ARCHES NATIIONAL PARK - NO, JUST LA SAL NATIONAL FOREST. ARCHES TO FOLLOW.

When we arrived at Pack Creek Campground in Moab the host said, "I was expecting you around Noon." I said, "We stopped in Green River to watch the PSU/Mich game. But we left in the third quarter because it just became to painful to watch." He replied, "OH MAN ! You should have stayed Penn State pulled it out in the fourth quarter."  I thought my immediate reaction was, "Yeah Right. No Way that happened." But he insisted that a flicker of belief crossed my face first. He then spent half an hour telling where to go and what to see both in and outside Arches.

So that afternoon we took his advice and headed to Sand Flats Road for a close up look at the La Sal National Forest and Castle Valley.  We took a little over 5 hours and drove almost 90 miles. About half horrible washboard dirt and half paved.

The mountains were topped with snow.

But the roads were clear.

A few miles later and we were "up close and personal" with the mountains. Other travelers told us is was only a short hike to the snow. We chose to take them at their word..

The aspens are starting to change color.

And they're especially beautiful when combined with Ponderosa Pines and  reflected in Oowah Lake, elevation 8800 ft.

Constant exposure has greatly lessened Carol's "passenger anxiety"

 We were told, "Be on the lookout for wildlife. Especially above 7000' elevation.

 The turkeys were two of a dozen or more. But they are very fast so this is all the evidence we have.

Remember those "Free Range" signs I mentioned in an early blog.

I almost hit this one. 

 Momma and calf.

Our campground friend told us which road to take off the mountain road to enter Castle Valley. He said, "When  you get the the Grand Canyon you will see that it truly is "Grand." But you will be able to say, I saw where it started. Because Castle Canyon IS the Colorado River."

Before we got there, we stopped at an overlook that promised "dinosaur tracks". Not a hyped commercial site, but a State Park.

The first couple took a little imagination.

But then they got pretty clear.

As promised, the views as we descended into Castle Canyon were incredible.

But when we got close to the Canyon floor and looked UP, things got even better.

So our first day where we came to see Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. We didn't go to either and Carol took over 200 pictures.

All because a friendly campground host decided to take a few minutes and talk with us.

God IS good.

Every Day.