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Having been through hot, cold, windy, and rainy thus far, we felt relatively unprepared for just how hot it was during the day in Moab and just how crowded Arches National Park would be. We started our day incredibly early in the morning to beat some of the heat, took a mid-day break and had lunch and siestas back at the campground, and then went back to the park after an early dinner (sunset was around 9:30PM)

We started off our early morning squeezing in a hike before it got crazy hot. We did the Park Avenue Trail on the main Arches road about 2.5 miles north of the Visitor’s Center. The trail is an easy two mile roundtrip trail with some amazing views of the Courthouse Towers, Tower of Babel, and the Organ.

We stopped at many of the scenic viewpoints along the main road including the Petrified Dunes viewpoint and Salt Valley Overlook. We took a short walk to Keyhole arch and also did the one mile roundtrip to The Windows. A couple people in our group did the three mile roundtrip to Delicate Arch, but I stayed behind as I was worried it was too hot for my dog by that time.

Overall, Arches was spectacular, but definitely one of the more crowded parks on our trip. Note that there may be a long line at the entrance station. Sometimes entry is accelerated for those with a National Park Pass. Check the weather and temps carefully for your trip and plan outdoor activities around the cooler times of the day. Make sure to carry plenty of water with you and in the car. If you bring a dog with you, know that you will be unable to leave them in the vehicle at all and only service animals are allowed on the trails. There are several dog boarding facilities in Moab for that reason.

Day 5 Campground:
Moab Valley RV Resort – Rating: ★★★★★

We had a lovely site with some grass and a little bit of shade. While there isn’t a ton of shade at the campground, there is significantly more than some of the other places we looked at. The grass was soft and green and there was a nice amount of space. While our site felt roomy with a teardrop, I can imagine with something larger, it would be relatively small. As Chris’s family stayed in one of the cabins at the campground, I will say that these were also a nice option with comfortable sleeping areas, decent kitchens and bathrooms, and, most importantly, air conditioning. Overall the staff was friendly and welcoming, and the campground was clean, quiet, and well taken care of.

Link: https://www.sunrvresorts.com/resorts/west/utah/moab-valley/