Arches National Park

     We decided to stay central to both Arches and Canyonlands in Moab. Moab is a small city but has many RV parks. Unfortunately these are all right on the busy road so there is road noise. Had we known, we would have reserved a campsite for 2 days in one of the two parks. Neither park has showers or hookups but offers the quiet one associates with camping. The RV park we wound up in was named Canyonlands and was certainly adequate for our needs. Clean bathrooms, a pool, full hookups but it was the most expensive we have encountered at 50 bucks a night and was very crowded and the sites quite small. Arches was the first stop after parking the trailer and the sun was almost down.
     At first glance the rocks look like the spine of some long dead beast but on second look seem to appear as all kinds of shapes and forms.

There is the petrified sand dunes that look like a painting of haystacks,

And the park has a great reputation of sunsets.

There is the obligatory picture of Balanced Rock but honestly, I was more impressed with the Balancing Rock seen at Garden of the Gods. This is Balanced Rock at sunset in Arches.

We took the Salt Valley off road - not a bad road. Nice views without people around. This is from the second day there.

I spotted our first and so far only snake. What do you think?

This one is called the Whale.

This is Mesa Arch - really cool and a very short walk. No pets allowed. Dog had to stay in the car.

The cool thing was walking between the rocks to see it - hidden away.

Then there was this one - neither of us could remember the name.

And the one most photographed, delicate arch. Park rules clearly state no climbing on the named arches. People were climbing all over them. If the park is supposed to protect the arches, they were clearly not doing their job but then again I am sure they are understaffed due to budget restrictions. People are really stupid in that we saw one chubby man standing on top of one of the arches that is not very stable and had a sign saying so. The arch was a simple meeting of two stones and had been crumbling but the man climbed up it anyway - it was easily accessed. Not bright.

But then there was the unexpected sights like these sand dunes of different colors. Some of these have sparkly gypsum pieces laying on them that shimmer in the sunlight.

This is a hopper truck delivering sand to the parking lot that is being made bigger to accommodate so many visitors. This is the parking lot before the delicate arch parking lot.

This is my personal favorite and as far as I know is unnamed, I would call it the stupa because that is what it looks like. I liked the colors at sunset with the mountains in the distance.

Arches is a small park and while we liked it, after seeing Canyonlands, I cannot understand how Arches was allowed into the National Park system as it is not unique and one of the mandates is that the area be unique. I am disappointed that money is spent in double to protect both of these parks yet none is spent on Hovenweep that we had seen because it is not a National Park but a Monument. I don't know who has the political pull to make 5 National Parks in Utah but to us this is excessive and a waste of your tax monies. Parks need to be unique and while Arches is beautiful, it is not unique. If you see Canyonlands and the rock arches there, you will  have seen the natural beauty that is Arches. We had a great time here but if you are pressed for time - see Canyonlands! Get out there and see your National Parks - your tax dollars at work!