There is no better place to spend America’s 245th Birthday of Independence, and my personal 27th Birthday, than in Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef National Park over the 4th of July weekend.
Arches:
After driving 6 hours from Denver to Moab, we arrived just in time for a sunset at Arches National Park. This was the ideal time to arrive around 8PM as the heat was only 105 degrees at this point. The best places to see the sunset is from the 3 mile (roundtrip) hike at the top of Delicate Arch or from an easy drive to the Fiery Furnace.
After attempting to sleep in the tent where the temperate at Midnight was still 95 degrees, we awake early to beat the crowds into the park.
1 Day at Arches National Park:
Morning: Sunrise at Windows Road, you’ll eventually reach Windows, Turret, Double, and others arches
Afternoon: Balanced Rock 0.3 mile (loop) and Sand Dun Arch (shaded). Devil’s Garden if time allows.
Evening: Sunset at Delicate Arch (3 miles, a must do!)
Start with Sunrise by hiking Delicate Arch (if you didn’t see at Sunset). This 3 mile (roundtrip) hike passes Wolfe Ranch cabin, Ute Indian petroglyphs, and eventually you’ll be greeted by the iconic 46 feet high arch. This trail is a must, and it’s worth fighting for a limited parking space to avoid adding 2 extra miles of walking onto the trip.
Next, I’d drive along Scenic Drive towards the front of the park to Garden of Eden for a panoramic view of the Sal Mountains. Continuing along the Windows Road, you’ll eventually reach Windows, Turret, Double, and others arches. You could spend a few hours here walking on these easy paths with at least 6 grand arches nearby.
With the main hiking completed, get back into the car to drive to Balanced Rock 0.3 mile (loop) and the Sand Dunes Arch short hike with lots of canyon cover for much-needed shade.
Canyonlands:
This National Park is the largest National Park in Utah at more than 337,598 acres. We made the mistake of simply clicking on the map, and instead drove 60 minutes in the wrong direction to a desolate area of the park while low on gasoline. After we backtracked, we ended up back in Moab at Garden in the Sky Visitor Center (search this on map, not Canyonlands National Park to avoid wasted time!). Island in the Sky allows for beautiful views of the mesa with dynamic views of rugged canyons below.
Capitol Reef:
After debating and almost skipping this desolate park, this was certainly worth spending a day with surprising finds of apricot orchards, homemade pies, Indian petroglyphs, and rocky hikes.
1 Day at Capitol Reef National Park:
Morning: Scenic Drive to Capitol Gorge (2 mile hike)
Lunch: Picnic & Pie from Gifford House. Fresh-picked fruit in afternoon.
Leaving: Petroglyphs outside of National Park
We started driving along the 8 mile paved Scenic Drive, that turns into the 3 mile gravel road of Capitol Gorge Road that winds through a canyon. The road ends at Capitol Gorge for a 2 mile hike to see the Pioneer Register (ie: historical graffiti of the Mormon settlers from the late 1800s).
For lunch, enjoy a carb-infused treat of a homemade pie from the Gifford House within the park. Also, we were pleasantly surprised with the number of fruit trees with free to pick apricots, apples, and other fruits. With the hikes completed, continue down Highway 24 to see the petroglyph panel before heading onto your next destination.
Next Stops: the other half of the Might 5 National Parks of Utah — Bryce & Zion!