I cannot believe today is already the 7th day of our 6 State Road Trip. Four states down, two more to go with 6 full days left. So far, I have gotten engaged, explored 4 National Parks, camped, hiked, and so much more!
Our seventh day of the road trip started off much smoother than our sixth! Thank goodness for that.
We woke up bright-eyed and bushy tailed, ready for a day filled to the brim with adventures. As we had spent last night in a motel in the small town of Moab, Utah, we did not have to drive too far to get to our next destination.
River Rafting in Moab
Another adventure on our bucket list was to do whitewater rafting. Lucky for us, while the town of Moab is famously known for its national parks, as well as canyons, and arches, Moab is also home to dozens of touring companies taking groups of people, up and down the Colorado River down the rapids in rafts. The Colorado River originates in Rocky Mountain National Park in the state of Colorado and stretches over 1,450 miles long. A large section of the river flows through Moab.
We used Tripadvisor to book our tour with the company, Fisher’s Towers. Would highly recommend it!
We certainly could not pass up this opportunity to experience the Colorado River firsthand. So off we went. Our tour started at Navtec Expeditions, 321 N Main St, Moab, UT 84532, USA. This is due to the fact that very few vehicles can make it up the narrow route to the Colorado river mouth where the rafts are launched.
Prices can range between $90.00 to around $124.00 per person, per tour.
Before the tour can start, you are expected to sign a waiver and sit through a quick training brief for rafting safety. The company offers two options of rafts, one being a group raft and the other a two-person kayak. They also provide each person with a life jacket. A bus then shuttles the whole group, of to the spot where the rafts are launched. A maximum of 12 adults fit on a raft and at the time of our session, there were three rafts and one kayak. The entire expedition, with travel to and from included, lasts around 7,5 hours.
Children have to be at least 8 years old.
Justin and I chose the two-person kayak as supposed to the raft, for a couple of reasons. First of all, we wanted to be able to paddle for ourselves. The group rafts were all guided by the river guide and so the rafts do end up being much more of a leisurely river experience than the kayaks. However, one big plus for someone who picks the rafts as supposed to the kayaks is that the guides will point out fascinating things. These guides know the river like the back of their hands, and they point out certain mountain ranges, tell you stories about the history of the river, and they even point out wildlife and flowers.
Your choice of kayak versus raft will depend on what type of experience you prefer. Do you want to sit back and relax while going down the river? Then choose the raft. Do you want a challenge? Then choose the kayak.
The tour guide, after giving us our kayak and lifejackets heard that we were newly engaged. He then laughed and said, well if you aren’t considering divorce or calling off the wedding by the end of the trip – then y’all are truly made for each other.
I do have to add that this experience is not exactly whitewater rafting, as we had dreamed. This adventure is instead brown water rafting. The difference between the two, that we also did not know before, is that the rapids are only class one and two. This means that while there are rapids every now and then, they are not very steep. However, the types of rapids you experience is heavily dependent on the weather. For example, we went down the river in late July, rapids were small, we did not get wet frequently and paddling was easy. It also helps to take along a nice strong man, to do all the work lol.
It is very important to bring water, sunglasses, a hat, and SUNSCREEN.
I would 100% go back and try this adventure again. After hearing the guides tell the most fascinating stories, we stuck close to the raft to hear more and ended up learning so much about the river and even the history surrounding us. Justin and I laughed a lot! We even got to jump out of the kayak and swim in the Colorado river to cool down a bit. I can confirm that Justin and I most certainly did not consider calling off the wedding. Plus, I only cried one time… so everything is fine.
Our tour, that started at 9AM, finished at 4:30PM.
We had no time to waste, because our next destination was...
Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park is known for its stunning views of deep canyons, mesas, and buttes. Here you will find thousands of unique geological formations, diverse wildlife, and many recreational opportunities such as hiking, camping, rock climbing, and stargazing. In Southeast Utah’s high desert, the canyons of Canyonlands are formed through water and gravity as prime architects of this land, sculpting layers of rock into rugged landscape.
Considering how vast the landscape of Canyonlands is, it should come of no surprise to know that this national park has hundreds of miles of hiking trails throughout the park. With options ranging from short walks to day hikes and even backpacking trips, this park packs a punch for any and all visitors who pass through.
For those wanting to explore the shorter hikes, but still wanting to experience spectacular views and overlooks, there is the Island in the Sky trails.
Island in the Sky trails
A combination of 18 trails, spanning on and on for miles on end form this National Park’s front country hiking, with shorter options for walks and even up to a full day’s worth of hiking. There is a trail for everyone with some trails that are as short as 0.6 miles (1km) and those as long as 11.8 miles (19km). These trails also vary in difficulty.
The nps.gov website has a full and detailed list of all available trails as well as their difficulty and description.
Mesa Arch:
Distance: 0.6 miles (1km)
Time needed: 30 minutes.
Type of Trail: Short hike.
Difficulty: Easy.
Elevation Gain: 56 ft. gain.
This short walk leads visitors to the breathtakingly beautiful Mesa Arch. Over the years, the Mesa Arch has become a popular spot for those wanting to see the sunset. As the sun sets, the rays shine through the Mesa Arch cascading the colors along the bottom and top of the Arch. Many photographers visit this spot regularly and wait hours for the perfect shot of sunset with the La Sal Mountains in the background. Although our time here was more than a little cloudy, the view through the Mesa Arch is still breathtaking.
Grand Viewpoint
A stunning, out-and-back trail, this walk showcases spectacular panoramic views as it follows the canyon edge. At times, when looking down it seems that you are looking at a canvas, like what you are seeing is not real. In fact, what you are looking at from thousands of feet up in the air, is a network of canyons enveloping each other.
Distance: 1.8 miles (2.9 km).
Time needed: 1.5 hours.
Type of Trail: Out-and-back trail.
Difficulty: Easy.
Elevation Gain: 167 ft.
The Syncline Loop
For the adventurer looking for more of a challenge, there is the Syncline Loop. This challenging trail follows the canyon around Upheaval Dome and requires navigating steep switchbacks, climbing, and scrambling through boulder fields. This hike, the longest and possibly most strenuous, is known for park rescues occurring here often. Therefore, this hike requires a well thought out plan for supplies such as extra water, a map, and a flashlight.
Distance: 8.1 miles (13 km).
Time needed: 5-7 hours.
Type of Trail: Out-and-back trail.
Difficulty: Strenuous.
Elevation Gain: 1,300 ft (396 m) gain.
Hike this trail clockwise for more afternoon shade.
There would have been so much more to do in this National Park, however with the sun setting behind us, as we walked back from the Mesa Arch, we ended the night happy and thankful for yet another amazing stop on our road trip.
With seven full days behind us and six more to go...
- Come back tomorrow, to see where we are now! -
Beautiful scenery. Looks like the country we see in Wild West films.