October 23, 2021 Moab, Utah

 66, cloudy and a bit rainy today. 

We started out the day by going to Arches National park, only to find that the park was full and a sign said come back in 3-4 hours. So we went to the edge of Canyonlands National Pack, driving down to Mineral Bottom on the Green River. The unpaved Mineral Bottom road has numerous switchbacks that are narrow and steep with rough rocky sections and tight turns. There are significant drop offs and no guard rails. These switchbacks should not be attempted with out a high clearance vehicle or by inexperienced drivers. So we headed down in our Subaru. The view of the Green River from abover the switchbacks. 

Numerous switchbacks,  narrow and steep with rough, rocky sections and tight turns with a significant drop off and no guard rails. . .

The guy passed us riding his bike up hill. He must have legs of iron, he was not even breathing hard. Mineral Bottom. 

The Green River at Mineral bottom. This group had just finished a 4 day trip down the river. They were packing up and going to haul the rafts and all their gear up that crazy scary road. Looking back down a the steep drop off from the one lane dirt road. 

When we went back to Arches National Park they were letting people  in, so we went in. Colorful cottonwood trees in Arches. Red rock fins.

Skyline arch. We hiked part of the Devil's Garden trail among the arches. And weird shaped rocks. 

Landscape arch is the longest arch in Arches National park. John heading up the primitive trail to Double O arch, which is described as difficult with steep exposed slopes, rocky footing and some exposure to heights. 

View from the primitive trail. Some golden asters are still blooming.  Ye Ol' Geezer Meat shop. somehow got a photo of John, Ye Ol' Geezer. . .

John going back on the primitive trail.

This slope is much steeper than it looks. You have to have good footwear that has good gription. Colorful canyon wall. 

John on the more normal part of the trail closer to the parking lot. The sun sort of came out as we left. The Fiery Furnace. 

Another view of the Fiery Furnace. You can only go in there on a ranger lead trip, it is pretty easy to get lost. Backlit red rocks with an arch. 

The 3 Gossips backlit. Backlit vista.

Late light on red rocks. Last light in the Park Avenue canyon. It is a one mile downhill walk to another section of the road, if you have two cars you only have to walk downhill.