It’s another really, really hot day here. I believe this is our third day in the 100s. It is just so hot. We tried to start really early this morning, but it just wasn’t happening. Instead, we didn’t start the 40 minute drive to Canyonlands National Park until 7:40. (I promised the whole family that I won’t hit the snooze button tomorrow.) The drive to the park was gorgeous and we stopped to see two mesas in the distance. So brillant.
We arrived at the Visitor’s Center by 9 and were given a fabulous itinerary for the day by a kind ranger. Our first stop was Upheaval Dome, the site of a meteor impact nearly 200 million years ago. What really blew my mind is that only soooo recently was it confirmed a meteor impact. There was another theory, that some still believe, that it is a salt dome from an ocean. I feel like there is so much known in the geography world and visitors like us take so many years of research for granted. Then we see evidence of something that was unknown until just a few years ago. It’s hard to explain, but I’m thankful for the scientists who have answered so many of my wonders.
As cool as the site was, it was freaking hot and somehow the 2 mile out and back hike seemed uphill both ways. I know that isn’t possible, but I promise it seemed like it. I do know I am a good hiker, but the combination of extreme heat and inclines slay me. We all (except for Zak) got back into the car sweaty and exhausted. Zak kindly suggested we just drive by the rest of the hikes and overlooks instead of actually hiking them, but we assured him we just needed a break for a few minutes. After a short, very air conditioned drive the next trail head we were ready to go.
The hike to the Grand View outlook was just grand. It is crazy walking on the very edge of a canyon, only your smart steps preventing a tragic fall, but looking out in the distance to see some of the most splendid scenery imaginable. You have to stop walking to look, so you don’t misstep while trying to taking in all the beauty. We made to the turnaround point and just took it all in. I was hot, sweaty, tired, a bit crabby, but I worked so hard to sketch the landscape in my mind so I can always remember it. To call it grand, as the name suggests, is an injustice to the beauty. It is much, much more that grand.
Our last official hike was a short loop (again both ways were uphill the whole way…I have no idea how they do that here.) Halfway through we were suddenly upon the Mesa Arch. It was very low and appeared to define gravity. By looking under the arch we could see a whole world of landscape: mountains with snowcaps, canyons, desert. Just breathtaking.
We sprinkled in a few other overlooks and short walks, and eventually made our way back to the Visitor’s Center. The girls were once again sworn in as Junior Rangers, I think their 6th time this trip!
Zak is out in town doing a load of laundry and bit of grocery shopping, while the girls and I are jammin’ away to Rihanna, Sia, and Selena. We have to get this pop music in whenever we can. We’ll do an earlier dinner, a nice post-dinner swim, and an early bedtime since tomorrow I will not hit that snooze button!
***Disclaimer: I realized that this post seems like I enjoyed the day more than I did. It was an awesome day, but it was too hot to keep me from being crabby.
