Landscape Arch in Arches National Park

We went back to Arches National Park the next day, driving straight to the end of the park, to do the Landscape Arch hike. This is a fairly easy 1.9 mile (3.1 km) stroll along a mostly flat gravel and sand path, though there were some short steep hills.

The line of cars to get through the entrance station; we continue to believe that all parks should have an express line for people with park passes; most of the holdup is due to people paying and/or asking questions:

Entrance queue

Looking downhill at the entrance station and switchbacks:

Switchbacks

Switchbacks

Switchbacks

Rocks:

Rocks

The parking area for the Landscape Arch and Devils Garden hikes:

Rocks and parking

Info on the trail, and also how the fins are formed:

Info

Start of the hike:

Start of the hike

Path

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Path

Rocks

A first look at the Landscape Arch; a little hard to see against the backdrop of rocks:

Landscape Arch

Info:

Info

Closer:

Landscape Arch

Easier to see with sky behind it:

Landscape Arch

Another nearby arch:

Arch

Landscape Arch

Landscape Arch

Jenn taking a picture of me:

Jenn

The path used to go under the arch, but that is closed since part of it collapsed:

End of the path

Landscape Arch

Landscape Arch

Landscape Arch

Jenn & David

Landscape Arch

On the way back, we took a half-mile side path to Pine Tree arch:

Pine Tree arch

Pine Tree arch

Pine Tree arch

And the Tunnel arches:

Tunnel arches

Tunnel arches

Back at the start of the trail:

End of the trail

Afterwards, we had a picnic dinner at a nice spot:

Picnic dinner

Picnic dinner

We were rather hot, but had come prepared with cooling headbands; I kinda look like a hippie:

David with cooling headband

Finally, some fins:

Fins

Sand Dune Arch, picnic, secret back road for Arches National Park

We had an afternoon timed-entry ticket for Arches National Park, so went there a second time, this time going to the visitor center:

Arches sign

Some animal sculptures outside:

Sculptures

Relief map:

Relief map

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Visitor center

Visitor center

Rocks:

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Tree

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Lizard

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

A short hike to Sand Dune Arch, nestled amongst rock fins:

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Arch:

Arch

Arch

Arch

Jenn & David

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Tree

Skyline Arch:

Skyline Arch

We stopped in a nice picnic area:

Picnic area

And had a picnic dinner at a very secluded table:

Picnic dinner

Picnic dinner

Rocks

Rocks

On a whim, we decided to head down a dirt road (I had previously checked it on the map):

Dirt road

Dirt road

Dirt road

It led to the Tower Arch trailhead:

Rocks

Rocks

Jenn

We then continued along the road, leaving the park via the “secret” back entrance to the park:

Dirt road

Salt Valley Road, via public BLM land; you could avoid the timed entry requirement by coming in this way, though it is several miles of rough dirt road, so not for the faint of heart or non-4WD vehicles:

Dirt road

Dirt road

Dirt road

Dirt road

Back to the highway:

Dirt road

The Needles in Canyonlands National Park

The day after visiting the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park, we went back to The Needles section, “named for the colorful spires of Cedar Mesa Sandstone that dominate the area”.

But on the way, we stopped for a picnic lunch at the Kane Springs rest area, next to the Hole ‘N the Rock tourist trap:

Hole N the Rock

The rest area has nice picnic shelters, where we had our lunch:

Picnic lunch

Though it was rather overrun with tent caterpillars:

Caterpillars

The rest area:

Rest area

Rocks

Continuing on down the road, a glimpse of an arch:

Arch

Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument petroglyphs:

Petroglyphs

Petroglyphs

Continuing on, more interesting rock formations:

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Entering the national park:

Canyonlands sign

Visitor center:

Visitor center

What’s in bloom?

What's in bloom?

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Rocks:

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Wooden Shoe rock:

Wooden Shoe rock

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Needles Overlook, a free viewpoint outside the park, with a great view, and nice paths, benches, and shelters:

Needles Overlook

Needles Overlook

Needles Overlook

Needles Overlook

Lizard

Needles Overlook

Needles Overlook

Needles Overlook

Jenn & David

Needles Overlook

Needles Overlook

Needles Overlook

Needles Overlook

Sunset in Arches National Park

After visiting Canyonlands National Park, and stopping in Moab for dinner, we did a quick drive into Arches National Park just before sunset.

