If you've never driven through Utah, my words alone won't be able to describe the drastic changes in scenery that occur throughout the state. When we left Park City, it was 71, with a slight drizzle. Pine trees covered the mountains. The landscape was mountainous, lush, and green. As we transitioned through the central part of Utah, mountains turned into jagged plateaus, devoid of vegetation save for the sagebrush that dotted the otherwise desert-like scenery. The rocks and plateaus adopted a yellowish and sandy tint, only speckled with small areas of green. We ascended mountains as we took back roads towards Moab, reaching an ultimate height of 9200 feet while following the narrow switchbacks through the mountains and across valleys.
After crossing I-70 and coming within forty miles of Moab, the yellowish plateaus of the central region developed the deep red hue so commonly associated with Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. You could almost mistake this area for Mars as a result of the color, size, and number of rocks that make up the Moab area. The rocks are red, and have been weathered away to form steep cliffs that almost totally encompass the road. Large boulders tower above the single-lane highway, threatening to leave their perches high above the traffic into Moab. It is truly amazing that these mountains and cliffs have withstood the effects of time and nature and have been molded into the picturesque landscape they are today. On multiple occasions, we both remarked that there was an opportunity to take a stunning picture around every bend in the road. Oh, and it was 95 degrees out by the end of the drive today.
Dad and I also took a trip into Arches National Park to see some of the trails available for our use tomorrow. With any luck, I'll have our first true off-road video posted for tomorrow night.
Enjoy some pictures of the Jeep!
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| Jeep in Northwestern Utah |
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| Central Utah |
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| Arches National Park |
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