Wild West Vacation: Arches National Park

On Thursday, we made the 3-hour drive from Glenwood Springs over to Utah to visit Arches National Park.

Things got hotter and drier as we headed into the desert.

You know how to spot a prairie dog town when driving through the desert?  When you see about a half-dozen dead prairie dogs on the road, look to the side.  Morbid? Yes. Effective? 100%.

Since Thursday was also Amy's birthday, we celebrated with Slurpees in Moab.

(Also cooling off before entering the 105-degree heat of the desert.)

The National Park system has a program called "Fourth Graders Get in Free".  Since Chloe & Essie were in the 4th Grade this year, we got into the park without paying the fee!

The rock formation to the right was one of the kids' favorites:  The Three Gossips.

Courthouse Rock

Sheep Rock

Petrified Dunes

Balanced Rock

Can you see the sliver of the moon on the left side of the column?

Chloe

AJ

North Window Arch

Essie, under the North Window

AJ

Dad

Essie

Chloe

South Window Arch

Can you see Chloe's yellow shirt down there?

Mom & Dad at South Window 

Family selfie at South Window

Turret Arch 

Approaching Turret Arch

Looking back through Turret Arch from the other side

View of the Windows through Turret Arch

Chloe's climbing rocks again.

Side view through Turret Arch

The North and South Windows

Double Arch

Garden of Eden

The arch on the left is Delicate Arch - one of Utah's most famous landmarks.

The Fiery Furnace - not named because it's hot, but because it burns red in late afternoon light.

Skyline Arch

Entering the Devil's Gardens area

  

Landscape Arch

All that walking in the heat, and these kids still have energy to burn.

Up next:  Weekend at Uncle Ron's