Arches currently requires one-hour timeslot entry tickets, but is freely open to all after 17:00 (5 PM). We had timed entry tickets for several days, but took advantage of this free-for-all time on this occasion (and another evening).

Here’s a map of Arches; tap or click it to view the NPS map:

Arches map

Entry sign:

Arches National Park sign

Some nice alpenglow on the rocks:

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Balanced rock:

Rocks

Arches:

Arch

Arch

Arches

Arches

Arches

Arch

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Sun

The famous Delicate Arch, viewed from the lower viewpoint:

Delecate Arch

Delecate Arch

Delecate Arch

Nice glow:

Rocks

Rocks

Sunset

Arch

Back to Arches again soon!

Video

Video: timelapse of nine days in an RV Park, Green River KOA Journey

I thought I’d try a new kind of timelapse video: I moved the dashcam to record a faster timelapse out a side window, showing how the Green River KOA Journey RV park changes over several days. KOA Journey parks are focused on short-term stays, so have a high turnover of guests; most staying only for one night. We were unusual in that we stayed for 11 nights; this short video shows nine days.

Green River KOA Journey

We stayed at Green River KOA Journey in Green River, Utah. (Campground Reviews listing.)

Dates:

  • Check in: 2022-05-11
  • Check out: 2022-05-22
  • 11 nights

Weather:

  • Mostly sunny
  • High temps ranging between 69-94°F, lows around 39-58°F
  • Windy several afternoons, with gusts up to 40 MPH on a couple of days

Noise:

  • Negligible road noise, occasional distant train noise
  • Quiet neighbors

Site:

  • #50, pull-through, gravel
  • Didn’t need to disconnect toad; parked behind coach
  • Large site: about 100 feet long by about 40 feet wide
  • Full hookups:
    • 50 amp power somewhat conveniently located
    • Good water pressure, 60 PSI, somewhat conveniently located
    • Good sewer connection, conveniently located
  • Picnic table on cement pad; fire pit
  • Nice new landscaping

Internet:

  • Campground Ethernet: 97 Mbps down, 45 Mbps up, 6 ms ping (first time we’ve had an Ethernet option)
  • T-Mobile: 62-71 Mbps down, 38-45 Mbps up, 45 ms ping
  • AT&T: 6 Mbps down, 6 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
  • Verizon: 34-62 Mbps down, 28-43 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
  • Starlink: not used, since Ethernet was so fast

Amenities:

  • Garbage dumpster
  • Pool, still closed for the season (preparing to open soon after we left)
  • Package delivery available (sometimes collected from office, sometimes hand-delivered to our site)

Here’s the review Jenn wrote on Campground Reviews:

Good base camp for all the area has to offer.

We stayed in the newly renovated section of the park, each with very young trees and brand new patios and picnic tables. The staff were very friendly and helpful, even bringing our packages to the site. They do an excellent job keeping the sites raked and tidied up after every departure and the whole park is very well kept up. Sadly, they were just starting to get the pool ready for the season (it opens on Memorial Day) so we were unable to use it, despite several days being over 90 degrees. They recently upgraded their WiFi and even had ethernet ports on the pedestals, which we were able to plug our router right into for the fastest internet we’ve had in ages. If you need to work while on the road, this is the place to do it! In the late afternoons after work, there’s still plenty of time to venture out and explore Canyonlands and Arches National Parks, Moab, and several state parks before returning to this nice, quiet spot away from the touristy confines of Moab. We camped at Green River KOA Journey in a Motorhome.

