2010 Road Trip: Arches National Park, UT

The place that I was most excited about going to on our trip was Arches National Park in Moab, UT. I guess it is just so extremely different from Florida, I am just in awe!
Moab is also where several "old western" movies were filmed. I made sure I had a copy of City Slickers 1 and 2 to watch while we were there because they were both filmed in Dead Horse State Park right by Arches National Park.Anyway, we made it. We were all extremely tired... I'm guessing the lack of humidity was getting to us. I'm not used to NEEDING water at all times, but here I needed a gallon to just step foot out of the car. There were even signs posted everywhere that said you MUST take water with you everywhere you go!When we first pulled up to the visitors center, Jeremy ran straight for this Bighorn sheep. He thought it was so cool! (By the way, sorry about all the sun spots. I forgot my lens shade.)
I know this wasn't all that far to walk to get to this arch, (North Window Arch) but to me it felt like several miles. Jeremy didn't mind the dry, of course.I was really amazed with the size of the arches.Jeremy making sure the South Window Arch wouldn't fall.Joey showing that the Turret Arch isn't all that big!
This is Turret Arch with Uncle David and Jeremy climbing up through it.

Jeremy is very into Indiana Jones right now and he was practicing taking a "cowboy nap."

Joey noticed that the ground looked green in some places. It seemed a little odd since everything was so orange, and we learned that the ground was covered in little tiny plants and you had to be careful to not step anywhere but on the trails because it would kill the little plants.

Right in the middle of this is Delicate Arch, probably the most well known of all the arches. We opted for the one mile round trip trail to get to see this one from a view point instead of the 4 mile trail because we were so tired. I will be back one day to do the other trail!

Supposedly the arches were formed by sandstone, water and wind etching these narrow canyons millions of years ago and they would ware away slowly. I don't know how about millions of years ago, but click here for an article on how the arches were formed.
And this is Balancing Rock. Just standing and looking at it I was sure it was going to fall over right in front of us. While we were on the road to our next stop, we went through Monticello, UT. Of course we had to have a picture of that one. Ha ha!