The American West. Even though none of us had ever been there before, the three of us, my mom, Rémi, and I, we all had these iconic, breathtaking landscapes in mind that we’d long dreamed about. After more than four months of road-tripping from Montreal through Western Canada, Yukon, and Alaska, here we finally are! Arches National Park is our first true immersion into the heart of Utah and our first encounter with the emblematic scenery of the American West. Saying we were blown away is a huge understatement!
Friday, September 31, 2022
After several days of off-the-beaten-path road-tripping between Grand Teton National Park and Utah, we finally pick up my mom in Salt Lake City. Her first steps in the United States are… unforgettable. We meet her at 3 p.m. at the airport, where she was patiently waiting on the sidewalk because we were late… Then, we grab the rental car and drive for two hours. We set up the rooftop tent and show mom the Jeep, her new “home” for the next ten days. Afterward, we eat under a beautiful starry sky before heading to bed: Rémi and I sleep up top in the tent, and Mom stays down below in the Jeep. So far, so good.
Then… a booming thunderclap! Rémi and I wake up with a start in the middle of the night. We open the “window” and see lightning tearing across the horizon, lighting up the entire plain. The thunder rumbles nonstop. What a show! Such intensity! We stay mesmerized for several minutes. Then: “If that thing hits us, we’re in trouble…” Just to be safe, we check the weather. No alerts, just a little rain. Feeling reassured, we lie back down. Ten minutes later, the tent fabric is violently shaken by a fierce gust of wind. We check the weather again. And this time, disaster: “Severe storm warning.” Winds gusting up to 50 mph (80 km/h) and hailstones the size of ping-pong balls are forecast…
All hands on deck! The survival of our tent is at stake. Without hesitation, we gather our things. Our bustle shakes the Jeep, waking Mom. She rushes out in a panic, forgetting how high it is, stumbles, and twists her shoulder. Meanwhile, we toss our gear haphazardly into the car and quickly fold the tent amid gusts of wind and freezing rain. We then jump to safety inside the Jeep, while Mom settles in the back of the rental car, wrapped up in her sleeping bag. It’s 4 a.m. — a trial by fire for Mom! Welcome to our adventure 😉
Saturday, October 1st
The night’s adventures haven’t dampened our spirits. Plus, the beautiful weather is back. We spend breakfast reliving that crazy night. Mom’s shoulder hurts a little, but it’s nothing serious. It was a memorable first night! At 10 a.m., we head to the popular Arches National Park! It’s so popular, in fact, that you have to book a reservation to get in! As usual, we’re well prepared! 😅 Quickly, we reserve the last available time slot of the day: 4 p.m.! Phew, a bit tight for exploring such a vast park. It’s noon, and we decide to try our luck. So, we get in line and wait, wait, and wait. Of course, we picked the slowest line… After an hour, the entrance booth is in sight, but the ranger tells us to come back at 3:30 p.m. Too bad.
While we wait, we set off to discover the legendary Colorado River for the first time. A short 3-kilometer hike takes us through Grandstaff Canyon. We are surprised to come across vegetation that reminds us of home, prickly pear cacti, oaks, and broom plants. But the landscape is unmistakably American.
At 3 p.m., we’re finally back at the park. There are still just as many cars, and once again, we have to wait for an hour. And yes… we’re in the slowest line again. 😤 But it doesn’t matter, because once we pass the entrance booth, we’re inside Arches National Park! The excitement is through the roof. Eyes wide open. Cameras ready. The road winds its way up in tight switchbacks, leading us onto the plateau.
Arches! What a stunning park! From the very first meters we drive, we are blown away. It’s exactly how we pictured the American West: red rock, arid landscapes, and massive rock formations in the most improbable shapes. You wonder how they’re still standing! Our first stop is Park Avenue, and it’s absolutely breathtaking!
We spend two hours exploring the first few kilometers of the park: the petrified sand dunes, Tower of Babel, the Three Gossips, Sheep Rock, and Balanced Rock. Each rock formation has been given its own name.
