This park is so big I had to spend the better part of two days to see most of what I wanted to see. It's the hiking part that slows me down, you can drive through it all in less than a day but you don't get to see everything. The photo above shows me under the Delicate Arch, an hour's hike mostly uphill on sandy trails and slick rock. Slick rock isn't really slick, it's rock covering a massive area that's been shaped almost smooth by wind and weather. It's usually good to hike on as long as you've got hiking boots with good traction, since it's not really slippery. The first day I was there, it was totally overcast the entire day, great for hiking and keeping cool - but not great for pictures.
This area is full of gigantic red rock formations shaped by changing geological conditions and weather for millions of years. The scenery here is spectacular, within a few short miles you are surrounded by these rock formations and then you'll come across a valley area with mesas at the horizon. This arch is the iconic one shown on license plates and other advertising for the area.
I hiked to several other arches that day, most of the other hikes weren't as strenuous or as long.
really special place. It brought back memories for me. I loved the spacious feeling and also the beauty of the rocks and seeing the formations. I also loved seeing all of the plateaus and reading about the various levels of exposed rocks over geological time. Thanks for sharing! Cheers, Maria
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