Dead Horse Point State Park

Gopher Flats
May 24, 2019
Moab, UT

Nothing puts a smile on my face and a skip in my feet like gorgeous weather and places to explore.  

Dead Horse Point State Park sure fits the criteria for a beautiful place to explore with it's wide-open vistas,  desert flora,  and peaceful solitude.

Joe and I chose to do the Rim Loop Trail a few days ago so we were up early and excited to be heading a few miles north to take in the gorgeous canyon and mountain scenery.  

The hike begins behind the Visitor Center.  We began at the red star on the map photo above and took the West Rim Trail (the blue trail) making it a counterclockwise loop.  We included the side trails to the Rim Overlook, Schaffer Canyon Overlook and Meander Overlook before reaching "The Point".  The Point is amazing at 2,000 feet above a gooseneck in the Colorado River...a birds eye view.  It is also a great place to stop for a snack before hooking up to the East Rim Trail (the red trail) which takes you back to the VC.  All total its just under 7 miles with the side trails.

The West Rim

Schaffer Canyon Overlook

The trail is a combo of dirt and rocks, a few boulders to scramble, and slickrock.

According to one legend,  the point was used as a corral for wild horses.  Cowboys rounded up the horses, herded them to the "narrow neck of land" (which was only 30 yards wide)  and onto the point.  They chose the horses they wanted and left the others to go free.  But on one occasion, the horses were left corralled with no water and died of thirst...thus the name !

The Point...I waited and waited for the cloud cover to disappear for a better picture of the Gooseneck.   

Meander Point

The park has a variety of high desert plants that have adapted over the years to the lack of water and the extreme temperatures.  Trees there are only 15 feet tall but may be hundreds of years old. The leaves on most plants are small and often have a waxy coating to help retain water.

Plants along the rim at the Rim Overlook...

The East Rim 

The bright blue hues on the desert floor are potash evaporation ponds.  

The LaSal Mountains make a gorgeous backdrop for the scenery along the East Rim.  

If you have ridden along Schaffer Trail then you have seen the potash evaporation ponds up close.  I read sometime ago that they are visible by satellites in space.

The winding Colorado River

The trail leading back to the VC is all dirt that mostly follows the rim.  The plants are totally different with a thick layer of sage and small cedar trees.  Along the edges of the path were lots of Prickly Pear.

Dead Horse Point was opened to the public as a state park in 1959.  Today it offers biking and hiking trails with RV campgrounds and yurts to rent.  


Ancient oceans, freshwater lakes, rivers and streams, and wind blown sand dunes created the rock layers of this canyon country...well worth a visit if you are in the area. 

 HAPPY TRAILS ! 

Arches National Park

Gopher Flats
May, 2019
Moab, UT

In 1929, when President Hoover signed the proclamation to establish Arches National Monument, the park only included the Windows and Devils Garden sections...4,520 acres.  

Since that time, the parks boundaries have expanded several times to a whopping 76,679 acres.  Although Arches has been under construction for millions of years Congress changed the status to a National Park in 1971.   


I will never forget our first drive through Arches back in May 2013...a jaw dropper for sure !  I still have the same excitement today. 





With Arches practically in our backyard and being here for the amount of time we are, visiting this red-rock wonderland is often on the list of things "to-do" from week to week.

Whether it's just a drive or enjoying a hike, it's a beautiful destination.  We have already spent several mornings taking in the colors, shapes, and forms that excite the "aesthetic" senses.      

With over 2,000 natural arches, soaring spires, and massive fins, Arches makes for a beautiful drive and fun hiking.  Did you know that Arches has "the world's largest concentration of natural arches in the world"? 

Double Arch is "close-set pair" of natural arches.  In fact, the arch in front has the tallest opening of any arch in the park...112 feet...and it's the second longest arch in the park. It is a short walk from the parking area to see Double Arch up close.

Delicate Arch is the most famous arch in the park (and maybe the world).  

It's a 3 mile round trip hike to see the arch...a hike Joe and I have enjoyed at least once (sometimes more) every year that we have been in Moab. Yep, we like it !  









I don't always walk down to the arch, but this day I felt very confident and brave.

The key to us enjoying our hike to Delicate Arch is getting an early start.  We are on trail by 7:00 am making this our all time favorite breakfast spot !

While Delicate Arch is the most famous arch, our favorite hiking in Arches is the Devils Garden section. 

The trail begins as an easy wide  gravel path with a side trail to Tunnel Arch and Pine Arch (which we have done several times, but not this day).  


At just under a mile, the path winds its way to Landscape Arch. Landscape Arch is the longest arch in the park...even the Western Hemisphere.  The Natural Arch and Bridge Society now considers it to be the fifth longest arch in the world having measured the span a 290.1 feet.

After admiring Landscape Arch, the fun begins !  The trail becomes difficult as it climbs steeply up and on the sandstone fins.

Shoes with good grip are a must as the footing is rocky with narrow ledges and steep drop-offs...a combination that really gets the heart pumping !  From this point to Double O Arch it is about 2.5 miles.

This time of year, the trail that winds its way to Double O Arch is very colorful.

 Double O Arch is the second largest arch in the NP.  The top arch has a span of 71 feet stacked on top of a smaller arch with a 21 foot span.  Both are part of the same sandstone fin. 

After our breakfast snack, we took two side trails as we made our way back to Landscape Arch.  First to Partition Arch.

Partition Arch is often overlooked as it is not as famous or big as other arches.   The views through this arch are spectacular and its low profile allows for an up close look.  

The second side trail we took was to Navajo Arch.  

Navajo Arch is one of our favorite little arches along the Devils Garden Trail.  It is more like a mini tunnel than an arch as the ground cuts right thru it.  


























The entrance to the arch... 













opens up to a nice little retreat with lots of shade and much cooler air. 

Both these side trails add about a mile to the overall distance.  If time or energy isn't an issue, the side trek to see both these arches is worthwhile.  

This catches us up on our adventures in Arches.  We LOVE our backyard !  So until next time...

HAPPY TRAILS!