Most of the Canyonlands National Park is actually best seen off road. And we do have an off road vehicle, after all, so lets go exploring!
We left our campsite in the synchro at about 8:00 and headed north past Moab. Our destination was the Gemini bridges trail, explained as an easier 4x4 drive. There are several trails that lead into the park, including some that are rated extreme. Jeep rentals and Hummers are common out here, as well as mountain bikes. VW vans are maybe not so common.
The first 30 minutes were really cool, having us climb slick rock and up some steep grades. Unfortunately, the van has been running hot and ultimately we had to stop for some repairs. The good news is that dad got it fixed (of course). The only bad news is it took about 1 hour to get everything fixed and back together. The fan that cools the engine had come unattached and wasn't working. Once he got it put back together, we were on our way again.
The trail led to Gemini Bridges, 2 naturally formed arches that span surprisingly deep canyons. We took a short hike down from the road to see them and were all wowed by the chasms beneath. So much so that they made me really nervous. Steep falls!
Back in the van, we ended the trail and merged onto HWY 313, the main road into the park. Canyonlands is divided into 3 sections: Islands in the Sky, the Maze and Needles. Islands in the Sky is the only one accessible by road so we spent the majority of our time there. We took a couple short hikes to see Mesa Arch and Grand Overlook. The canyons are indeed gorgeous, worth the time and effort to visit. I still liked Arches better but enjoyed Canyonlands too.
By noon the heat (100 at least) was stifling so we drove back into Moab. We spent the afternoon trying to relax, catch up on things and stay cool. The boys and I went swimming, a great way to cool off. Afterwards, papa bought the boys ice cream cones, which they enjoyed immensely. After some quick showers, we enjoyed a hearty meal prepared by mom and then played putt putt golf at the park. It was a short 9 holes but Grady really wanted to play so we all obliged.
We played a couple games of Sequence and then drove into town to grab some milkshakes from the 50s style diner. We finished the night by playing Farkle and then went to bed. It was still hot at 10 pm but we were able to cool down with the AC thankfully. This has been a fun stop but I am ready to leave the desert!
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