph panel etched in sandstone that records approximately 2,000 years of human activity.  In Navaho the rock is called "Tse' Hane" - rock that tells a story.

Tonight we are going to go into Arches NP and see the sunset and then wait for the stars to come out.  I am really excited about that!

At the end of every day, we are thankful for the time together to see all these amazing sites and for a soft bed to sleep in (making it to 10:00 is a struggle).  We are giving each day our all!

take care,

Sheri & Carsten

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