The RV park map:

Park map

The satellite map is a bit out-of-date, since they’ve made recent renovations:

Satellite map

Screenshot of the weather for our stay:

Weather

Our site:

Out site

Our site

Out site

Out site

Out site

Out site

Out site

Working outside:

Jenn & David

Out site

Cooking burgers on the griddle:

Griddle dinner

This is the first time we’ve had an Ethernet jack available at a site:

Ethernet jack

I fed the Ethernet cable through the front passenger window:

Ethernet cable through window

Into the modem:

Ethernet into modem

Utilities:

Utilities

We visited Canyonlands and Arches National Parks while here, so added their stickers (stay tuned for posts about those visits):

More park stickers

A dust devil:

Dust devil

Dust devil

Dust devil

A lunar eclipse:

Lunar eclipse

Lunar eclipse

Lunar eclipse

Let’s explore:

Entrance sign

The office:

Office

Camp store:

Camp store

Camp registration:

Camp registration

The swimming pool was being cleaned, for opening on Memorial Day at the end of the month. We could have used it on some of the hot days, though we were out exploring parks most of the time:

Pool being cleaned

Playground:

Playground

Dog park, with a shade and seating area, and agility course:

Dog park

Patio sites:

Patio site

Cabin:

Cabin

Other RVs:

Other RVs

A field behind the park (and dumpster):

Field behind park

One of the many occupants of the site next to us was a U-Haul and tent; rather unusual:

U-Haul and tent

Two trailers:

Two trailers

One of the first nights here we went to Ray’s Tavern in downtown Green River:

Ray's Tavern

They had the menu on a white board above the bar:

Ray's Tavern menu

Ray's Tavern

Ray's Tavern

Then we went to the grocery store (yes, the only one; it’s a very small town). A well-stocked family-run store (the two cashiers were father and daughter):

Grocery store

Grocery store

Towards the end of our stay, we walked from the KOA to the Tamarisk Restaurant next door (which offers a 10% discount for KOA guests, though we didn’t bother to ask for that):

Tamarisk Restaurant

We had to wait 20 minutes due to a bus-load of other guests:

Tamarisk Restaurant

Tamarisk Restaurant

Tamarisk Restaurant

River view:

Tamarisk Restaurant

Tamarisk Restaurant

Tamarisk Restaurant

Tamarisk Restaurant

Finally, the entry sign at night:

Entry sign

Travel from Torrey to Green River, UT

We drove our coach 107 miles, about 2.5 hours, from Torrey, Utah to Green River, Utah.

Here’s the map, heading northeast:

Map route

Leaving the RV park:

Leaving the park

Driving through Torrey:

Torrey

Some road works on the road to Capitol Reef National Park:

Road works

Road works

Road

Entering Capitol Reef National Park in our coach, as our route takes us through the park:

Capitol Reef National Park

More road works:

Road works

Heading through the park:

Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park

Road and river

A somewhat desolate area beyond the park:

Highway

Lots of interesting rocks, though:

Highway and rocks

Highway and rocks

Highway and rocks

Highway and rocks

Highway and rocks

Working on my laptop:

Laptop

Highway and rocks

Paladin sat on the back of Jenn’s chair for a bit:

Paladin and Jenn

Highway and river

Highway and rocks

Some dust storms in the distance:

View

Dusty

Exit towards Green River:

Exit to Green River

Paladin:

Paladin

Dusty:

Dusty

Dusty

Exit:

Exit

A somewhat low bridge; our coach is 12’ 7” high, so enough clearance:

Low bridge

Low bridge

Welcome to Green River:

Welcome to Green River

An interesting building façade:

Building

Green River would be more accurately called brown river:

Green River

Our destination, the Green River KOA Journey:

KOA Journey

Emergency labels

An excellent idea from the Tiffin Allegro Bus 2016-2018 Owners group on Facebook: I added labels by the door of our RV with our contact information, and that we have a cat inside, in case there’s an emergency like a fire while we’re away from the coach.

To catch the eye a bit, I bought a red “IN CASE OF EMERGENCY CALL 911” sticker from Amazon, and cut out the first couple of lines:

In case of emergency label

Then used my label maker to print labels with our phone numbers, and “CAT INSIDE”. We decided to add them next to the door for better visibility, even when the slide-outs are in:

In case of emergency labels

In case of emergency labels

Hopefully nobody will ever need this information, but it’s good to have it, just in case.