May 1-2, 2021: Silt, CO -- Moab, Utah 拱门国家公园

May 1, 2021 Day 14: Silt, CO -- Moab, Utah

Moab has a small-town feel. Dirty billboards advertising hotels and 4x4 Jeep rentals are framed against the looming sandstone plateaus blocking the sky.

In the mornings, we visited Iron mountain hot springs again and tested every single pool. Each was a different temperature; 94 degrees - 108 degrees Fahrenheit. While heading out, a woman sitting on the edge of a pool was talking with her friend and said “I’m embracing my tummy.” I wish more people had that attitude, and told her so. The maintenance guys told us additional info: four springs feed into the pools at different temperatures, mixed to the right temperature in some pools. They contained the same minerals, which were explained in small plaques across the pools.

At a stop at a Chinese buffet, several different employees helped us find the closest Asian market.

After dinner, we walked around a touristy downtown of Moab. At the North Face store, the owner and a teenager on her first day talked to us about Arches National Park; they said it would be good to arrive before six and to arrive at 4:30am to see the sunrise over Delicate Arch.

May 2, 2021 Day 15: Moab, Utah

This day, we got up in the early morning at 4 am to make it to Arches National Park before sunrise. My dad drove the way there; it was a dark, winding road on the cliffside. All the rocks were grey. The climb itself was a solid hike across rocks and sand, as the sun slowly cast a golden hue over the landscape. At one point, there was a rock scramble up to a viewpoint - an arch framing Delicate Arch and the sandstone beneath it. The bushes spread out beneath it; it was majestic - circles inside circles. I met a lady there who suggested that we hike the Devil’s Garden trail up to “Double-O Arch” which was strenuous, but as she said, you can do it. We reached Delicate Arch on a flat expanse of rock above the terrain. There were maybe 40 people spread out among the rocks, one on top of a tall one around two or three-stories high. I wanted to go up there. The rock climb was slightly difficult but I made it.

The Arch itself I thought wasn’t too spectacular. It’s just a strange rock. The old lady and her family advised us to go to the park at dusk too.

At dusk, we returned to the park. The ranger had told us that at night she would recommend a shorter hike, to Double Arch. We hiked this one, and climbed to the rocks beneath the two arches.