Joan and I enjoyed our time in Zion and Bryce with our friends. Spending part or all of the Thanksgiving Holiday outdoors pre-dates any marketing campaigns. And this year proved to be no exception for how much spending of the holiday time with friends in the outdoors meant to us.
However, after our time in the extremely busy Zion and Bryce National Parks, we craved something off the beaten path. A place not necessarily listed in guide books and where you will find few footprints Our “little” local park, and hiking the rim above it all called. It seemed the perfect idea on Sunday after we arrived back in Moab.
We hiked above the rim of arches and saw such sites as the Three Gossips, Courthouse Wash, etc. from a view not seen by most.
Arches National Park, our backyard, gave us a much needed quiet place for us devoid of crowds and the bustle of a busy holiday. We only heard the faint sound of cars below. We’ll enjoy the ebb of a tourist town in the off-season.
Our path took us through where other people came before us. We aren’t the only ones who enjoyed this quiet view.
On a particularly memorable viewpoint, we scoped out the Colorado Plateau before us and talked about past trips and future adventures. We remembered canyons we hiked and want to walk again. And the La Sals blanketed with snow reminded us that we are looking forward to Joan’s first Nordic ski tours.
We enjoy our journeys and travels in the American West. But our backyard never disappoints.