Arches National Park

As part of 4th grade, Lydia gets a National Park pass with access to all National Parks. Shantel made a goal for us to visit all 5 National Parks. However, things got busy this year and so we did not make it to our first National Park until May. In March we started looking up camping and Arches was already basically full. There only time available was May 5-7 and it was a group camping site instead of a individual camp site, so it was $100 a night instead of $30 a night. We really wanted to go, so we just booked the site and figured we could probably find someone else to go with us. We decided to invite Shantel's family and were so excited that many of them were able to come. The groups was: Scott and Lori (plus Rugby), Jenna and Kevin (plus Camille, Jason, Sadie and Molly), Matt (plus Juniper), Melissa (plus Ruby her new puppy), and Jacob (plus his girlfriend Albany). It was so awesome to have everyone there. We were especially happy that Matt was able to drive out from California to come with us.  

We left on Thursday morning to drive down. They just started a reservation system where you have to have either a reservation or a camping reservation to go it. It was actually really nice because it definitely helped the park not be so crowded. Our first stop was to the visitor center. The kids had a great time watching the videos and learning about how Arches were formed. Plus climbing all over everything. 

Then we drove to a Delicate arch viewpoint and took a picture (you can see Delicate Arch very tiny in the distance). We would love to go to Delicate Arch, but it is really a great hike for kids, so we were passing on it with them for this time. 

Here is our campsite, which we loved. It was the Juniper Basin Group Campsite in the Devils Garden Campground. I could talk about how awesome it was for hours. 

Here are a few things that made it so awesome. 

1) Since it was a group campsite, it was absolutely massive. There was a ton of space for the kids to run and climb and play and be loud without disturbing anyone else. We really could not see anyone else at all. 

2) It was at the very very end of the campground, so we also did not have vehicles driving past. 

3) It had essentially its own bathroom, there was a nicer bathroom not too far away, but honestly we never used that one since there was one close. 

Now the real highlights:

4) There were big rock formations that closed it in so besides at the back of the campground that led off, the campground was pretty self contained. 

5) There was a big canyon like area of rock on one side of the campground and the kids could climb up to it all on their own, but it was totally safe so they could play as much as they wanted in it. 

6) There was a hike to an arch directly out the back of the campground that was only about a 6-7 minute walk (more on that later). 

Okay- I could go on more - but I'll just end by saying we were so spoiled. How can we expect to camp anywhere else after such an amazing campground spot. It was  perfect and made it so nice for going with such a big group. 

While we got camp set up the kids of course played and we joined them climbing up. 

This is what they called "Half-Pipe Canyon", which is pretty accurate, it was like a little half pipe. All weekend the kids would say, "Cousins meet in Half-Pipe Canyon."

It was also so fun because Sadie, Lucy and Juniper all loved playing together and hanging out and were so cute. 

Caleb showing something to Grandpa Walker. 

Lucy loved the dogs. Ruby was only about 6 weeks old, so Lucy could hold her and she also loved following Rugby around. 

We really wanted to go on a hike that first night so we picked on called Skyline Arch. It was a short hike (only about 1/2 a mile) and when we got up close there were tons of boulders that had fallen out of the arch that the kids could climb, in, on and around. 

On the way back, Caleb found a giant sand pile and could not resist it. 

Scott had stayed back at the camp and decided to walk out behind our campground and see what was behind the campsite. He ended up walking all the way to...Skyline Arch. In fact - the trail from our campground to Skyline Arch was shorter than the actual trail to Skyline arch. It was so funny. 

It worked out amazing because we ended up hiking to Skyline Arch 10-20 times over the 3 days as the kids wanted to go see it and play there. It was such a pretty arch and so amazing that we could get there from our campsite. In addition, along the way to the arch were lots of cool climbing areas that the kids explored as well over the next few days. For each one they would find a new clever name to refer to it. 

The kids were also so excited to have a fire and roast marshmallows. I love this picture of everyone watching Grandpa get the fire going. 

Hard to see from these pictures - but here is the view from our campground, as the sun was setting it hit the rocks just right and created this beautiful view. 

