Then we came to a feature known as "Balanced Rock" for obvious reasons. Elmer didn't think it was so much of a big deal.
I did not do a lot of hiking although there are many hiking trails and you can walk out to some of the arches. I did walk out to one known as the Sand Dune Arch. It was not too long of a walk but my claustrophobia was tested a bit with one section of walking through a narrow section.
I never expected to see a women in a long gown walking around the arches but I came around a corner and there she was. By the time I got the camera out she was walking away from me but I got the proof! To be fair I believe it was for wedding photos since there was also a fellow in a suit and a photographer.
...and finally the Sand Dune Arch.
One of my goals for the visit was to do at least one off road adventure. The Tower Arch trail is well traveled and from all that have I read was a trail that would be something I could handle. Not too long after the Sand Dune I came to the unpaved road section that lead to the trail. Any vehicle could handle this section.
After a few miles it came to a point where one path continued to a point where folks could walk about a half mile to the Tower Arch and the other started the 4 wheel drive section.
After a bit more it turned into a dirt and rock road that definitely took 4 wheel drive, high clearance and careful driving to navigate the rocks. The trick was going slow and taking your time at picking the right line. Nothing was dangerous but you could scrape up the jeep if you didn't pay attention. I made it through without damage.
Some sections were very sandy and you needed to maintain a nice steady forward motion to swim through it.
I got to the point where you could view Tower Arch. Here we are at the stop getting ready to go look at the arch.
....and the Tower Arch....
Lunch time!
From this point there were about 9 more miles of off road trail to get back to the main Park road. There were still columns and scenery to look at but for me the fun was driving it.
We did come across a particularly gnarly tree that we stopped to photograph.
This one sort of reminds me of the "Lonliest Road" in dirt....
I did come across several other people traveling the trail. Two of them were Jeep loads of people using a commercial tour driver and Jeep. The others were either in their own Jeep or a Jeep rental.
Unfortunately somewhere on the trail I had put Elmer on the back roof of the Jeep to take a picture and then had gone around the front to take more pictures. I got back into the Jeep and drove off. Elmer is now somewhere in Arches National Park. Hopefully someone will come across him and give him a good home! I reached the south end of the trail and stopped to air the tires back up. While doing this there were 5 Jeeps that passed me going one way or the other. The each asked if I was alright or needed help...very friendly!
Tomorrow I am headed east to Canon City, Colorado. Nothing special about it other than the Covid count for that county is lower than others and its about 6 hours worth of driving.
update on 8/2/2020: I completed a video on Youtube for this drive. It can be found on my Bob's Jeep Drive chanel or at this specific link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgudp-DzHwA
No comments:
Post a Comment