Arches Trip

The kids had a random Monday off school in March, so we planned a last-minute (for us, only 3 weeks in advance) trip to Arches National Park.  We stayed in a hotel in Moab (with free breakfast!) since it was too chilly to camp.  Alan's sister Angela was on spring break at college that week, so we told her she should tag along with us!  She was super fun to have around.  In addition, she was our designated photographer and also took turns carrying Evelyn in the hiking backpack.  We kept joking that those were the REAL reasons we invited her.  :)

You can't really tell it's us, but here we are under Delicate Arch!

 One of the main hikes we wanted to go on was the Delicate Arch hike!  It is uphill one way and kind of hard for little kids.  Alan and I hadn't been on this hike since we were first married, so it was fun to see it again.

Maggie is such a good hiker!

Jared LOVES going to Arches

Evy and Aunt Angela

Me and my cutie

Ute petroglyphs on the Delicate Arch hike

Picnic lunch at Devil's Garden picnic grounds.   

 We picnicked at the same spot where my family always ate when I was little.  I had Alan take the kids up to see the infamous pot hole.

The Pot Hole

 As if the Delicate Arch hike wasn't long enough, we took the kids on another long hike the same day (Saturday) in Devil's Garden.  We saw Landscape Arch, Navajo Arch, and Partition Arch.  My pedometer said we went about 8.5 miles that day.  That's a lot of hiking for 5-year-old Maggie!

Landscape Arch

We named this baby arch "Evy Arch."  My dad used to name arches after me when I was little.  

Evy in front of "Evy Arch"

Jared coming down a "secret" way from Navajo Arch

We are standing under Partition Arch, though you can't really tell

That same day, we visited Sand Dune Arch, which is always a fun (but messy) favorite of the kids'. It was kind of blustery by this point in the day.

On Sunday we went to sacrament meeting in Moab.  Then we headed back into Arches to do some light sight-seeing from the car.  No big hikes this day, which was good because it was actually pretty windy and chilly all afternoon.

Turret Arch in the Windows section

North Window

The "spectacles" or Windows

Hiking around Turret Arch

We went on the "hike" to Skyline Arch

Evy hiked this one, rather than staying in the backpack.  She kept saying, "I'm such a good hiker."

Alan and Angela and Jared and Maggie played around up high by Skyline Arch.  

Evelyn and I stayed where it was safer.  :)

On Monday morning we rushed out the door to do one last hike before we had to drive back home for my OB-GYN appt. and swimming lessons.  We did the fabulous hike to Corona Arch (not actually in Arches National Park, but way beautiful!)  Last time we were here we saw some crazy people swinging off the top of the arch, which I think is illegal now.

Bowtie Arch, right next to Corona Arch

Alan took several more pictures from his phone right up underneath Corona Arch.  I will have to upload those later.

It is so funny, we go to Arches so much as a family (well, it has been two years since our last visit), but all the arches always look the same.  Sometimes I wonder why I take so many pictures, but it is really fun to see the age progression of our kids.  They really love these little trips we take.