Arches National Park was beautiful, but was probably my least favorite out of all the parks we visited. What? How could that be? Look at all the beautiful scenery and flowers. Well...Arches had a lot of snow this winter and also had a good rain about 2 weeks before we arrived. That meant lots of beautiful flowers in the desert. But what they don't tell you in all the tourist brochures is that with all the beautiful flowers, you get vicious blood-sucking vampire gnats. Bob gets bit, smacks the nasty miniscule insect, and moves on with his life. Me, I still am scratching bites all over my legs, arms, scalp, belly, and face. Those minute kami-kaze bombers of the insect world even ignored a generous dose of bug spray. Oh well, enough of that. I really hope you enjoy the photos; but as you look at them, think of me swatting away the gnats as I am trying to "get the shot". ~Carol
Our camp site at Arches...how cool is that
Behind our camp site. Pink sand and flowers.
Flowers at our camp ste
Night primrose (and an ant)
The Three Gossips...MH, JM, and Me!
Three Gossips with Blue Bonnets
Blue Bonnets
Park Avenue
Park Avenue (see the Empire State building?)
Fiery Furnace tour. It was actually shady and cool in the shadow of the fins.
Fiery Furnace tour
I call this "The Lighthouse". You can call it as you see it....
Kissing Turtles Arch
Fiery Furnace tour
Bob on the Fiery Furnace tour
Surprise Arch
Fiery Furnace is named for the color of the fins when the sun goes down.
Lots of flowers in Arches due to snows in the winter, and rain 2 weeks before we arrived.
Mule's Ears
Mule's Ears
Bob at Delicate Arch
See the little girl jumping under the arch? She reminded me of Clair Marie.
Delicate Arch at Sunset
Delicate Arch from the back side
Petroglyphs
Wolf's Cabin
Lizards in Love
Orange flowers near the Cave area.
Orange Flowers
Sego Lilly
Turret Arch
Agave
North Window
Prickly pear
Blue and orange flowers
Double Arch
Paintbrush
Broken Arch with Bob--this was a medium-sized arch
Tapestry Arch near the campground, but not on any of the park maps.
Landscape Arch--you can't imagine how large until you've seen it yourself