Arches National Park: Curves of Natural Beauty

Anyone who has been on a road trip and played the ''license plate'' game will recognize this famous arch. Framing the La Sal Mountains in the background, it is one of the most recognizable natural features of the state of Utah

... and just happens to adorn the majority of its license plates.

Shaped over the last 100 million years by the forces of water and ice, extreme temperatures and underground salt movement, Delicate Arch and thousands of other curves of natural beauty rise up in the Utah high desert and form one of America's most beloved natural areas ... Arches National Park.

Now ''beloved'' can also translate to ''busy'' and ''overcrowded'' when talking about national parks. Arches attracts over 1.5 million visitors each year with most visiting during the peak hours of 8 am to 4 pm. In order to decrease congestion and distribute the number of visitors more evenly throughout the day, the Park Service is piloting a ''timed entry'' system from April through October of this year. So, in order to get into the park you need to get an on-line reservation in advance from the National Parks website.

Which, for non-planning travelers like us, could make it a bit of a challenge to see these beloved arches. But have no fear ... Doug found out that if we had a reservation at the campground in the national park, we did not need a ''timed entry'' reservation. Once again, the Wandering Labs app came through and informed us of a last minute cancellation, so we were able to reserve campsite for two nights at Devils Garden Campground inside Arches National park. 

Which was a win-win for us! A beautiful campsite overlooking a magical landscape of arches and spires and buttes ... and two days to enjoy the curves of natural beauty that make up Arches National Park.

Two days of hiking through spectacular canyons such as Park Avenue  

 ... and around Balanced Rock,

... and in the Garden of Eden where shapely spires tower over us and invite us to figure out an appropriate names for these unique sandstone sculptures.

Two days of sunrises and sunsets over the rock formations that surround Devils Garden Campground.

Two days of discovering 

...that we are not the first humans to be drawn to the beauty of this place.

And most enjoyably, two days of hiking over trails of sand and rock to capture a glimpse of the arches that fill this park with beauty and wonder.

Arches framed with wildflowers,

... and arches framed with pine trees.

New arches just beginning to form,

... and Delicate Arches that continue to thin

with the forces of weather and time.

Double arches that form side by side,

... and Double Arches that intermingle

with each other.

Arches that peer out over the desert below,

... and arches that capture the mountains beyond.

Arches that you can walk through,

... and arches that you can appear to help hold up.

Arches that only a Great Sculptor could create

... for us to enjoy!

So while it does require a bit more ''planning ahead'' to visit, it is well worth the effort to be able to see these spectacular curves of natural beauty that make Arches one of America's most beloved national parks. 

Monument Valley: The Heart of the Navajo Nation

As we drove west out of southern Colorado, we not only entered a new state, but also a new nation ... the Navajo Nation. This Native American territory covering portions of northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah is the largest land area governed by a Native American tribe in the United States.

Our first stop in this new ''nation'' may be considered one of those ''silly'' roadside stops, but it is something that I have always wanted to experience ever since I heard about it in US geography class many, many years ago ...

Four Corners Monument!

This point where four states (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona) come together is officially located in the Navajo Nation. They maintain and operate this tribal park and as a result of ''silly'' visitors like me, they can collect greatly needed revenue through entrance fees and sales of Native American crafts. 

The $8 admission was worth the chance for this multi-tasker to be in four places at one time! It was also fun to see the many Navajo arts and crafts that were for sale and be able to talk with the artisan who personally handcrafted my new dream-catcher earrings.

Yes, there are certain ''souvenirs'' that I will happily manage to find room for!

As we continued down the road, the landscape began to take on a ''monumental'' form. We were approaching one of the most photographed areas in the United States and the heart of the Navajo Nation ...

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

Monument Valley is a region known for its thousands of towering red sandstone mesas, buttes, and spires. This desert tribal park, equivalent to a national park, is a place full of ...

Geological Wonders

Towering sandstone monoliths by the thousands decorate this desert plateau. These iconic rock formations vary in height from 100 to 1500 feet. Many of these buttes have been named based on their perceived shape such as ...

Mitten Butte 

Three Sisters

(makes me miss my two sisters)

The Queen's Throne

Ruins, Rock Art, and Ancestral Holy Places of the Ancient Pueblo People

After the Ancient Pueble people left the Mesa Verde area, there is evidence that some settled in this area. Remnants of housing structures, pottery, and other artifacts have been uncovered and studied. Because these buttes are considered holy places by the Navajo Nation, rock climbing and other recreational activities are prohibited. By limiting human intrusion, the Navajo Nation will be able to keep this sacred area pristine for future generations to enjoy.

An Active Navajo Culture and Community

Unlike national park lands, Monument Valley Tribal Park is still ''home'' to many Navajo families. Like their ancestors, they continue to live and work off the land ... and keep their Navajo culture alive for future generations. 

Our tour guide, Henry has lived here his whole life and shared many Navajo stories with us as well as personal memories. It's so wonderful to feel the pride and love that he has for his native land.

Historic Film Locations

In the 1920's, Harry and Leone ''Mike'' Goulding fell in love with the Monument Valley region and opened a trading post there in order to attract others to visit the area and better the lives of their Native American neighbors. During the Depression years, the Gouldings were instrumental in persuading movie producer John Ford to come Monument Valley. He soon discovered the perfect location for his newest John Wayne production, Stagecoach.

And the rest, they say, is history. Monument Valley has become a familiar backdrop for many well-known westerns as well as other ''classics'' like Thelma and Louise, National Lampoon's Vacation, 2001: A Space Odyssey, 

... and my personal favorite, Forest Gump!

Run, Forest, Run!

Three Ways to Appreciate Monument Valley

Take a self-guided drive along the 17 mile Monument Valley Drive

For those who have smaller, more nimble vehicles then ours, it is possible to drive the scenic 17 mile gravel road called Valley Drive. While the trip can be slow going at times, it is a good way to see the mesas, buttes, and spires up close. 

 Take a guided tour 

One of the best ways to get to the ''heart'' of Monument Valley is to take a tour led by one of the many native Navajo tour guides. Their high clearance vehicles get you over some narrow, rocky terrain to areas that are not possible to see on the self-guided Valley Drive Loop. Their personal stories reflect their love for and pride in their native land. Tours start around $80 a person for a three+ hour tour.

Doug, who doesn't do sunrises, gave me a sweet gift when he signed us up for a sunrise tour. We even got photo proof that he actually was (sort of) smiling when he accomplished this crazy feat!

The brilliant colors as the sun peeked up behind Mitten Butte was well worth the cost of a few yawns amid nippy morning temperatures.

 

After the sun was up, we continued our guided tour through Monument Valley.

One of the benefits of taking a guided tour is that we were able to see some areas that are not accessible to the general public. Henry promised to show us one very special sight ... the sacred money tree. And sure enough, there were actually coins poking out of the money tree's bark. While I'm thinking that some of his ''stories'' may not be as ''authentic'' as others, the views were still pretty spectacular!

Hike the Wild Cat Trail

Because much of Monument Valley is home to several Navajo families, there are not a lot of hiking trails throughout the park. But we were able to see the buttes from a different prospective by hiking the four mile Wild Cat Trail.

The desert floor was alive with hardy wildflowers and plants,

... and the grandeur was even more spectacular as we looked up at the towering buttes.

From whatever angle you look at it, Monument Valley is truly a place where time stands still.

It provides a spectacular vision of the Wild West, but more importantly, Monument Valley is a place where the heart of the Navajo Nation is reflected through nature's magnificent sculptures.