At first glance, I assumed I could get all of Moab into one post but that would be so detrimentally long, no one, not even my mother could make it in one sitting. We stayed in the Moab area, on and off, for almost three weeks. We explored every nook and cranny and then some. We went canyoneering for the first time, we climbed our first tower, we hit up two national parks, went mountain biking, hiking, and even found some exquisite camping. And so we begin the first of a three-part journey in Moab Amazes. Welcome.
Dead Horse Point State Park
A park so beautiful, we went twice! Apparently, “the view from Dead Horse Point is one of the most photographed scenic vistas in the world“(main blog photo). For our first visit on October 12, we went with Colin’s brother, Will, his cousin, Andy, Andy’s girlfriend, Theresa, and Copper, the lovable pup. We hiked the 5.4 miles around the rim, soaking in the views from every vantage point.
For our second visit to the park, on October 26, we opted for the 14.5 mile mountain bike loop with our good friends from Colorado, Derek and Alex. Excellent weather and views continued and I was pleased with how I (mostly) kept up with the three experienced riders ahead of me.
More experienced bikers than me tackle Porcupine Rim
Colin was in his freaking element in Moab. Why? Well, there was climbing but there was also excellent mountain biking, namely, Porcupine Rim. Almost 1,200 feet of elevation gain and another 3,000 feet on the descent. It’s a black trail which means I eagerly provided a shuttle for the trail riders, while I happily entertained myself.
On October 14, Colin and Will rode the ridge for 15.3 miles. Then, on October 27, Colin did it again with Derek and Alex for 14.1 miles. The man’s a machine.
Whilst Colin, Derek, and Alex were riding the rim, I decided to hike to the Morning Glory Arch via the Grandstaff trail. It was one of my favorite hikes to date. Five miles, light elevation gain, and views to die for – particularly in the fall.
Climbing off Potash Road
Crazy weekend crowds, a challenging crack climb, and we even ran into our van friends from City of Rock!
The Best Campsite on the Planet
If we learned anything from this remote campsite, it’s to never trust a 2 star rating on the ever-favorite freecampsites.net. Somebody’s sandbagging the good sites to keep them for themselves. It’s not easy to get to and there are only five sites, but if you can snag one of these beauties, you’ll love it.
Next up: an in-depth visit to Arches National Park, where we did practically everything except visit the Visitor’s Center (*gasp*).