ARCHES NATIONAL PARK

Looks like Zach standing under a big arch at Arches, with someone (probably Deanie) in the shadows to the left. Arches National Park has over 2000 named arches in it. They define an arch as having a span of over 3 feet. Do you remember the difference between an arch and a bridge from your geology class? Bridges form from running water (usually a stream or river) running under it. Arches form from irregular water erosion, as well as other natural erosion sources. Arches also has a whole valley that supposedly formed in the same manner (salt upwelling) as the "Salt Dome" in Canyonlands.

We arrived here on the Friday of the Memorial Day weekend and camped in a BLM campground along the side of the Colorado River just outside of Moab, UT the first night. I woke up at 5:30 A.M. to head over to the ranger station to wait in line for a campsite for the next two nights. Got it, too.

We took a bunch of hikes here over the course of two days, not the least of which involved a ranger led hike into the "Fiery Furnace" area, which does not have any trails. People get lost in there all the time (hence the ranger).

Deanie and Zach spent a day in Moab at the Art's Festival, while I dried out the tent from the rain.

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