Arches National Park

Wednesday, April 25, 2012 Day 318

Arches National Park wasn't that far from Mesa Verde, and on our route, so we were excited to see another national park on this trip. The weather has been just perfect for days now...80's, clear skies, light wind. There are over 2000 catalogued arches ranging in size from a 3 foot opening to the largest which is 306 feet long. The geology of the land is so incredible...stretches of desolate land, then these incredible formations everywhere. Butch Cassidy and his gang hid out here, and it's easy to see how!

This raven posed perfectly for us in front of a formation called "Balanced Rock". This rock really does look like it could tumble off at any time.

This formation is called "Double Arches".

This one is called "North Window". There is another arch right next to it called South Window.

This cabin was built in the early 1900's..it replaced an earlier cabin built by John Wesley Wolfe who homesteaded here in the late 1800s with his son Fred alone for over 10 years. When his daughter and family arrived later, she made him improve the cabin, and it remains here to this day. We just can't imagine living way out here, all alone, for so long! It seems such a harsh country to try to make a living in.

As we said, the weather has been perfect for many days, and it's beginning to turn. There are clouds tonight, and rain predicted for tomorrow. We're headed to Salt Lake City tomorrow to pick up Judy's Handiquilter...hopefully fixed for good this time...then back home. It'll be hard to put the shorts away! Total miles driven today= 155