Canyonland, Moab and Arches

Day 35 – Arrival at Dead Horse Point State Park

Campground: Kayenta Campground Loop
Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah

Dead Horse Point State Park, Kayenta Campground loop which can serve as home base for visiting Canyonlands, Arches, and Moab. One important tip for camping here is to fill your water tanks in Moab before driving into the campground, as services are limited once inside the park.

After setting up camp, spend the evening exploring the area on foot. Hike to the visitor center, continue to the Point Overlook Trail, and the Rim Overlook trail, taking in the dramatic canyon views as the sun began to set.

• Dead Horse Point State Park

• Kayenta Campground

• Visitor Center

• Point Overlook Trail

• Rim Overlook Trail

Day 36 – Dead Horse Point & Potash Road

Campground: Kayenta Campground Loop
Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah

Spend the morning exploring Dead Horse Point State Park by hiking portions of the East-West Trail. Along the way stop at Meander Overlook, Shafer Overlook, and West Point Overlook, each offering impressive views of the canyon system and the Colorado River far below.

In the afternoon, drive into Moab and explore Potash Road, staying on the paved section of the route. The drive follows the Colorado River and provides access to several interesting stops.

Stopp to see the roadside petroglyphs, Jug Handle Arch, and the Poison Spider Trail dinosaur tracks before returning to camp.

• Dead Horse Point State

• East-West Trail

• Meander Overlook

• Shafer Overlook

• West Point Overlook

• Moab

• Potash Road

• Petroglyphs

• Jug Handle Arch

• Poison Spider Trail - Dino Tracks

Day 37 – Arches National Park - Part 1

Campground: Kayenta Campground Loop
Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah

Get an early start for the day at Arches National Park to beat both the crowds and the heat.

After entering the park, stop first at Park Avenue before turning off toward the Windows section. Hike the trails around North Window, South Window, and Double Arch, one of the most impressive formations in the park.

Returning to the main road, stop at several overlooks before continuing to the hikes for Sand Dune Arch and Broken Arch.

Around lunchtime, stop at Devils Garden Campground for a picnic lunch, although finding parking took some patience.

In the afternoon,  continue farther into the park and stop at Tunnel Arch, Pine Tree Arch, and Landscape Arch before calling it a day.

• Park Avenue

• North Window

• South Window

• Double Arch

• Sand Dune Arch

• Broken Arch

• Devils Garden Campground

• Tunnel Arch

• Pine Tree Arch

• Landscape Arch

Day 38 – Canyonlands National Park

Campground: Kayenta Campground Loop
Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah

Start the day early to watch the sunrise through Mesa Arch. Many visitors have the same idea, so arriving early is important if you want a good viewing spot.

Like Arches, Canyonlands National Park requires a considerable amount of driving between viewpoints and trailheads, but the scenery makes every stop worthwhile. After sunrise at Mesa Arch, continue to Green River Overlook before hiking to the granary at Aztec Butte. From there drive to, Whale Rock hike to the top for panoramic views across the canyon landscape. Stop at Upheaval Dome and hike to both overlooks. Also visit White Rim Overlook and walk part of the trail, which provided dramatic views of the cliffs and canyon below.

Additional stops included Buck Canyon Overlook, Shaffer Trail Overlook with views of the famous 4x4 road, and the visitor center before returning to camp.

• Mesa Arch

• Green River Overlook

• Aztec Butte

• Whale Rock

• Upheaval Dome

• White Rim Overlook

• Buck Canyon Overlook

• Shaffer Trail Overlook

• Visitor Center

Day 39 – Arches National Park - Part 2

Campground: Kayenta Campground Loop
Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah

After several very early mornings, sleep late and enjoy a slower start to the day. Spend the morning revisiting some trails around Dead Horse Point State Park before heading back to Arches National Park later in the afternoon.

Visiting Arches during golden hour gave the park a completely different look, with the changing light bringing out the colors in the rock formations.

The main hike for the day was to Delicate Arch, the park’s famous free-standing arch and one of its most popular hikes. The round-trip hike took about an hour. Stop at the petroglyphs and old farmhouse near the trailhead area, then continued to the Delicate Arch viewpoint and the Three Gossips formation.

Finished the evening with dinner in Moab at Trailhead Public House & Eatery before taking some time to walk around town and browse through Back of Beyond Books.

• Dead Horse Point State Park

• Delicate Arch Hike

• Petroglyphs & Farm House

• Delicate Arch Viewpoint

• Three Gossips

• Moab

• Trailhead Public House & Eatery

• Back of Beyond Books