Delicate Arch | Bottling Moonlight

Arches was hot, beautiful and hot. We debated even heading to this area during July, but decided to give it a go, strategically choosing to camp at a higher elevation and therefore a lower (thank goodness) temperature. I would have loved to have spent more time in Arches, but one long day hiking under the blazing sun was enough for me. I was actually shocked we were able to fit so much exploration in to our long day in Arches, and my desperate cravings for damp shade during the several days after our visit just served to highlight that point.

Since we knew that the longest hike we’d be doing was to the famous Delicate Arch (seen a Utah license plate lately?), we zipped right to the trailhead to try to beat the mid-day heat. It was a beautiful, albeit crowded, hike, but the payoff at the end was well worth the crowds. The arch is stunning, and seeing a zillion and one photos of it before ever setting foot in the park did not diminish its beauty one bit. Standing (and then laying) under it was even cooler!