Can't Get Enough Utah!
We kinda bopped around Utah and Arizona for a bit, so after Monument Valley, we headed back over the border to Moab as our jumping-off point to explore Arches and Canyonlands. It’s really cool driving into this part of the state. You start seeing arches right off the road as you get closer to Arches National Park.
Arches itself was incredible. We did a beautiful little hike to Landscape Arch, and of course we had to see the famous Delicate Arch. I think the kids’ favorite was Sand Dune Arch, which felt like a giant natural playground with a huge sandbox under the arch (Sayer’s dream come true!) and tons of fun rock-scrambling spots. The kids invented an entire imaginary world in one area where each section of rock became a different room in their “house.”
We all really enjoyed Moab. It’s a super cute little city with lots of great food. They even have a food-truck park which we went two nights in a row, and the kids were still begging for a third.
Moab must be the heart of off-roading because we were completely surrounded by every type of off-road vehicle imaginable. We stayed a week and eventually couldn’t resist trying it ourselves, so we signed up for a side-by-side tour. We debated renting one and going out on our own, but we’re so glad we chose the tour. Aaron and I each had our own vehicle, and the kids took turns riding with us. Our guide led us up the wildest obstacles I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t believe the vehicles could do it without flipping. They seemed to defy all laws of physics (or, more likely, they followed them and I just don’t understand physics). There’s no way I would’ve attempted any of those routes if we’d gone out alone.
The campground was great, and we lucked out with a family staying at the adjacent site whose kids were the same ages as ours. They were such sweet kids, and we loved hanging out with them. We joined them for a mountain bike ride one afternoon where, somehow, both moms forgot our sneakers and ended up biking in socks and sandals. It was ridiculous. Sayer still refuses to learn to ride a bike (hey, at least my little dude is hiking now, I’ll take what I can get), so he and I did the easiest trail with his tag-along attached to my bike. The girls crushed it, and Grier even conquered her fear of riding on sandy and gravelly trails!
We wrapped up our stay with a visit to Canyonlands National Park (yes, more canyons). Honestly, the only thing I truly remember about this park was Shafer Trail, the insane road we drove down into the canyon, with sheer drop-offs that don’t care about your feelings and no option out once you’re committed, followed by the next four hours we spent questioning our life choices as we bounced along the WORST dirt road in existence for ALL OF THE MILES, in our very stiff, great-for-towing but terrible-for-off-roading giant truck. It somehow managed to be the most terrifying and the most boring experience of my entire life. And y’all, I’ve done some scary and boring things in my time. I can officially say I’ve survived Shafer Trail, and I never need to do it again.
Going back through our pics suggests we did do something else while there but Shafer Trail is all I have in my mind!
