Thrilling bike trails, massive sandstone formations, and jaw-dropping hiking trails define my recent trip to Utah. This last May I had the outstanding opportunity to experience the beautiful landscape and nature in Utah. I was drawn down to Utah for multiple reasons. The MCLA national lacrosse championship brought teams from all across the country to compete at the Salt Lake City Regional Athletic Complex. The second reason was to go biking and hiking around Arches National Park near Moab. The final reason was to visit my extended family who lives near Salt Lake.
Salt Lake City Hiking
Once the lacrosse tournament was over, I went hiking with my family just outside of the Salt Lake City area. We grabbed our hiking shoes, backpacks, and breathable clothing and set out for the woods. As soon as we drove away from the more heavily populated area, the buildings became replaced with more and more looming trees that felt as if they were closing us in. At the beginning of the hiking trail, there was a shallow creek that slithered past the parking lot and carved into the mountain. The trail that we were on was a narrow dirt path surrounded by huge fir and aspen trees. The soothing sounds of running water and singing birds were all around us as we made our way up the mountain. The trail had a fairly consistent incline with multiple switchbacks as we increased altitude. It was a pretty populated trail as we were passing people usually every 30-45 minutes. As we emerged through the trees at the top of the mountain, the views were breathtaking. The rocky peak overlooked a wide valley surrounded by snow-capped mountains. The hike was extremely peaceful and a great way to discover what sights Utah has to offer near Salt Lake City.
Commute to Moab
After spending a few days hiking and relaxing with my extended family near Salt Lake City, I grabbed my water bottle, hat, and shades and made my way south-east to Moab, Utah. The drive down was smooth and very scenic only taking about four hours. Outside of Salt Lake, I was winding my way through large green bluffs and rocky cliffs. As I got closer and closer to Moab, the terrain became much drier, both the dirt and rocks began to have a red tint. Traffic moved fast, and there was rarely any congestion. As I pulled into the town of Moab, I noticed that most of the tourist attractions such as restaurants, hotels, cafes, and ice cream shops where mostly all along Main street, the town’s most heavily trafficked road that cuts directly through the middle of town. I checked into a nearby hotel and called it a night.
Hiking in Moab
The next day I made the short drive to Arches National Park. If you are near the east side of Utah, I strongly urge you to go to this national park. The park is just under 80,000 acres, surrounded by massive red/brown sandstone mountains, and other unique geological formations. The park is known for being home to the highest number of natural arches in the world, with more than 2,000 dispersed throughout. The park is on top of a large salt bed that over the years erodes and creates these amazing arches. One of the most famous arches, the Delicate Arch, is something I really wanted to see with my own eyes. Once in the park, I drove about 25 minutes to the Delicate Arch Trail parking area. The trail up to the arch is only about 3-miles round trip but feels a lot longer due to the steepness of the hike. At the base of the parking area, on a short separate trail, there is a stone wall with Native American petroglyphs. These engravings of horses, riders, bighorn sheep, and other animals are most likely from Ute Indians who lived in the area many years ago. These petroglyphs are truly astonishing and a huge cultural importance to the Native Americans in the surrounding Moab area. On the hiking trail up to the Delicate Arch, you are engulfed in a dry desert heat, balanced out by winds that help cool you down. On the day I went there must have been a school field trip to the park, because about two-thirds of the way up, about 100 young kids came flying down the trail running and yelling as they passed people going the opposite way. When I reached the end of the trail, I was overwhelmed by the strong blasting winds. I felt a great surge of accomplishment as I saw the Delicate Arch. I gained a deeper, much deserved, respect for our planet after seeing something that breathtaking that was formed naturally. The drive was well worth it because I will remember these arches for the rest of my life. I would highly recommend stopping to experience this exceptional national park for yourself.
Biking in Moab
The next day, I set out to go biking on some of the famous mountain biking trails that I have heard so much about near Moab. I rented a mountain bike for the day from this local bike shop in town and made sure I had a helmet and backpack. I was not exactly sure what trail I should bike on so I asked an employee at the bike shop where she would recommend I go. She gave me a map and suggested a trail that was 30 minutes out from town. Once I got to the bike trail and looked at the map, I instantly knew it was going to be the best biking I have ever experienced. The trail was a ten-mile, single track loop that was mostly packed dirt and sandstone. The trail has a good balance of easy and fast sections along with challenging and technical parts. I sped through a ton of mini-canyons of red rocks and alongside miniature cliffs with crumbling rocks off on either side. I had to be very careful to stay on the path or else I would risk falling off the sides. There where many ups and downs on the trail that either gave me a great view of the surrounding landscape or a speedy boost into the next section. I was surprised by the number of small desert lizards that were sunbathing near the trail and would often run across the path as I biked past. The unique features, rocky yet reliable trail conditions, and stunning scenery are what made biking in Moab, Utah a memorable trip and my favorite place to bike.
Utah is an extremely beautiful state filled with numerous mountains, forests, and unique rock formations. If you consider yourself an outdoor lover, Utah is a great place to enjoy nature and seem some truly jaw-dropping sights. Offering some of the best hiking and biking trails I have ever experienced, I urge everyone who enjoys outdoor activities to go to Moab, Utah and explore!
