Where Jeeps Go to Play
I had heard of Moab, Utah but never was it at the top of my list of places to visit. Anyone who drives a Jeep, though, knows that Moab is where Jeeps go to play. But Ken and I are Florida babies and enjoy trees, water, and woods that deserts do not have in abundance. Still, when our route to Yellowstone put Moab, Utah in our path, we had to stop.
First, Moab is the town that Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Parks is near. People say Moab to refer to the area but there is no Moab National Park. Unless you are camping on BLM land or in one of the national parks, you will be camping in the town.
Moab is Looking Promising
We arrived from southern Colorado via US Route 191. This is an easy route that at one time in our country’s history was a spur on a major highway (Route 91) from California to Canada. We started seeing fantastical rock formations along the highway. There are stripped turbans that look like Russian onion domes. Minarets standing alone in open fields. Sweeping arches and windows carved into the sides of mountains. Moab, Utah was starting to look a little more interesting.
It is hard to make a pleasant RV park in the desert, but Moab Rim Campark manages a fairly nice landing spot. Town is an eclectic mix of restaurants and shops, breweries and tour operators. The town is historic, inviting, and walk-able. Imagine a western desert town where everything, including the buildings, seems to be red dirt. This is Moab.
Arches National Park is a short five miles down the road from town, So after setting up the RV, Ken and I jumped in Armadillo, our Jeep Wrangler, for a sunset ride through Arches. It is a real treat when you are close enough to enjoy sunrise or sunset in a national park.
Our Sunset Ride
The entrance to Arches is quite dramatic. You climb the mountain face on a switchback road. (Road is on the mountain behind Jeep in the first blog picture.) Everyone ahead and behind you is visible because it is solid rock. There are no trees. The cars look like ants going to and fro from their nest. I made the mistake of looking down the mountain, swallowed hard, and faced forward from then on.
It didn’t take long before we were greeted with the first spectacular view, Park Avenue. Park Avenue is a one-mile trail through a canyon that towers with some of the parks most well known monoliths. The Courthouse Towers, the Three Gossips, the Tower of Babel, all famously photographed, can be viewed on this trail as well as some outstanding fins (thin-walls of rock).
It is always amazing to me that each park we visit, while similar, is so different. The colors, the formations, the stunning views. Just when you think it will be repetitive, you are surprised and awed yet again. Does everyone’s heart swell when they see these beautiful sights? Ken and I continue to be delighted over and over.
Rafting, Hiking and Picnics
Our stay in Moab is filled with hikes to the famous arches, nature’s frames to stunning landscapes. Some are visible from a car pullout but others may require a short hike. Still others require a strenuous hike. They are worth every step it takes to view them. There are over two thousand documented arches in the park. Some are large. Some are small. But each is perfect.
We enjoyed a tame whitewater rafting trip on the Colorado River with an evening picnic under starry skies. We hiked Canyonlands National Park and the scenery is just as jaw-dropping as Arches.
Moab, Utah is famous for its Jeep safaris, off-road courses, whitewater rafting, dinosaur tracks and the stunning arches and canyons. It is a destination that I’m glad we didn’t miss. I do wish we had planned a little more time.
Continuing Precautions
Covid precautions continue to play a large part in the decisions we make. From activities we do, to what time we do them, and where we camp, Covid is forefront on our minds. We continue to see what we can see and do what we can do to the best of our abilities. Traveling in the RV taught me very quickly that we will never see it all and we are too old to do it all. But there is plenty still to experience and we try to pack in as much as our short time on this beautiful earth will allow.
Till next week. We are…
Always Grateful. 👫
Tips and Links
Moab is hot. If you cannot tolerate the heat then be sure to visit during the shoulder season, March through May or September through October. There are plenty of hotels in the town and several RV parks. All services from groceries to restaurants are available and there is a good organic co-op. A dinosaur land is near the entrance to Canyonlands and would be perfect for young ones. If you are comfortable driving the twists and turns at night, a night of stargazing should be on your list to do. There are dozens of tour operators for anything you may want to try and most operators have an easy level for older, younger or beginners.