Moab the slow way

Arches National Park

You don't have to be an action junkie to enjoy Utah's red rock country

Story and photos by Carrie Patrick

The billboard on the town's southern border says it all. It doesn't advertise a local attraction, hotel or restaurant. Illustrated with a cheerful shot of a mountain bike jammed upside down into a rock cleft—the location of its erstwhile rider left ominously to the imagination—the sign proclaims the services of Moab's local hospital.

Everyone knows Moab is for action junkies. Year round, this Utah town attracts the sort of people who believe multiple fractures are part of a balanced vacation. But what about those of us who can't, won't, or already did? When a planned trip was derailed by surgery that left me temporarily unable to walk more than a few paces—let alone do anything bumpy and adventurous—I feared a visit to Moab might be wasted. Fortunately, the area has attracted visitors since long before anyone thought the words "extreme" and "sport" went together.

Moab is approximately six hours' drive from Front Range cities, and only two from Grand Junction. This makes it a natural pick for a long weekend, with more than enough time on your first day to take in a spectacular red-rock sunset in Arches National Park before you hit your motel or campground.

Arches is the scenic highlight of the area, literally minutes from Moab, and all but a few of its famous formations can be seen from the roadside. Driving the entire route through the park takes about four hours if you stop at every pullout.

Restrooms throughout the park are wheelchair-accessible, and there is one accessible campsite available in the Devil's Garden. Two famous locations, Balanced Rock and the Park Avenue Viewpoint, have fully accessible paved paths to bring you closer to the formations. (The one-mile trail that starts from the Park Avenue Viewpoint is not accessible, however.)

Those who aren't in a wheelchair but merely need to move a bit slower than normal will be able to experience many of the shorter trails in the park. Some provisos: The path to Sand Dune Arch is described in brochures as a very easy walk, but there is a lot of loose sand to get through, so if you need firm footing it's best to give this one a miss. Double Arch's trail is also sandy in places. Luckily this formation is so close to the road that it isn't necessary to leave the car for a good photograph. The loop trail in the Windows Section has stairs—if these are out of the question for you, a short out-and-back on the initial flat segment will still make for rewarding views.

Utah's most famous formation, Delicate Arch, is unfortunately one of the few in the park that requires a lengthy hike. But all is not lost. As you approach the trailhead for the hike, take the right-hand fork in the road instead and drive all the way to its end, where a level paved path brings you to a fully accessible (though distant) view of the arch. Bring binoculars for a better look.

Newspaper Rock

Photographers, or those simply seeking a truly beautiful vision of the red rock country, will want to make several trips in and out of the park during their stay. Take an exploratory daytime trip to see all the sights, then decide exactly where to await that magic moment when the rising or setting sun brings the color flaming out of the rocks. After sunset, linger to see the park's amazing night sky-the absence of light pollution literally opens new galaxies to you.

While Arches National Park is Moab's closest scenic road trip, it isn't the only one. Canyonlands National Park, a vast area often compared to the Grand Canyon, has two entry points and one overlook near Moab that are easy drives for a passenger car. Each has its own distinct terrain and all are worth a visit.

If you take only one of the Canyonlands drive routes, the southern entrance in the Needles District is possibly the most rewarding for those who can't go far from their vehicle, offering petroglyphs and a greater variety of from-your-window scenery.

Head south out of Moab, 40 miles to the turnoff for the Needles Visitor Center (you'll pass the Needles Overlook road on the way). You will be driving another 70 miles round trip from the turnoff-if your supplies of food, drinking water or gas are running low, continue south to the town of Monticello first to refill.

The first stop, long before you reach the boundaries of the park, is Newspaper Rock. This wall of ancient petroglyphs is tucked away in a quiet, charming corner opposite a tree-shaded creek. The number and variety of creatures inscribed in the rock's "desert varnish" are intriguing. The viewing area is gravel, so wheelchair users might need assistance, but you don't need to get more than a few feet from the parking area for the whole wall to be visible.

The road into Needles continues through stunning scenery on a grand scale-towering cliffs, broad meadows, wide open spaces edged with distant glowing-red ramparts and pinnacles. In many places, enormous boulders line the road, fallen from the cliffs above. Keep your eyes open for more petroglyphs as you pass them.

The park entry station is so far along this beautiful road that it almost feels like the end of the trip. From here, the drive to the end of the road at Big Spring Canyon Overlook is relatively short, but packed with a lot of colorful formations. Accessible restrooms can be found at the visitor center and at Squaw Flat Campground.

The Needles Overlook road was my second pick for go-slow travel. Hummocky, striped formations rise out of the sagebrush like cumulus clouds fallen to earth, or more prosaically, like badly melted Orange Crème Savers. The overlook at the end of the road has jaw-dropping views.

Seeing the staggering extent of the Canyonlands, it's easy to understand why this article can only touch on a few of Moab's options. Depending on your tastes and abilities, you can get further into the backcountry on an offroad Jeep or ATV trek, rafting trip or scenic flight.

When your time in Moab is over, you can incorporate another scenic drive into your journey home. Instead of returning to the interstate via Highway 191, take the "back way" along Highway 128, the Colorado Riverway.

Sure, it makes for a longer and slower trip back to I-70—but nobody ever ruined a vacation by doing things the slow way.

Carrie Patrick is managing editor of EnCompass.

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