A Lifetime of Discovery

On the final evening of an unforgettable week exploring Arches National Park and the greater Moab area, my dad and I took one last ride into the park for sunset. Having driven every inch of the park road several times over in the previous days, I was beginning to think that I had already learned all the secrets that Arches had to reveal. As we nonchalantly cruised through the park with the breeze in our hair and sun on our skin, I was more focused on enjoying a final joyride in the Mustang convertible that had been our trusty steed all week than finding something new to photograph. I was quickly reminded, though, that in places as magical as Arches, there’s always more to discover, and that 100 lifetimes would never be enough to truly see and appreciate all that Arches has to offer. As we motored down the road, a line of vibrant, freshly bloomed cottonwood trees that I somehow hadn’t noticed before caught my eye, and I decided to pull over to check things out. Once I stepped out of the car and surveyed the scene, though, it wasn’t the cottonwoods that grabbed my attention. It was the clutch of yellow wildflowers – the first such flowers we had seen all week - just off the road that held my gaze. I was so giddy about the flowers that at first, I didn’t even notice that right in front of the flowers was a group of prickly pear cactus. Wildflowers, cacti, lush spring cottonwoods, sandstone towers, and a gorgeous sunset? Talk about saving the best for last! As my dad and I savored the moment while my camera clicked away, we talked about how serendipitous this parting gift from Arches was. As we chatted and savored a final sunset in our new favorite place, I began to wonder - what other yet to be discovered treasures are out there tucked between the arches and buttes? We’ll just have to go back to find out. Photo © copyright by Joey Priola.

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