Arches National Park Entrance - 4,085'

Welcome to Arches National Park!! I can't believe we're actually here!

Moab Canyon - 4,280'

US-191 as it snakes its way south out of Moab Canyon...

Moab Canyon - 4,400'

The park road scales the canyon wall to the plateau above. The buildings below are the park headquarters and visitors center...

Arches Park Road - 4,550'

We were immdiately taken by the abundance of red rock in this area...

Arches Park Road - 4,550'

Interesting cliff formations along the park road not far from the visitors center...

Park Avenue Trailhead - 4,540'

A towering cliff near the Park Avenue Trailhead...

Park Avenue & The Courthouse Towers - 4,520'

The stunning view from Park Avenue viewpoint. The cliffs to the right are known as the Courthouse Towers...

LaSal Mountains Viewpoint - 4,720'

The LaSal Mountains rise to the south to elevations exceeding 12,000'...

Sheep Rock - 4,300'

Sheep Rock (~4,800'), to the right, is separated by a obvious gap from the cliffs to the left. At one time they were connected by a natural archway which has long since fallen...

Petrified Dunes - 4,440'

Heading north we next passed the Petrified Dunes area...

Windows from Petrified Dunes - 4,400'

Looking across the Petrified Dunes to the Windows area, our next destination...

Balanced Rock - 5,015'

Looking at Balanced Rock from the side...

Balanced Rock - 5,015'

Coming up on the Balanced Rock area...

Balanced Rock Loop - 5,015'

A small, twisted Juniper sweltering in the sun beneath Balanced Rock...

Balanced Rock Loop - 5,015'

We're not in Michigan anymore! The desert landscape from the trail around Balanced Rock...

Balanced Rock Loop - 5,015'

Balanced Rock, from the loop trail...

Ham Rock (?) - 5,015'

I believe this is Ham Rock, but I could be wrong...

Balanced Rock Loop - 5,015'

I can't really say I felt comfortable standing under Balanced Rock at this point...

Balanced Rock Picnic Area - 5,030'

We were going to enjoy a nice outdoor picnic but the 101-degree sun chased us back to our air conditioned car...

Ham Rock - 5,030'

Again, this is Ham Rock...the other side that is...

Windows Road - 5,125'

I don't know the name of this interesting rock. Its between Balanced Rock and the Windows...

The Salt Valley - 5,125'

The road climbed a bit on the way to the Windows giving a nice view north of the Salt Valley...

The Windows - 5,240'

Coming up on the Windows...

The Windows - 5,240'

The effects of erosion are obvious here...