On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Good Morning Everyone,
Today we’re finishing up HinTN’s long-lost, then re-sent submissions from an amazing trip to Utah. So far, it’s been wonder after wonder, and I know you’ll just love today’s offering!
But…this brief resurrection of On The Road is now over, and so OTR will return when the new site launches. When it does, please use the new form that will be available on the new site to make submissions. As soon as I have one, I’ll begin the new On The Road. One issue with the new form and site is that the old OTR content will not be edited to look like the new OTR stuff, so layout, etc. will be very different. It looks good and works well, clean and simple – I can’t wait for the first submission and post!
That plus my moving is why I’m fine with having a hiatus – there will be a clean break between old and new content and layout, etc. and I don’t have a lot of time for the next couple of weeks. I’m still mid-craziness, though things are getting better by the day.
Continuing the series from HinTN.
The only one from Dead Horse Point State Park.
Dead Horse Point – Colorado River View from Ryans Bench
Dead Horse Point State Park is a small slice of the hugeness that is Islands in the Sky, but it is especially beautiful in its overlooking of the Colorado River. This photograph is from the location of a bench placed in honor of a young man who loved these lands, worked at the park, and died much too young.
And then there’s Arches NP. Wow, just WOW!
The first of five from Arches National Park.
Arches – North and South Arch
This is more or less what I thought Arches was going to be about, but I was delighted to discover how much more there is to this small park.
Arches – Sand Dune Arch
Sand Dune Arch was located in an enclosed space reached by passing through a narrow defile. Sand collected in the space, creating a beach you could sink your bare feet into satisfyingly cool sand and kids could play underneath and on top of the arch itself.
Arches – Broken Arch Across the Desert
Emerging from the beach at Sand Dune, the trek across the desert to Broken Arch beckoned with this vista.
Arches – Arches in the Making Part 2
One of the most interesting aspects of being in Arches, indeed in all these parks, was the immediacy of the vastness of geologic time. Both water and wind work ever so slowly and inexorably on the seemingly immutable land. These “arches in the making” were exemplars of this work.
Arches – Landscape Arch and its Replacement
It was a brisk one hour round trip out to Landscape Arch, which in geologic time is probably not much longer for this world. Luckily, it has a replacement close to hand. If you look closely you can see how it’s growing wider.
Also too, Moab was a delightful town.
Wow, just wow. Utah has amazing geology and I’m so thankful you could share some of it with us. In the late ‘oughts, I did a couple of solo roadtrips from Colorado into Utah. Out West, I just love to drive and see, just see everything. So I went to Arches and did a couple of brief, hour hikes and took some (not so good!) photos and saw enough of Canyonlands to know I wanted to go and really explore and spend some time. Since then, I’ve learned of lots of interesting remains in Canyonlands, things left over from explorers, outlaws, hermits, Native tribes, etc. You could spend a lifetime exploring its entirety just on the geology, flora, and fauna, but with archaeology added, it really should be on folks’ “don’t-miss” list.
Have a great day, Halloween, and related holidays. I hope the Great Pumpkin is kind to you and yours.
It’s comforting that my mother died on All Soul’s Day/Dia de los Muertos. I’ve been a light collector/fan of Day of the Dead artwork, sculptures, and figurines for over 20 years now, but this year everything is packed; pre-Christmas, decorating isn’t a priority right now!
On that note, OTR shall return with the new site, take care, all!
JPL
WOW!
HinTN
@JPL: My thought exactly, every time I turned around out there in that amazing country.
debbie
Awe-inspiring. It is imperative these federal lands be kept safe from American “interests.”
Mary G
Beautiful! Glad the lost pictures have been found!
arrieve
Magnificent. Maybe I can get to Utah next year?
Gin & Tonic
I’ve been fortunate and had the opportunity to visit and tour Utah a bunch of times. I think everybody should drive Route 12 between Bryce and Torrey at least once – one of the most beautiful driving experiences in the US, IMO, going through the Escalante/Boulder area.
Here’s one of my favorite pics from along the road.
rikyrah
Absolutely gorgeous ??
Dmbeaster
I have been fortunate to have enjoyed many extended visits to red rock country, and would be happy to give travel tips to anyone. Everywhere is amazing. Zion is the crown jewel. My favorite park after Zion is Capital Reef, which is truly special. The Burr Trail which leaves Hwy 12 at Boulder is spectacular (Hwy 12 itself is a must), as is the hiking trail Upper Muley Twist that starts on that section. The Burr Trail intersects the Notom-Bullfrog Road that is special. Taking the ferry over the Colorado at Bullfrog/Halls Crossing at the southern end of Notom-Bullfrog is fun. Taking a houseboat trip out of Halls Crossing is a bucket list item (and I am ready for a repeat). The backcountry 55 mile Cathedral Valley drive in Capital Reef is an adventure that is worth the driving difficulty. Throughout red rock country are countless slot canyons that are spectacular to walk. They range from easy to difficult.
