Arches National Park
Tuesday, 20 September - Friday, 23 September, 2022
The most iconic of the arches in Arches: Delicate Arach.
We posed at the entrance sign, using a handy NPS-provided platform. This was our 29th National Park together. Photo by Eric.
In an attempt to improve the visitor experience, the Park Service has implemented a reservation system for Arches and other popular parks. It is difficult to make camping reservations in popular national parks, requiring signup six months in advance. This time, I had had the hardest time ever, and it took me attempts on three different days to book the reservation. I had hoped to spend Sunday through Tuesday nights in Arches, but I was only able to book Tuesday through Thursday nights instead, thus necessitating finding some other activities to occupy us before we could enter Arches.
Camping, for all of its inconveniences, is the best way to visit Arches. Even with the reservation system, and on a rainy day, there are long lines for entry. Campers only need enter once. Photo by Eric.
Looking back through the Moab Fault at the highway and the line of cars for entry.
Before we approached the park, we attempted to supply ourselves with enough goods that we would not need to make a multi-hour run into nearby Moab. Eric put in a curbside pickup order at the City Market for some fresh meat, veggies, and all-important ice. A heavily tattooed and pierced Justin unloaded our order while an annoying man stood in our way trying to get the phone number off of the sign in our partking spot, even though it was on the sign in every other parking spot in the area. I made a 2-minute run into an Ace Hardware to grab a couple of cans of propane. It turned out to have been exceedingly fortunate that I did that.
The Devil's Garden campground is at the north end of the park, while the Visitor Center and entry are all the way at the southern end, 29 km/18 mi away. We didn't have a lot of time to stop and see sights along the road as we headed for the campground, but we stopped for a few.
Courthouse Towers.
Eric photographed this wall of rock.
Eric photographed Balanced Rock.
Another feature Eric photographed along the road.
As we finally approached the campground, Eric photographed Skyline Arch from the raod.
The campground was one of the loveliest in which we have ever camped. We set up our blockhouse as a bathroom, and it was the nicest camp bathroom we've ever had.
The views were outstanding from every direction. Photo by Eric.
As we were unloading, Susie, the camp host, drove by in a golf cart and greeted us. We asked her for the location of the camp store. She explained that there was none, that there was no place in the park to buy even an ice cube.
This was a serious blow. We had just bought fresh food, and had expected to be able to buy ice to keep it cold. Our choices were either to manage without it, or to spend many hours going back into Moab. Looking around, just about everyone else seemed to have an RV.
It seems ludicrous that the Park Service, which is trying to limit traffic in the park, would have people driving almost 70 km/40 mi round trip to get supplies. Other campgrounds in major parks where we have camped have always had an easy way to get supplies. We would have to do the best we could.
As Eric was starting to make dinner on our camp stove, Susie came around on her golf cart again. This time, the bad news she brought was that thunderstorms and possible flooding were expected overnight.
Jealous of everyone else with their RV's, I moved all of our gear around, from the back seat to the front, so that I could set up our mattress and sleeping bags in the back of Mather.
He looked like one of the cars in our neighborhood that people are living in. Photo by Eric.
Meanwhile, Eric made (and photographed) delicious chicken fajitas.
The next day, Eric would make (and photograph) an entirely different dinner.
In spite of its limitations, we enjoyed the campground.
A lovely sunset from the campground. It was beautiful enough to attempt astrophotography, but it was at least partially overcast the entire time we were there.
Day 4 distance hiked: 0 km/0 mi
Day 5 distance hiked: 3.0 km/1.9 mi
Day 6 distance hiked: 7.7 km/4.8 mi
Day 4 distance driven: 47 km/29 mi, cumulative 1,952 km/1,213 mi
Day 5 distance driven: 61 km/38 mi, cumulative 2,013 km/1,251 mi
Day 6 distance driven: 29 km/18 mi, cumulative 2,042 km/1,269 mi
Day 4 caches found: 1
Day 5 caches found: 4
Day 6 caches found: 4
On to The Fiery Furnace.