Greetings from Canyonlands National Park

We timed our arrival for dawn so we could catch that iconic photograph of Mesa Arch that has been seen forty bajillion times on the Internet and on coffee tables across America. We weren’t the only ones with the same idea as there were already about a half dozen photographers with tripods setup, waiting for the right moment. Just one problem though. That moment never came on this particular morning. Extreme overcast above the LaSal Mountains made the sun completely invisible. The locals who come out here nearly every morning for that perfect photo were gone within five minutes with comments like, “should have stayed in bed today.”

For me, it was only a minor disappointment. Mesa Arch and the surrounding towers, canyons and mountains still created a remarkable scene. I may not have captured the perfect sunrise through the arch, but I did capture a vivid memory that will last for years. It was even worth the morning cold and howling wind. The trail to Mesa Arch is short, no more than a quarter mile to the arch, half mile round trip. It can be done as a loop, or out and back on either of two trails. It crosses sandy slick rock and desert scrub, like juniper and sage. Mesa Arch itself is perched right at cliff’s edge, with the LaSal Mountains clearly visible in the distance, and Washer Woman Arch and Airport Tower jutting up from the canyon below.

On our return from the arch, the morning sun was lighting the clouds above Aztec Butte, creating another beautiful desert scene. There was a hungry raven waiting in the parking pullout, one obviously very familiar with the human species, and our senseless tendency to provide handouts. Instead, I took his picture as he looked back at me with disdain.

Sincerely,
Jeff