As evening falls, we leave the park and go pick up Jeepy from a nearby parking lot. We spend the night at a state campground. Just as we’re about to warm up our chili, a storm breaks out. Seriously? Two nights in a row, that’s some bad luck. On top of that, the strong wind keeps us from putting up the awning. So, we take refuge in the rental car to eat, surrounded by lightning and thunder. Not wanting to risk setting up the tent and having our night end like the previous one, we decide to sleep in the cars: Rémi and I in the Jeep, Mom in the rental! Another camping night washed out… quite literally!
Sunday, October 2
Our plan is flawless: today, we don’t have a reservation to enter Arches National Park. But reservations are only required from 6 a.m. onward. So, we just need to get through the entrance booth before then! That means we’re up at 5 a.m. After a restless, rainy, and stormy night, it’s a bit tough. We hit the road in total darkness. At 5:45 a.m., we arrive at the park entrance. The booth is already lit but still closed. We make it through! Perfect 🥳 We drive on the park roads in complete darkness, barely making out the massive rock formations surrounding us.
Since we are in the park so early, we take the chance to watch the sunrise. And not just anywhere! We head straight to one of the park’s—and Utah’s—most iconic arches: Delicate Arch, which even graces Utah’s license plates. The hike to get there is about 5 kilometers. We set off in the soft gray light of dawn. The trail starts with a gentle incline, then steepens! Then, around a cliff we skirt along a dizzying path, there it is, beautiful and majestic, standing proud against a vast landscape.
Back at the parking lot, we enjoy a well-deserved breakfast. Then, we set off to explore the park. Every stop offers us extraordinary wonders that never cease to amaze. The three of us are completely captivated by the beauty of this American park and its ancient rock formations.
And what can we say about its majestic arches that defy gravity! Carved and sculpted over time by the erosion of water, wind, and sand, they are impressive in both size and elegance. True masterpieces of nature, they are nonetheless destined to collapse one day. We discover Landscape Arch, the longest arch in North America, stretching 93.3 meters. In the 1990s, part of the arch collapsed, so it’s now off-limits to visitors. Though incredibly slender, it still stands strong, but for how much longer?
Next, we head to The Windows Section, the heart of Arches National Park, where the most impressive rock formations are found…
… but also some of the park’s most iconic arches. We discover North Window and South Window, two neighboring arches that, like two windows, offer views of the vast desert… or the endless blue sky, depending on where we stand.
There is also Turret Arch.
And finally, the iconic Double Arch, one of the most beautiful ones, in our opinion.
After a hearty picnic, it’s time for a shower. We leave Arches National Park and head to the nearest town: Moab, the mecca for off-road vehicles. Buggies, quads, Jeeps, and all kinds of 4x4s, everyone comes here to indulge their passion on the many trails in the area. And in Utah, there is no shortage of dreamy wild camping spots, so with our expedition Jeep, we are in for a treat!
But tonight is shaping up to be something else entirely. We enjoy a hot shower in a guesthouse, but as we step out, disillusion sets in: the sky looks threatening. No way! One rainy night is amusing. Two is just bad luck. But three? That’s one too many! 😤😤 And it’s not just a thunderstorm on the horizon, it’s a full-blown tempest! Flood warnings have been issued. After an emergency meeting, we are in agreement: we need a hotel. The problem? Every camper around here has come to the same conclusion!
Not only are many accommodations fully booked, but the ones that are still available are outrageously expensive. We drive around and around the streets of Moab in the middle of the storm: the wind is howling in violent gusts, and the streets are swept with sand, trash, and leaves flying in every direction. After a few failed attempts and some astronomical prices, we finally find shelter in a motel that takes us in, for $195 a night! The owner, seeing us arrive soaking wet and looking desperate, sympathizes: “Not a good night to camp tonight, right?” Indeed!
We spend a quiet and restful evening in the room. We take the opportunity to order some Mexican food, which we quickly go pick up and enjoy warm and safe on the beds! Outside, the storm is raging, and we know we made the right call. For Rémi and me, it’s our first night in a hotel in almost five months! It’s pricey, but oh so comfortable! We even treat ourselves to a second shower 😁 That way, we’ll be especially refreshed tomorrow to go explore Canyonlands National Park!
