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Moab Hiking


Arches National Park
Canyonlands National Park
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Fisher Towers
​Road Canyon
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Arches National Park

Delicate Arch in Moab
The highlight of Arches National Park is the short uphill hike to Delicate Arch
Double O Arch on the Devil's Garden hike in Utah
Double O Arch
The longest hike in Arches NP is through Devil's Garden (8 miles).  Not to be confused with Devil's Garden in Escalante or the nearby Devil's Kitchen.
Hiker walking up through the arch
Skull Rock on the Fiery Furnace hike
Skull Rock in Fiery Furnace
The other extended hike in Arches is through the Fiery Furnace, which is by permit or tour only.
First light on Balanced Rock
The roadside stop that caught my eye most was Balanced Rock

Canyonlands -- Needles District

Chesler Park hike in Canyonlands National Park
Chesler Park
A short backpacking trip or long dayhike can be done to Chesler Park. Permits need to be reserved in advance for a campground in this popular area
Hikers in Chesler Park in the afternoon
Utah Trails advice was spot on, "it would be a shame to visit without (1) spending a night in Chesler Park, (2) experiencing the Joint Trail, and (3) seeing Druid Arch."
Druid Arch hike in Canyonlands National Park Utah
Druid Arch
Chesler Park at sunset
Sunset in Chesler Park

Salt Creek canyon trail in Utah
A longer backpacking trip is required for the Salt Creek Canyon section of the park in the Needles District
Overgrown section on the trail
The trail is a combination of overgrown sections and wide open meadows
First spring on the walk from Cathedral Butte
Arriving at the first spring a few miles into the walk from the trailhead at Cathedral Butte
Salt Creek Canyon hike
I did the upper Salt Creek canyon section which is forty miles return from Cathedral Butte to Angel Arch.  It would be possible to do a one way hike of similar distance and exit to the north with a shuttle
Fall colors on the trail
The flowing streams and lush vegetation make this canyon a unique home for wildlife in the desert.  The howling coyotes at night and multiple bear encounters made for a memorable trip.  Hard sided bear canisters are required for this part of the park, although water is prevalent near each campsite so there is not too much weight to carry.
SC4 campsite in Salt Creek Canyon Utah
The area above SC4 is similar to Chesler Park
Sunrise on Angel Arch and Molar Rock in Salt Creek canyon hike in Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Angel Arch and Molar Rock
Angel Arch hike in Canyonlands, Utah
The nearest campground to the arch is SC4 which meant walking in the dark to see it at sunrise.. I gave myself 3 hours and got there in 2.5 hours.  I had the help of a full moon, although this section of trail was difficult to follow at night 
Kirk's cabin in Canyonlands National Park on the Salt Creek Canyon hike
Kirk's cabin near the SC1 campsite
Campground on the Salt Creek Canyon hike in Canyonlands Utah
Late evening at the final campground in early October
Cathedral Butte view from close to the road in Utah
View from Cathedral Butte at dawn on the return climb

Canyonlands -- Island in the Sky

Mesa Arch at sunrise in Canyonlands
Mesa Arch
Photography group tours line Mesa Arch with tripods at 3AM.  Make friends with them and they will let you squeeze in.

Fisher Towers

Fisher Towers hike near Moab
The skyscraper-like Fisher Towers

Road Canyon

Fallen Roof Ruin hike in Road Canyon Utah
Road Canyon has several well preserved cliff dwellings, highlighted by Fallen Roof Ruin.
Cliff dwelling in Road Canyon
The neighbor down the street made his home out of sticks

Resources:
Photographing the SW, Incredible Backcountry Trails​
Recent Trips (2020)
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Photos, text and design by Dan Arnold
Contact: darnoldhiking@gmail.com

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