Moab, Island in the Sky & Fisher Towers

Journey map

Approximately:

• from Canyonlands SP (A) to Jug Handle Arch (B): 50 miles and 1h45 on road
• from Jug Handle Arch (B) to Fisher Towers (C): 38 miles and 1h20 on road
• from Moab (D) to Arches NP (E): 13 miles and 30 mn on road

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Saturday, May 30

Wake up at 5:10 am for the sunrise on Mesa Arch; the outside temperature is 61°F. We aren't alone and, unlike The Tigre (VF), we will not be too embarrassed but we are not pros either .

After breakfast on the parking lot, we return to camp for a little walk towards restroom and thank our "hosts". We use this opportunity to take some pictures of flowers and then we descend on foot to Green River Overlook, slightly downwards. The view to the east, lit by the rising sun, is magnificent. This park is aptly named.

After a brief stop at Buck Canyon, we arrive at Grand View Point.

and, somewhat later, we enter the small hike from White Rim. Yet magnificent views of the gaunt landscape, almost lunar. The view is so beautiful it speaks for itself.

We stop at the Visitor Center for the usual shopping and I ask a ranger what he thinks of our vehicle for Shaffer Trail. My explanation of the gearbox suits him but he still wants to see the vehicle; and there, disaster, he strongly recommends against the descent because of ground clearance (I suspected a little). We make the best of a bad deal and we limit ourselves to some pictures of this "mythical" track (in addition to those of yesterday).

Around 11:30 am, a little disappointed, we leave the VC to take the road 279, just before Moab, and along the Colorado (at the bottom of the descent, what! ).
Once again, we admire the many petroglyphs at the foot of the cliff (well, a little high anyway) and we end at Jug Handle Arch; the thermometer shows 86°F.

We turn to the other side of Moab (east) into a gorgeous gorge, all dressed in red and begin the dirt road of Onion Creek for several miles, crossing and recrossing the creek.
Small pause in the shade for lunch around 2 pm. After lunch, we dip our feet in water: what a delight when it's 88°F outside. Returning to the road, the landscape sometimes resembles Monument Valley.

We continue with a short visit of Fisher Towers and then we end our hiking day with a quick foray into the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trail, but even if it's interesting for lovers of fossils, it's not very photogenic.

Direction Bowen Motel where a small problem expects us; no trace of our reservation but since we have a paper version, the receptionist manages and gives us our keys. I note with dismay that our room looks right on the main street and noise traffic worries me. Finally, sound insulation and / or our tiredness do that we'll not disturbed by noise during our 2 nights. By cons, Isabelle had chosen this hotel for the pool and we'll have no time to even see it!

After our installation, we're looking for a laundromat, with the information gleaned on VoyageForum (discussion had made more of a laugh, at the time; wink to Marie). The washing machine loaded, we go shopping because we have to fill our cooler; small disappointment, there is no wine but we find anything that had been reported on the forum (salads, ..). We end the evening at the Moab Brewery where we inaugurate the doggy-bag (first time for us).
Back at the hotel, preparing salads with rice for tomorrow, bathroom, sort of our photos and discussion on Skype carry out us quite late. Sleep.