Utah’s “Mighty Five” national parks offer one of the most concentrated displays of geologic diversity in the United States. Over the course of this trip, we moved from the red rock fins around Moab to the high plateaus of Bryce and the sheer canyon walls of Zion, structuring each stop around early starts, scenic drives, and focused hikes. Our trip began in Arches National Park just outside Moab . Sunrise at Delicate Arch provided the clearest view of the park’s most recognizable formation, with low-angle light emphasizing the texture and color of the Entrada Sandstone. We continued to Landscape Arch, notable for its extreme thinness and span, and stopped at Balanced Rock to see one of the park’s most accessible examples of differential erosion. A ranger-led experience through the Fiery Furnace highlighted the complexity of the park’s sandstone fins and narrow passages. After dark, we returned to the Windows Section for stargazing; Arches’ designation as an International ...
