After having spent 12 amazing days in Bryce Canyon, we headed northeast to Moab for about a week, and then (finally) into Colorado so that we could visit The Four Corners.
In Moab, we were back to very hot days, so we didn’t end up doing very much outdoor exploring. Even with the heat, we couldn’t pass up knocking a few more National Parks off our list. One of the biggest draws to the area is Arches National Park — and man, it did not disappoint!
If you’re visiting the park, you have to reserve a time to get in — unless you enter before 6 am and after 5 pm. We chose to get up early and watch a sunrise in the park, choosing the North Window Arch as the place we would greet the day.
While the views were amazing, what I found most profound about the sunrise experience was the absolute quiet. There were at least 25 people perched on the rocks in the wee hours of the morning, and you could hear a pin drop as we all sat quietly, each in our own thoughts as we awaited the dawn of a new day. It was one of the most memorable experiences I have had in the last several years. With all the craziness and chaos of recent times, I was overcome by this feeling of how small I was amid the vast rocks and expansive space around me. There was no noise. There was no anger or angst hanging in the air between us. Just an overwhelming feeling of calm. For the first time in a while, I felt a really strong feeling of hope. Of belonging. And even more than that, there was this overall feeling of togetherness. Without words, we all knew we were experiencing something beautiful, together. And that’s something that has been tough to find in recent years. Common ground.
The other National Park we were able to visit while in Moab was Canyonlands. This one was a surprise. It is the largest National Park in Utah but is often overlooked by visitors who have Arches on their radar. It’s definitely a bit more off the beaten path, but the views are absolutely incredible.
Moab was our last stop in Utah, after having spent more than a month in the state. It’s been an amazing adventure, and now we are ready to move on to Colorado and New Mexico!
