Arches, Moab and Gold Bar

After Bryce we drove again to Mystic so the new group could have a go in the springs. We left at 1am and drove through to night to Arches, where I woke up with a heavy cold. I wasn't really up for hiking but Julie convinced me to walk for half an hour or so, just so I could see it. So we ate breakfast then drove to the trail head.

Once I started the trail I knew there was no going back - it was beautiful and I had to see it all. The trail was described as 'primitive', and that translated as a sandy track leading to a trail with very few markers, requiring the walker to scrabble up and across rocks. It was absolutely brill, the best trail I did on the whole trip.

After leaving arches we ate a yummy lunch in Moab before leaving for our camp ground. En route we stopped for another photo-op. I almost didn't get out of the bus but I'm so glad I did, because we had stopped at the site of some ancient petroglyphs, made by native Americans.

The camp ground wasn't far, at this place called Gold Bar. It was a super quite spot right next to the Colorado River. It did have some really prickly plants which, when paired with flip flops, caused some aggro. Everyone was starting to get pretty tired by this point, and most of us had an early night. We left the camp at about 10am the next morning, stopped at Moab again to get last minute supplies for the Grand Canyon, then drove to Recapture Resevoir where we swam and made sandwiches. The water was muddy, really deep and filled with plants but it was fun and I felt vaguely clean when we left.