Goosenecks State Park, Mexican Hat, Forrest Gump Point

We visited Goosenecks State Park in Utah:

Goosenecks State Park

This is a smallish park, overlooking where the San Juan River makes a series of tight turns:

Goosenecks State Park

Goosenecks State Park

Goosenecks State Park

Goosenecks State Park

Look closely; what do you see in the water?

Goosenecks State Park

Rafting boats:

Boats

Goosenecks State Park

Goosenecks State Park

There are some no-hookup campsites with great views:

Campsite

On the way back to our coach, we did a quick side trip to the fascinating Mexican Hat rock:

Mexican Hat rock

Mexican Hat rock

Mexican Hat rock

And stopped at Forrest Gump point, an iconic location from the movie:

Forrest Gump point

Forrest Gump point

Forrest Gump point

Standing in the road for a selfie is a popular pastime; we saw lots of people there every time we went past:

Forrest Gump point

Goblin Valley State Park

Another very nice Utah state park is Goblin Valley State Park. It features thousands of uniquely-shaped “goblins” of eroded sandstone.

The entrance sign, with Wild Horse Butte in the background:

Goblin Valley State Park sign

A small visitor center as part of the entrance station:

Visitor center

A relief map of the area:

Relief map

Relief map

A paper map. A nice feature of this park is that the Valley of the Goblins is free-range; there are no designated paths, and you are allowed to walk anywhere (but no climbing on the goblins, of course):

Map

Wild Horse Butte:

Wild Horse Butte

The Three Sisters:

The Three Sisters

Part of Valley of the Goblins; some people for scale:

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Jenn & David

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

People suck, exhibit #1: naughty people climbing on goblins:

Naughty people

People suck, exhibit #2: we picked up some garbage:

Garbage

Goblins

Goblins

Goblins

Dead Horse Point State Park

We enjoy visiting state parks in addition to national parks; they are often just as nice, and less busy.

One such was Dead Horse Point State Park near Moab, Utah.

On how the park got its name, quoting from the website:

Dead Horse Point is a peninsula of rock atop sheer sandstone cliffs. The peninsula is connected to the mesa by a narrow strip of land called the neck. There are many stories about how this high promontory of land received its name.

According to one legend, around the turn of the century, the point was used as a corral for wild mustangs roaming the mesa top. Cowboys rounded up these horses, herded them across the narrow neck of land and onto the point. The neck, which is only 30-yards-wide, was then fenced off with branches and brush. This created a natural corral surrounded by precipitous cliffs straight down on all sides, affording no escape. Cowboys then chose the horses they wanted and let the culls or broomtails go free. One time, for some unknown reason, horses were left corralled on the waterless point where they died of thirst within view of the Colorado River, 2,000 feet below.

A cow by a sign on the way to the park:

Cow

More cows:

Cows

The Dead Horse Point State Park sign:

Dead Horse Point State Park

A little lending library by the visitor center:

Little lending library

Visitor center:

Visitor center

View:

View

View

View

View

Jenn & David

Info sign:

Info sign

Ponds:

Ponds

Colorado River:

Colorado River

Colorado River

View

Colorado River

Colorado River

The Windows in Arches National Park

Once again we went back to Arches National Park, for one last time (for now). This time, we headed to The Windows, a part we quickly visited on the first day. But this time we did some hiking to the various arches.

The entrance sign again:

Entrance sign

Animal sculptures by the visitor center:

Animal sculptures

Animal sculptures

Info signs for The Windows:

Info sign

Info sign

The Windows from the start of the trail:

Windows

Rocks

Heading towards an arch:

Arch

A small arch off to the side:

Small arch

An interesting tree:

Tree

North Window arch:

North Window arch

View through the arch:

View through the arch

Under the arch:

Under the arch

North Window arch

North Window arch

Turret Arch:

Turret Arch

Turret Arch

Turret Arch

South Window Arch:

South Window Arch

South Window Arch

South Window Arch

North and South Window Arches:

North and South Window Arches

Turret Arch:

Turret Arch

Turret Arch

Wedding couple:

Wedding couple

Wedding couple

Wedding couple

Turret Arch

A parking lot sign caught my eye:

Parking Lot sign

A fun closer view of it:

Park

North and South Window Arches:

North and South Window Arches

North and South Window Arches

Double Arch trail:

Double Arch trail info

Sunset

Sunset

Info

Sunset

Double Arch

Double Arch

Sunset and tree

Double Arch

Double Arch

Double Arch

Double Arch

Double Arch

Double Arch

Double Arch

Double Arch

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!