Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park
Today's sights included Wilson Arch, Mesa Arch, Balancing Rock, Double Arch, The Windows Section, Devil's Garden Trailhead (Landscape Arch and Double O Arch), and Delicate Arch.
I originally wanted to get up early to see the sunrise at the arches, but the weather wasn't great. I went to Wilson Arch first; it was very steep and shaky. Luckily, my hiking boots had good grip. Looking down from the top was terrifying—such a thrilling first attraction!
Then I arrived at the entrance to Arches National Park, only to find out I needed to book online beforehand. Luckily, I booked an afternoon entry, which cost $2. We then decided to drive an hour to nearby Canyonlands National Park to see Mesa Arch first. Mesa Arch was definitely worth it; Canyonlands is spectacular.
I arrived at Arches National Park at 1 PM and hiked Double Arch and The Windows Section, which I really enjoyed. The hike took about 30 minutes, and the weather was great—easy and beautiful.
Next came the highlight, the "Devil's Trail," which truly lived up to its name—it was hell! The first 30 minutes led to the Landscape Arch, the world's second longest natural arch. Because the earlier parts seemed so easy, we underestimated the difficulty of the Double O Arch. Online reviews recommended hiking experience for this trail, and it was indeed true. Walking on narrow, high rocks, we frequently had to use our hands to climb rock walls up to an adult's height, constantly going up and down. The landmarks were very unclear. We hiked like this for 3-4 hours, returning to the car completely exhausted. My hands were so sore I could barely grip them; I was severely dehydrated and dehydrated.
Finally, of course, we didn't have the energy or time to visit Delicate Arch, a Utah landmark and the image on Utah license plates. Although we saw it from a distance, it was a real disappointment…
Arches are formed by the erosion of rock by wind and rain, creating holes of varying sizes, which are then named. There were over 2000 here! So cool! But hiking the Devil's Trail 😈 was terrifying! It was hot, steep, difficult, deserted, and without any signs. We thought we were about to die among the rocks, but it also became the most memorable national park trail of my life.
We stayed overnight in Green River, about an hour's drive away, and treated ourselves to incredibly delicious pork ribs. Haha, that ended a day that almost killed us.
Restaurant Name: Tamarisk Restaurant
Accommodation: Super 8 By Wyndham Green River, a reasonably priced American chain hotel with a swimming pool, spa♨️, and breakfast.
#ArchesNationalPark
#CanyonlandsNationalPark
#USRoadTrip