Part of our Rocky Mountain road trip found my wife and I traveling south through Idaho and Utah. We had spent many days in the mountains and now we were excited to head into a different geological area, called the Great Basin. Our plan was to spend a couple of days in the region. We knew we wanted to spend one day at Arches National Park near Moab, Utah, but the rest of the time was unplanned and unscripted. Ride along for a quick trip through the basin.
Devil’s Garden 
Three Gossips
Our drive into Idaho involved a lot of flat, dry, uninspiring landscape. We were too far west of the mountains to enjoy their majestic beauty and rolling elevations. One interesting point we passed was the Anaconda Smelter Stack, the tallest masonry structure in the world, a leftover of the mining days. We stopped a few hours later in Idaho Falls.
We took a walk down the green belt along the Snake River to visit the falls (picture above). This is the same river Evel Knievel attempted to rocket over at Twin Falls, Idaho, 2 hours down river. We found many people outdoors enjoying the paths, sculptures, wildlife and flora along the river. Later, we stopped in for dinner. Guess what I had? An Idaho baked potato. No lie, it was the best potato I have ever eaten.
Idaho Falls 
Snake River 
Idaho Falls Temple
Entering the Great Basin
The next morning we headed toward Utah. At Pocatello, Idaho, we parted ways with the Snake River. It flowed west and emptied into the Columbia River in Washington. We continued south and entered the Great Basin. I was familiar with the term, but I didn’t know what it really meant. This geographic area does not have any rivers or lakes with direct outlet to the Pacific Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. From here to southern Utah and all the way to California, we entered a region where none of the waterways drain out to anything larger than a lake and many of these are salt water. In fact, several of the rivers in the basin sink into the ground. I am still trying to visualize that phenomenon. For the western pioneers, finding water was a major challenge when attempting to cross or settle in the area.
You Deserve a Break
As we entered Utah, our destination was Price, a town halfway between Salt Lake City and Arches National Park. With a bit of room in the schedule, we could have toured the Great Salt Lake or something in the city, but we decided on a nail salon instead. After all of the hiking my wife endured on the trip on my behalf, I thought it might feel good to get a pedicure for her overworked feet. We were not on a strict schedule and decided to look for salon for some quick nail therapy. For some reason, we had struck out in Idaho Falls. So, we had decided to head toward Salt Lake City and figure it out on the road.
We looked at our options and decided to make it a full spa day with nails and a massage at Sego Lily in Bountiful, just south of Salt Lake City. We made reservations and I agreed to get past my hang-ups and enjoy my first pedicure. The staff was phenomenal. The massages and nail treatments were very enjoyable and relaxing. I was having so much fun, I let them talk me into polish on my toe nails! If you are on a road trip, I encourage a day in the middle to get a little pampering. There is always plenty of parking, especially in the middle of the day.
Arches National Park
The next day we arrived at Arches National Park. The park is situated in eastern Utah in the high desert. We decided to go as far into the park as we could and work our way back out. We started in the Devil’s Garden, one of the more popular spots. As soon as we found one of the last parking spots, we hit the trailhead. It was a lovely day and in the high 90s. We walked the Primitive Trail and enjoyed the beautiful red rock formations, the sprawling desert and the occasional flowering plant life.
Landscape Arch
Delicate and Balanced
After the Devil’s Garden, we worked our way south to the Delicate Arch. The arch sits alone on the edge of a large plateau. The trail to the arch is a 3 mile round trip. There is also an overlook area a short walk from the parking lot, if you decide not to make the trip. As you walk through the Delicate Arch grounds, you can really see the mixed make-up of the earth of the Great Basin and how it is breaking down. Evidently, this was a great inland sea millions of years ago and left a thick crust of salt that is slowly eroding, leaving beautiful features for us to admire.
Delicate Arch 
Balanced Rock
We made several stops as we continued south back to the park entrance, including the Balanced Rock formations. It is hard to tell from the picture above, but the total formation is over 120′ high. The balancing rock is perched 75′ in the air. There are so many unnamed buttes, monoliths and spires throughout the park. You just cannot takes pictures of them all. We were just a couple miles from leaving the park when we visited our last major formation. This beautiful creation left the most lasting impression of anything in the park.
Park Avenue
When we got back down to Park Avenue, I was struck by what I saw and felt. I had been so focused on finding arches that I was much less focused on other rock formations. This encounter forced me to stop and reflect on how I was viewing the park. Once I took the focus off the arches, I started looking deeper. The sheerness of the rock was unlike anything I had ever seen. You could start to envision how this place was created. Minimal amounts of rainfall allowed drops of water to seep into the cracks waiting for the freezing temperatures to come turn them into ice. Over centuries, the freeze-thaw cycle plus gravity eventually cracked off huge chunks of rock in slabs. From there, the wind blew them clean into sheer slabs. Further erosion over agonizingly long periods created gentle valleys, sinks and depressions (below).
As I stepped into this valley, a sense of quiet and peacefulness descended upon me. I had already visited the Devil’s Garden, but this felt like God’s Sanctuary. You are surrounded by immense stone monoliths. As you descend into the shallow valley, the winds and any noise disappears. I was awestruck. The desert has great beauty and serenity to convey to us. It is a unique way to get in touch with your spirit and see the creator, or random acts, at work, however you choose to view it. For me, it is one of the most reverent places I have visited. As I write this today, I can instantly recall the feeling that overcame me that day.
A Bucket only Partly Filled
I thoroughly enjoyed our time riding through the desert and exploring Arches National Park. I knew going in we were not going to be staying long. This was a waypoint for this trip and not a destination. A return is on the short list of places I desire to return to and explore further. Besides Arches, eastern Utah boasts Canyonlands and the adventure town of Moab. Farther southwest, sit Zion and Bryce National Parks. More desert adventure await in those locations, including a hike to Angel’s Landing. The desert is a beautiful place to hike and explore and I intend to return soon. Wanna go?