We got there and all set up the first day, but Jake and his girlfriend Albany were not going to be getting up until really late (around 12 am). We set up some tents from them so they wouldn't have to do it in the dark. We were a little worried though that they would have a hard time finding our campsite and finding their tents because we had a lot of tents set up. Someone had a brilliant idea to use glow sticks to help guide them. So Shantel spelled out "Jake" in glowsticks on the back window of our van to make it easy for them to see where to go. Then we made a trail of glow sticks to a map that showed where the tents were located and did a trail of glow sticks back to the tents. We thought we were so clever and it made us laugh. Plus Jake and Albany found our site and made it back to the tents, so it worked perfectly. Adam (Melissa's boyfriend) was coming late the next night, so we did the same thing to make a trail for him to find where to go. 

I love this picture with the three little girls hanging out with Grandma. 

Here are the kids climbing up in one of the areas behind on campsite on the way to the arch. This one has a log to help them climb up and was super fun. 

This was one of my favorite parts of the trip. I took Lydia, Camille, Austin, Jason and Caleb on a hike to Skyline arch. When we got there we started climbing around and I helped the kids climb up this massive cliff side. They were really good to listen to instructions to stay safe. It was so fun to see them use their climbing skills to work their way up the mountain. 

One by one I gave them turns to come away from the mountain face and climb up a little higher where they had an amazing view. It is hard for you to see how high we are, but it is really high up there as we are almost even with Skyline arch. It was a really fun climbing adventure with the kids. 

It was Lydia's birthday on Friday- so we got to celebrate her party and do presents on the trip and it was really fun. She requested a Smore's cake. Her biggest gift - was a water backpack that she could take hiking with her. 

Here is Austin climbing in Half-pipe canyon at the campsite. 

Lucy loved having Ruby (Melissa's dog) and Rugby at camp and would follow them around everywhere. Also - trying to get her to keep her had on all day was a task as well. 

On Friday morning we went and hiked in the Devils Garden area and hit quite a few arches along that trail.  

This one is called, "Pine Tree arch."

After our morning hike we went back and did lunch at the camp. We had planned to go on an afternoon hike after lunch - but it was so so hot. We basically all hid in the shade all afternoon and chatted and played games. We were glad to be there in May (and not July) and Thursday had been really nice all day, but on Friday it definitely got more hot than the weather had said. It worked out just fine because we had a nice time at the campground. 

Me talking to Lydia about something when she was upset. I'm glad to have time to spend with our kids and that is one thing I feel like I really got out of our trip. I feel like I had individual one on one time with Lydia, Austin and Caleb. The time with Caleb was especially good because I don't feel like I also get one on one time with him, but I got to climb around with him and we had a good time. 

Here are the kids up in Half-Pipe Canyon again, this was their favorite spot to watch the sunset. This is also right where Shantel's favorite moment of the whole trip happened. The kids had thrown a ball or a toy or something in the air and it got caught up in the tree that you can see Lydia climbing next to. They were so sad that they could not get it down (and also started resorting to throwing rocks in the air to get it down, which we discouraged). Shantel and I climbed up in the tree together until we could reach the branch it was stuck on and we shook the branch a bunch until it finally came down out of the tree. We were the hero's and Shantel and I were laughing as we had been working our way up the tree. 

After dinner on Friday night we went on a hike to Tapestry Arch (which was also accessible from the campground). It was a really beautiful arch and had a ton of fun climbing areas over the rocks. Lydia even found a spot to read (a surprise to no one). 

That night we did a big graduation party for Jake who was celebrating his graduation (and missed walking to be on the trip with us). Congrats Jake!

Lucy and Juniper playing together. 

More exploring around the area behind our campsite. 

Here is the group photo of everyone. Us, plus all the Haderlies, plus Matt and Juniper, plus Melissa and Adam (her boyfriend who was taking the picture), plus Jake and his girlfiend Albany. Plus Scott and Lori. And also Rugby and Ruby. 

On Saturday we did the Windows Arch trail (you could also see Double Arch in the distance). It was a really fun hike and we had a great time. 

We finished with lunch together. 

Then we headed home. We had such an amazing trip. We loved being able to have so much family there and especially loved just spending time with each other and hiking with each other.