Arches National Park , Utah

Balance Rock

The park was amazing, and we spent the entire day exploring and hiking, leaving no rock unturned!  Well, maybe a couple!  Actually, the only thing we didn't do that I would like to have done, was hike right up to the famous Delicate Arch.  We opted for the shorter hike to the overlook after being told the last part was steep and on rock.  Clem was not terribly excited about the prospect of that.  And I wanted him to pace himself so we could do the hike to the Landscape Arch, which had a chunk fall out in 1991.  It could disappear any day, so I really wanted to see it .  One giant arch stretching the length of a football field.  We arrived back hot and tired from a full day, and though I have looked through the many photos,  they will have to wait for another time to put up an album so you can see more, if you are interested.

I have to say a word about being hot.  The day started out in the 40's and we layered up.  By afternoon, it was only 69 degrees, yet the sun was so strong, we were very warm.  It topped out at 72 degrees, and yet folks were in the pool when we got back to our RV.  Dry air, and elevation of about 5000 feet, makes for hot sunshine!

It was very interesting to go on a guided walk with a park ranger, who described the process of the formations, and the vegetation and life forms.  We saw only chipmunks, and cute little things called White Tailed Antelope Squirrels, who managed to elude my lens!  About the size of chipmunks, they are light colored, with white  bushy tails, that they carry them over their back to shield them from the sunshine.  

The ranger demonstrated how the ground is really alive, by pouring water from her bottle on a small area of red sandy ground, and it amazingly turned green and fuzzy!  Just one step can destroy the layer that holds it all together, and take 250 years to revive.