Even More Fun in Moab!

I've been to Moab close to 20 times in the last 20 years, and there is always something new to do.

Upheaval Dome is in the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands near the hike in the last post. This crater-like depression is more than 2 miles wide. Geologists argue about where it came from. The biggest theories are that it's from the impact of a huge meteorite, or that it's a big salt dome.


The next day, Bill and Bertie took us on a back roads trip to 2 different areas. First we went into Arches National Park and drove the Willow Flats road. It wasn't too difficult, and I couldn't help but notice you could get into the park for free by taking this road if you didn't have a pass. (Of course, I would never do such a thing...)


Along the road are some unique petrified dinosaur tracks, made about 165 million years ago by a three-toed human-sized therapods. Over 2500 dinosaur tracks have been found in the Moab area.


After we got back to the main highway, we went back to town and out Kane Creek Drive.


Right along the road is a huge boulder with petroglyphs on all 4 sides. The figures range from 200 to 2000 years old. The most famous is this "birthing scene."



Farther on, the road goes through the creek, then through a valley, then up to Hurrah Pass.


Hurrah! We made it!


There are some unique rock formations at the pass, and all along the road.


The view from the pass looking back down the valley.


After that exhausting trip (ha!), we had to stop at the Moab Diner for banana splits. We were told to ask for Brittany to make them, because she was the best. But she was off! So Diana (nice name) made them instead. She felt obliged to outdo Brittany, and she did! This is about 3 time bigger than it's supposed to be.