Referring to Arches, Edward Abbey opens Desert Solitaire with these words: “This is the most beautiful place on earth.” Here is where Nature as Artist does some of her most impressive work. Rock arches and natural bridges defy belief and, it seems, gravity. Our hikes into remote canyons and through slickrock country take us through time: time when all around us was a shallow inland sea, time when the Anasazi inscribed their mysteries on the walls of these canyons. In the warmth of a sunny day, the sky is so blue it dazzles you. In the cool clear nights, it’s the stars that are dazzling – more than you’ve ever seen before. Bring a sketch pad and a good pair of boots; a sense of wonder will be supplied.
The hiking terrain is varied and fairly moderate for the most part. Each day encompasses some flat areas, including walking in dry stream beds and through canyon bottoms, but we will also be walking up to a number of canyon rims. Our trails sometimes cross from canyon to canyon, meaning we will be walking on different levels of the sandstone formations, giving us outstanding views of the surrounding areas.
Located in Southeastern Utah, the canyon systems we’ll visit contain some of America’s wildest and most remote canyons, arches, and natural bridges. Our explorations will take us into side canyons that were some of the last places to be explored in the U.S.
Our first three days will find us in and near Arches National Park, just north of Moab, Utah. During our adventure, we’ll enjoy a number of trails, including our beginning hike to Delicate Arch and a longer 5-mile trek along the Park’s desert “primitive trail.” We’ll also explore the Needles Unit of Canyonlands National Park, visit famous Newspaper Rock, view numerous Petroglyphs and Pictographs, and see some of the best scenery in SE Utah. Our last two days find us exploring the wonders of one of Utah’s jewels, Capitol Reef National Park, on the Chimney Rock and Pleasant Creek trails.