The Arches and Moab area are remarkable but of a different character.
Rand Careaga
While I’ve enjoyed my several visits there, one faintly comical encounter from six years ago has lodged in memory. A fairly lengthy government shutdown was in progress that October, which had closed the nearby national forests, parks, recreation areas, and Moab and environs had accordingly seen a dramatic drop in the volume of tourists. The merchants weren’t happy. I was browsing through a cheesy souvenir emporium while the spousette shopped for clothes a couple of doors away. There wasn’t another customer in the shop, so the elderly proprietress chose me to vent upon. The shutdown was horrible! I politely agreed that it was poor public policy. And it was all Obama’s fault! Worst president ever! Noncommital grunt. A disgrace to the office! Didn’t I think so? At this point I spoke up, in a tone of great courtesy. “Actually, ma’am, I’m from out San Francisco way, and most of us think he’s doing a pretty good job.” The old lady was thunderstruck, and in a voice quavering with outrage snapped “Well, I’m glad you live there and not here!” “I’d call that a win-win, then, ma’am,” I replied, touching the brim of my hat, and took my leave.
Gin & Tonic
@Dmbeaster: I was in Capitol Reef early one spring, hiking along the Upper Muley Twist, doing the rim route, when clouds started rolling in. Took me a while to realize what was happening, and then a bit of a rush to get to a point where I could reasonably get down. Started to rain, then the rain started to turn to wet snow. I knew I was really exposed and thought I heard thunder as well. Managed to get down and pitch my tent partially under an overhang. In the morning, my hat which was next to me in the tent was frozen. Not much snow, so I hiked back out the canyon route without a problem, but spent some time thinking about the previous day. Top of that ridge is a bad place to be in a storm.
Darrin Ziliak (formerly glocksman)
Those pics would make amazing computer & phone background pics, especially the one of Sand Dune Arch.
Beautiful work.
Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho
Stunning.
susanna
Fantastic! Pictures and comments are now forming an upcoming trip. Thanks to all of you.
Having lived first half of life in NW, we drove everywhere and often, and I still prefer that experience wherever I travel.
Elizabelle
Inspiring. Thanks very much, H.
Got to see that area of the country.
getsmartin
Totally love the area in and around Moab. Managed a winter visit a couple of years ago where we entered Arches early and had the Windows section all to ourselves with a light snowfall. Magical it was! I do hear that summer crowds are pretty bad, though. My NP visiting strategy has always been to avoid the high season. Also, every visitor to Arches should read Edward Abbey’s “Desert Solitaire”. Another gem to indulge is to drive out of Moab on Hwy 128, paralleling the Colorado River towards Castle Valley and Fisher Towers – stunning vistas with far fewer people that the national parks.
Brachiator
Wonderful photographs
Brings back memories. Eons ago, after I graduated college, some friends and I drove home across country. We briefly stopped in Moab. Nice little town.
TomatoQueen
Ave atque vale to OTR version 1 and especial thanks to Alain for running it and to all who sail within for their fabulous contributions. Looking forward to OTR 2.0.
Denali
We spent the month of March based in Moab several years ago. Your stunning photos of Arches National Park and Dead Horse Canyon Park and Canyonlands Parks brought back memories of this stunning area. Just an amazing part of the country.
J R in WV
Great photos today, as usual. OTR has provided a great outlet for B-Jer’s photos, and allowed us to see a bit into each other’s lives in a very unexpected way. I want to thank Alain for doing the work, and everyone who posted their photos to the site — well done, everyone!
From deep space to middle European cities, and everything in between, wonderful things to see and remember!
JanieM
Beautiful country out there.
My friends and I hiked out west for a couple of summers during grad school years. One year we drove from the east coast through my home town in Ohio and onward directly to Moab, intending to hike in Arches for a few days as the start to that summer’s itinerary. (This was not long after it had changed over from a National Monument to a National Park.)
Driving from comparatively lush New England, through comparatively lush northeastern Ohio, to Moab, almost without pause (we had 3 or 4 drivers, we took turns and drove all night), made Moab seem like a dusty scratch in the desert.
Then we got lost while hiking in Arches. Not tragically lost, and not really *very* lost at all, but lost enough to have a night of worry about our drinking water supply (which is a whole other story).
We made our way out with no trouble in the end, and when we got back to Moab it looked like the most gorgeous green oasis I had ever seen. ;-)
My backpacking days are long gone, and I haven’t been out west for oh, thirty years or so. it’s nice to see these pictures and get a reminder of the fact that the world is beautiful in so many different ways.