Coming off a jam-packed day of hiking in Arches National Park, it was pretty easy for us all to get to bed early, so that we could wake up at 3:45 a.m. – which is actually 2:45 a.m. in the time zone my brain is tied to.

That’s right. We can all blame our friend Chad for this crazy idea.

Kidding aside, this turned out to be a very memorable activity from our trip to Moab, UT, with our friends, Chad and Shannon, and we have Chad to thank for this one.

Sunrise Hike to Mesa Arch

Waking up when it’s still dark outside is kind of the norm during the winter months, but here it’s almost May, and we are up well before dawn, getting our packs ready, grabbing our PB&J sandwiches, and heading out the door to Canyonlands National Park, bound for Mesa Arch to catch the sun as it rises behind it.

The drive to the trailhead took about 50 minutes from our vacation rental in Moab, the hike to the arch took 15-20 minutes, but we’d also be navigating it in the dark, so who knows what extra challenges that would bring. We just knew that we had to be at the arch before the sun came up or we’d miss the key photo op.

First, let me just say that on the road leading into Canyonlands, oddly, there are cows. Lots of cows. And sometimes the cows are in the road. So, it’s super important, especially if it’s still dark out, to keep an eye out for cows. And when you’re used to coming across deer while driving, for example, cows don’t exactly bound like deer do, nor do cows really bolt in front of your vehicle, but cows are huge animals, so hitting one, generally, would be undesirable – both for the cow and for your vehicle.

Ok. So, we saw a lot of cows, in the dark, and luckily, we did not run into any. We entered Canyonlands, I symbolically flashed my annual national park pass to a dark kiosk with the shades drawn, and we followed the signs to the Mesa Arch trailhead. Around 5:30 a.m., we arrived at the parking lot. I stepped out of the vehicle and immediately knew I needed to put on another layer. It was in the 40s and it definitely felt chilly!

It wasn’t pitch-black out thanks to the moon and some dawn’s early light, but we donned our headlamps and headed out on the trail.

The distance to the arch was pretty short, maybe a half mile. When we arrived, already around 20 people had staked out their spot for their money shot.

I looked around and told Chad that when that first ray of sun appears, I’m going to bust out in song, “This magic moment…”

We found our own spots and stood in place. Watching. Waiting. Counting down the minutes until sunrise, and maybe some of us were dancing in place a little bit to keep warm and pass the time.

As the sunrise grew nearer, more and more spectators showed up, filling in the gaps. I think the crowd doubled in size since we’d gotten there.

Let’s just say some of them were more prepared than others, as a few were shockingly wearing shorts, and several were not even wearing jackets. I was cold just looking at them. And at least a couple of people showed up wrapped in blankets, as if it were a high school football game in the Midwest.

I actually did not get cold, but was very thankful I had opted for the additional layers at the last minute; otherwise, I would have been uncomfortable. I think the temperature actually dropped from the time we’d first arrived.

At long last, the faintest speck of sun appeared above the distant rocky horizon and everyone came to attention and started snapping photos.

Many seconds later, the sun had risen to a spot where it not only showed through the arch, but the entire underside of the arch glowed!

Talk about a magic moment!

Then we made the short trek back to the parking lot.

Though this wasn’t my and my husband’s first time in Canyonlands National Park, we set out to make a few other scenic stops so Chad and Shannon could also enjoy it.

Mesa Arch Hike
Total Distance	0.7 mi
Total Time	00:19:45
Total Ascent	88 ft
Max Elevation	6,175 ft

Grand View Point Overlook

Upheaval Dome Hike

After stopping at the overlook, we drove to the Upheaval Dome for a short hike to view this unique and mysterious geologic crater that was hypothesized to be either the remnant of a meteorite impact or a salt dome uplift.

We hiked to both overlook 1 and overlook 2. Because the photos don’t give the true perspective, I will add that the circular depression is over 2 miles wide.

More bloomin’ cacti!

A lot of ups and downs on slickrock on this hike.

When we arrived back at the trailhead parking lot, a camper with Oregon license plates was parked nearby. The driver appeared and we struck up a chat. I learned that his mother’s family is from Plum City, WI, and he’s actually spent some time there. That is about 30 minutes from my hometown! Crazy!

Upheaval Dome Overlooks Hike
Total Distance	1.3 mi
Total Time	00:35:34
Total Ascent	226 ft
Max Elevation	5,885 ft

Green River Overlook

After our short hike, we double-backed to make a stop at Green River Overlook for another view of the canyon.

The snow-capped Henry Mountains off in the distance on the right are 55 miles from where we were standing.

After making a quick stop at the visitor center, we pulled off at the Shafer Trail Overlook, which was familiar to us from our previous visit to Canyonlands. I think this stop was my husband’s way of foreshadowing what was next.

Shafer Trail

And… here we go!

Gooseneck Overlook of the Colorado River on Shafer Trail.

An abrupt drop-off that you don’t want to overlook while traveling on Shafer Trail.

I, for one, was pretty happy we had not come across any snakes on this trip so far. But as we were driving on Shafer Trail, I spotted one slithering quickly away from our vehicle as we drove past. We stopped and took a photo of it. You can see a glimpse of the snake here, towards the center of the photo, seeking shelter at the edge of the grass.

If this was going to be our “snake sighting” on this trip, I was very glad it happened while we were driving instead of out hiking! And, thankfully, it wanted nothing to do with us!

As we wound down the wash at the bottom of Shafer Trail, we passed through an industrial area with various man-made aqua-colored rectangular pools. We learned that this potash operation provides minerals for certified organic farms, and the pools we saw are how the potash is derived, via solar evaporation, resulting in a potassium source – a key component for photosynthesis that improves water efficiency of the plant and improves overall plant health helping resist pests and disease. So, now you know what potash is, because I had never heard of it before.

Shafer Trail eventually led us back to Potash Road, paralleling the Colorado River.

We headed back into Moab and decided we still had plenty of time (and energy?) left to fit in a late-afternoon hike before dinner. So, we researched some options and decided on a hike to Morning Glory natural bridge.

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