Arches National Park 2016

We've been to Arches National Park twice before so this time we avoided the arches themselves (and the endless crowds) and just enjoyed some of the magnificent rock formations instead. This is the best time to visit this area as well as the Fall so there were a LOT of people...and buses full of tourists as well. One day, we turned around at the entrance because there were at least 30 cars in each of the two lanes to get into the park.

As usual...the rock formations are beyond description so I'm going to just put a number of photos in here and, at the end, you'll see a link to the photos we took last year.

See the Arch?

Katie likes the rocks too!

This Kayenta formation had three layers. This one at the bottom, called the Dewer,  is the softest, hence the horizontal erosion.

What odd formations 

One of many Arches in the park

Fiery Furnace area

Balanced rock to the left

Fiery Furnace area

Fiery Furnace area closeup. The white is where the iron has leached out of the rock

Fiery Furnace area

Wiped out after a hike

Resting

Katie's paw prints in the sand

And we saw Mater in the town !

I wanna see, I wanna see !

Nice visit to Arches once again.

Steve, Kim and Katie


Here's a link to the photos we took the last visit:

https://plus.google.com/photos/100376105788369441882/albums/5868396503778844209

...and last year's blog entry...

http://stricksretirement.blogspot.com/2013/04/arches-national-park.html

http://stricksretirement.blogspot.com/2013/04/arches-more-photos.html

Castle Valley outside of Moab

One of the side trips we wanted to take while staying in Moab was to visit Castle Valley, which is up the Colorado River about 18 miles or so. Supposed to be a nice place to visit. On the way up, we couldn't help but stop and marvel...again...at the rock formations.

This is called Varnished Rock 

...and had a little fun....

They're HUGE !

PUUUUUUSSSSHHHHHH

I'm sure I felt it move!

Even Katie got in on the action

Okay, we finally get to Castle Valley...

Coming into view

And looking up the valey

Those are the "Castles" in the background

We drove the length and gained elevation. This is looking back

Coming back down from the end

Back in the valley

Kim loves the cows

Scarlet Globemallow (Common Globemallow)

Rough Mulesears

Rough Mulesears

Central Pricklyperar (Plains Pricklypeary)

Central Pricklyperar (Plains Pricklypeary) ....with bee

Central Pricklyperar (Plains Pricklypeary)

And, on the way home, next to the Colorado River, we stopped to take photos of the varnished rocks and some tubers.

How the heck did this form?

From ground level

looking downriver ground level

This looks like fun.

....and some happy Katie photos...

LOVES the wind

Look at her go !

Okay, that's it for this one. I hope you're not getting tired of the rock and the rock formations. They're endless.

Steve and Kim and Katie