After saying goodbye to Joyce and Stu on July 15, we embarked on a relatively short drive to Arches National Park. Fortunately we were gassed up and refreshed because most of the exits in eastern Utah say “no services” and some of the rest areas don’t even have bathrooms!

We stopped briefly in Moab for lunch (looking longingly at the many outdoor adventures they offer – we’ll have to return!) and then entered Arches National Park. Our campground was at the far end of the park so we rented an audio CD and took the driving tour. The arches are scattered like treasures throughout the park, some in clusters and others by themselves. A few can be seen from far off (and from the road) but others don’t appear until your hiking trail takes you around a corner after a few hundred feet or even a few miles.

We went for a walk in the Windows area (see the two arches that look like glasses, known as North and South Window), taking careful note of all the signs warning us to bring water. To say the weather was hot in Arches is an understatement; the sun beat down relentlessly on the exposed rock. The official high was 99 but the lack of shade made it feel well over 100. Suffice it to say we kept the hikes pretty short that afternoon.

The campground was called Devil’s Garden but it seemed heavenly to us, with campsites tucked between and below rock formations. Even at 6 PM the sun was hot enough that we put up Chester’s shade and had cold PB&J sandwiches for dinner. The kids were tired out but Nick and Susannah explored several trails off the campground (mini date!), seeing Tapestry Arch, Broken Arch, and Sand Dune Arch. Look for Nick in all three photos.

Day 17: Grand Junction CO to Arches National Park UT (via Moab) – 132 miles.