#Mesa Arch

[thomaswaynewolf]

[pacountry-madrid]

Mesa Arch, Parque Nacional Canyonlands, Utah

[misterlemonztenth]

Mesa Arch Panorama by dfikar Via Flickr: Fifteen shot panorama (five 3-shot brackets) stitched in PS6

[dopescissorscashwagon]

Morning Glory at Mesa Arch in Utah USA!

📸IG @courtneylwilson

[psikonauti]

Jessica Fridrich (Czech-American, b. 1964)

Mesa Arch, 2019

[wandering-jana]

Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park

More Canyonlands:

[jmpphoto]

Morning Glow by James Marvin Phelps Via Flickr: Morning Glow Mesa Arch Canyonlands National Park Utah

[fixy8ed4xys]

Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park - Utah USA

📷 my photo

[cookinguptales]

One of my favorite experiences in our trip last year was hiking up to Mesa Arch in Canyonlands.

Canyonlands is a national park a lot of people overlook in favor of going to the more famous Arches nearby. But Canyonlands, along with Joshua Tree, was probably my favorite part of the trip. It's a beautiful park, and big enough that it doesn't feel choked with people. Also, it's right near Bears Ears National Monument, which also has gorgeous scenery and the incredibly cool Newspaper Rock.

I have extremely limited hiking ability, but one of the park rangers there at the visitor center was like... no, you have to go see Mesa Arch. It's not a very far walk and it's worth it.

So we go up there and it's actually a very difficult climb if you're disabled. (For everyone else, it's probably fairly easy.) The elevation definitely makes it a harder walk. But it's lovely and we got up there eventually. And... there was this tiny little arch. We'd seen much bigger ones at Arches -- hell, we'd seen bigger ones driving in -- so I had kind of a ??? moment.

Until we got a little closer.

And then closer still.

And then we just sat on the rocks and looked out into the distance for a long, long time.

I'll probably do a whole post for Canyonlands one day, but man. There was something so nice about climbing up to Mesa Rock. I often feel... I don't know. Helpless, a little. Frustrated. There's so much I can't see when we go to these parks, and sometimes I feel bad that Dad sticks with me and misses those views.

Mesa Arch was hard for me, if not a difficult trail for others, but I did it! And boy did I get rewarded for it. I remember feeling very accomplished and very fulfilled. I was just breathless with it, and it wasn't even the elevation.

So yes. It was a really nice memory. 💜

[odiggity]

The View Beyond

Mesa Arch - Canyonlands National Park, Utah

[thomaswaynewolf]

[nordinor]

[dusty4runner]

Mesa Arch, Canyonlands

[mywalkabout40]

Mesa Arch

There was only one trailhead parking lot area that had an abundance of cars (relatively speaking) in the Island in the Sky district. The trail leading one to Mesa Arch. I bundle up and head on out to see why…. The hike was short, not even 1/4 mile long, so soon I was at the precipice with the great arch before me. The drop off into the canyon below had me dizzy and with the wind blowing, my…

[thedaveandkimmershow]

The best thing about Canyonlands is that we got to experience it. We got to just be... there. And we had nowhere else to go afterward... except back to camp.

In fact, the day was so normal (ish) that we hit a thrift shop in Moab before heading out to Canyonlands.

Now I’ve already written about Canyonlands a bunch... so the only thing left to point out is that Canyonlands National Park has the best pregame show. By which I mean to say that, on the lengthy approach to the park, the geology is stunning. I appreciated it even more on our way back to camp as I got a better, more intentional look at it.

Of course the award for best postgame show... is Cathedral Valley on the way out of Capitol Reef National Park.

Again, though, Canyonlands was the best. Our most indelible experience all the way through sunset.

😊 😊 😊

“Canyonlands” is the answer to the question If you could visit only one of the parks in Utah...

And I have no problem imagining going back there one day.

In the meantime, the Canyonlands National Park photo album and maps are here.

And my quick take the day after our time in Canyonlands National Park is here.

Enjoy!

😊  

[jmpphoto]

Mesa Arch Sunrise by James Marvin Phelps Via Flickr: Mesa Arch Sunrise Island in the Sky Canyonlands National Park Utah