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Dec. 4, 2015 DESTINATION Thunderbolt
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Moab, Utah — land of scenery

6WRU\DQGSKRWRVE\ Arizona-Utah border. It is known for the The next day we visited Arches Na- Delicate Arch in Arches National Park in Utah is
6HQLRU$LUPDQ giant sandstone buttes of the park. To tional Park, and I got a free pass since photographed Nov. 2. Tourists from around the
*5$&(/(( get into the park, there is a cash-only fee I was active-duty military. We received world come every year to see the 65-foot-tall arch.
of $20, which covers up to four people a map and a visitor’s guide. The drive
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs per vehicle. Also, some choose to drive WKURXJKWKHSDUNLVÁDQNHGE\UHGURFN A tourist takes in the view Nov. 3 sitting beneath
the 17-mile scenic drive to take pictures. landscapes. There are also several scenic Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park in Utah.
I hadn’t taken a vacation in forever viewpoints to take pictures.
and decided it was time to go on a trip. I When we arrived at Moab, I was pleas-
wanted to go somewhere relatively easy antly surprised by how picturesque the We headed to the hiking trail up to
to get to but somewhere far enough away city was. We checked into our hotel and the famous 65-foot-tall Delicate Arch to
that it felt like a getaway. That’s why I went for dinner at the Moab Brewery. catch the sunset, and boy was it a view.
chose to go to Moab, Utah. )RU DQ\RQH QHZ WR 0RDE , GHÀQLWHO\ Tourists from around the world were
UHFRPPHQGJRLQJKHUHÀUVW,WLVUHDOO\ there with cameras ready to capture
Moab is surrounded by beautiful red busy, but worth the wait. the shot. It was nice just to sit there and
rock landscapes and is only a seven- absorb the surroundings.
and-a-half hour drive from Phoenix. The brewery has been known for
It’s also near Arches National Park, its hand-crafted ales since 1996. We Another place to consider visiting is
Canyonlands National Park and Dead ordered nachos to start and tried two Mesa Arch located in Canyonlands Na-
Horse Point State Park. of their brews, as well as two different tional Park. Because Mesa Arch is widely
hamburgers. The burgers were juicy and known for a breathtaking view during
Before I dive into more detail about delicious, and their beer-battered onion sunrise, we woke up at 4:30 a.m. to catch
Moab, I will say on the way there we rings were to die for. The prices weren’t it. The drive was about 40-minutes long
ÀUVWVWRSSHGE\0RQXPHQW9DOOH\1D- bad either; it was less than $40 for the to reach the park’s visitor center, but well
vajo Tribal Park. Monument Valley is entire meal. worth it. We pulled up to the trailhead
a red-sand desert and is located on the and hiked up the quarter-mile trail. It
was quite a site. A word of advice, I sug-
The sun rises Nov. 3 behind Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park in Utah. gest to arrive 30 minutes before sunrise
Mesa Arch is famous for its view, especially during sunrise. to catch the perfect shot. Photographers
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to get anywhere near the arch, so we
waited until the crowd thinned.

On the way back, we stopped at Dead
Horse Point State Park view point to
get a look at the Colorado River and
Canyonlands National Park, which can
be seen from the parking lot. The park
is 5,362 acres of desert at an altitude of
5,900 feet.

On the way home, we made one last
stop at Page, Arizona, to see Horseshoe
Bend, which was one of my favorite
views. It’s a little scary, as there is no
IHQFHRUEDUULHUVRVHOÀHVDUHQRWDJRRG
idea. The cost of the trip, other than the
gas and hotel, was affordable. I packed
meals so the only meal we ate out was
dinner. I recommend visiting Moab
to anyone who loves the outdoors and
would like to get away from the desert
for a bit.

+RUVHVKRH%HQG1RYLQ3DJH$UL]RQD7KHEHQGLVORFDWHG¿YHPLOHVGRZQVWUHDP This photo of the Colorado River from Dead Horse State Park in Utah was taken

from the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. Nov. 3. The park is 5,362 acres of desert at an altitude of 5,900 feet.