Arches National Park

Spent a delightful day hiking and exploring Arches National Park.  What a great place!  In the morning we hiked up to Delicate Arch.  It was quitet and peaceful.  Not many people around when we started.  By the time we were on our way down, there were many headed up.

It wasn't too hot and was well worth the effort.  We hiked in a variety of terrains...

For a while we were on a nice broad well developed path.  It was up hill but not difficult.

Then there was a long steep incline on this flat rock (called slickrock) in the sun...the cairns showed us the way.

Suddenly it was pretty flat with trees, flowers and this pretty, layered rock.  Almost seemed like a little park in the desert.

Andy thot I was overdressed for a hike...but the little jacket didn't last too long.

This last little bit was a path along the edge of a cliff around the back of the mountain...that suddenly opened up to the arch.  

That is us down under the arch - hardly noticeable!

This is the arch from its side...

The views were spectacular and the arch was amazing.  Very satisfying!  You do have to keep drinking water tho....

Near the parking lot there were two interesting historical spots...

Some Ute Petroglyphs...

The Wolfe Ranch - The old homestead of a family who lived in the wilderness, isolated in a remote and harsh place.  

After a picnic lunch in a pretty little spot, we explored four more areas....

The Balanced Rock area...

Wonder what it will be like to be there when the top topples?

More cairns...actually you are not supposed to play around with the rocks, but everyone does!

From the back side on the road this rock formation looked like the back of a hand...

Next we explored and enjoyed the Garden of Eden....

Then it was on to the Windows Section of the park....very beautiful and majestic!

There were two windows.  The one above tou could walk through...

The one below you looked up to see...

Not far away was a huge Turret Arch...  That's Andy up there in the opening!

Last but not least was the Double Arch.  It was magnificent!

While we were there a German couple launched a camera drone.  It was so cool!  Never seen anything like it.  They sent it out over the double arch...it must have gone up 1000 feet and out 1/4 of a mile.  It probably rattled a few people when it came down into the arch!  Was fun to watch. We were surprised how fast it could go and how long it stayed out!  Would loved to have seen the photos/video!

You had to hike in to see the double arch.  The drone was launched from the parking lot so the people at the arch had no idea what it was.