A Taste of Geomorphology

This past December, Cory and I took a little winter getaway to Moab, Utah. We heard rave reviews about Moab for years and had no doubt it would be a beautiful and exciting place. The main attractions for us were the two National Parks closest to town: Arches and Canyonlands. We began the 2 1/2 hour trip at sundown, leaving immediately after work on a Friday. The full moon guiding our route gave us illuminated, subtle hints of the nature that awaited us in the morning.

Our expectations were seriously exceeded by the geological features of both parks, thus cementing our love affair with the desert. We ended up adding another night to our hotel stay in order to have two full days to explore. (Camping would be the most ideal shelter in this area, and we plan to head back in the next couple weeks to take advantage!) Arches National Park The park entrance is only a 10 minute drive from downtown Moab. Talk about easy access. We stopped to see as many arches as possible and obviously had to hike the iconic Delicate Arch Trail. Throughout the day, we spent 10 miles on foot. (With all the drive breaks, it definitely didn't feel like that much walking.) The contrast of the bright blue sky against the warm desert features was simply magical.

Delicate Arch Trail. © Brittney A. Cunningham, 2018 

Sand Dune Arch. © Brittney A. Cunningham, 2018 

Hiking above the Delicate. © Brittney A. Cunningham, 2018 

Area around Balanced Rock. © Brittney A. Cunningham, 2018 

View split by South Window Arch. © Brittney A. Cunningham, 2018 

Welcomed. © Brittney A. Cunningham, 2018 

Trippy Angle of Cory and Turret Arch. © Brittney A. Cunningham, 2018 

Amphitheater Setting. © Brittney A. Cunningham, 2018 

Through the Portal. © Brittney A. Cunningham, 2018 

Arch Love. © Brittney A. Cunningham, 2018 

Canyonlands National Park

Land of Martian reds And dusted, Rusted orange. Colorful carvings Ornate and intricate Envelop the land As an endless and peaceful kingdom. Geological wonder Fills the mind Of what once was And what will be. What a balance Between painfully fragile And unwavering fortitude.

First Overlook. © Brittney A. Cunningham, 2018 

Grand View. © Brittney A. Cunningham, 2018 

Chillin' at Upheaval Dome. © Brittney A. Cunningham, 2018 

Red Mesas and La Sal Mountains. © Brittney A. Cunningham, 2018 

We capped our last night in Utah at Moab Brewery, which is a neat restaurant coupled with a distillery. Their nut brown ale and well-crafted cocktails were right up my alley. 

If you could visit any National Park in America, where would you go?

Coming next, another article on the Southwest Adventures website! I will post here with a link once that goes live. Happy Spring! I'll see ya next time. -Brittney Cee