I don't remember how or when the idea germinated that some friends and I would take a road trip down to Big Sur (California). I was excited because I've wanted to drive down Highway 1 (a.k.a. "the One" or "PCH") for a very long time. I had the very fortunate experience of attending college at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, (Cal Poly to all those in the know!) and had wanted to take a road trip down from home to college on my many routine trips back up the Bay Area to visit family over breaks. It never happened. And so, I was ecstatic to do at least a part of the drive along the coast with some friends.

When I was doing research on places to visit in Big Sur, I didn't realize that Big Sur is a reference to the general area along HWY 1. It's not a specific point, but more a general region. There was a time when some friends (who drive very fast) did a night drive up (north from San Luis Obispo) to a random point on HWY 1, and in my mind, Big Sur refers to the region between Carmel in the north all the way down to San Simeon in the south. More preferably, Big Sur refers to the windy roads that hug the mountains on one side with views of the sheer drop-offs and the Pacific Ocean on the other side.

We started early in the morning, and made a stop for brunch at First Awakenings in Pacific Grove. This is a really great spot to grab some delicious eats before heading down the coast.


I am no coast weather expert, but I think that all types of weather are what makes Big Sur so alluring. The morning started off grey, cloudy, foggy, and misty, and burned off in the afternoon, revealing the vivid and beautiful blues of the Pacific Ocean. Then the clouds returned later in the evening, making the whole day a wonderful experience of exposures of Big Sur weather.

First stop: Bixby Bridge! There's a parking lot on both sides of the highway for different vantage points.


Along the way, we stopped at different pull-outs, experiencing the rugged coastline. And the clouds cleared, too!



We had tried to visit Pfeiffer Beach, but the guard told us that the parking lot was full, and was not admitting any more cars. We didn't want to make the hike down and back up along the dusty road, so we skipped it...

Next stop: McWay Falls! The magical highlight of Big Sur and one of the must-visit sights. Either park along the side of the road or in the paid parking area. I was expecting a semi-long hike to the overlook, but the hike was maybe 5 minutes! I think views this stunning deserve some sweat, but I guess the drive along HWY 1 and getting to the waterfall was the 'sweating' part.


We decided to turn around at this point, not wanting to drive along the windy road in the dark. We made a second pass at Pfeiffer Beach, and the guard said it was open. Hurrah!

Pfeiffer Beach was an amazing end to a beautiful day on the coast. I highly recommend going to Big Sur, even if it's only for a day.

And if you're looking for a dinner spot, I recommend Hula's Island Grill in Monterey.



Happy travels!
Cat

After an exhausting day at Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and spending the day hiking both Landscape Arch and Delicate Arch, we decided that it would be well worth the lack of sleep to catch a sunrise hike at the Windows section before heading back to Las Vegas. Well, that didn't go according to plan because we slept through our alarms... We arose at 8:30, obviously missing the sunrise, quickly packed up and decided to not hike and do a drive through of the Windows Section instead.

First up, the famed Fiery Furnace! Gosh, it looks so random and beautiful and an excellent place to explore.

I guess you can call our quick scenic driving tour of the Windows Section a "drive-by shooting," haha




I was so sad after leaving the Windows Section. I definitely want to check out the Fiery Furnace in the future. It seems like an exciting hike, and I'm all about the adventure. Arches still has so much to offer and this was also the last stop of our road trip. I really do wish that we had more time to spend at Arches... 'til next time!

On the way back to Las Vegas, I was surprised that the speed limit was 70 mph! It's rare in California :o I think we must have missed it when we snuck into Zion at night.

We didn't do much in Las Vegas. I think our energy was zapped from the week and from driving so we strolled around casually. I had been to Vegas before as a young child, and all I remember was how hot it was! When we got back into Las Vegas, we relaxed in the hotel until nighttime. My friend was so giddy to see Sin City in its prime hour (nighttime). Las Vegas has a lot more casinos and shopping than I remember...

The next morning at the airport, we bid our bittersweet goodbyes, as we parted ways.

Thank you dear reader for coming along this adventure with us!

Happy travels,
Cat

Hut hut hut! After visiting Landscape Arch, we jumped in the car to visit Delicate Arch before sunset. We knew that the hike was 'strenuous' for several miles, and we had to make it before sunset so we could catch the ephemeral glow. Unfortunately, I don't have many photos of the hike up to the arch, so you'll have to count on my recount of the hike: The trail begins with some a view of the home that a former pioneer lived in, crossing over a bridge, before setting on the gentle switchbacks. Then, cross the slick rock up before navigating some sandy portions. The hike continues along the side of a rock face before opening up to Delicate Arch. The Arch isn't visible until the very end.

The hike to Delicate Arch is an ultra popular hike with many people carrying their big bulky cameras, gear, and tripods. I would equate it similarly to Zion's Angel Landing in terms of hiker volume. If you're not fit or haven't exercised or lightly exercised or are not used to hiking or going for long distances, you can do this hike, but you'll find yourself out of breath frequently and exhausted. Bring extra water!! Who goes on a strenuous hike with one bottle of water? Do not be fooled by the distance, because this hike is fully exposed with no shade until the sun begins to set. It also crosses slick rock (think walking on one of those treadmills with a steep incline, but sideways with little traction). There are no support poles to grab onto and if you've got the patience and will, the view is most certainly worth it. For those who do not want to attempt the hike, there is a road that leads to a viewpoint. I'm not sure what the view is like from there...

Personal experience: we had been hiking all week, so we thought it was a breeze, but at the rate that we were hiking at, I became tired at the slick rock area and from the heat. My friend was pumped because she was so excited to see it so she went ahead of me.

WE MADE IT! The funny thing about Delicate Arch is that there's tons of people there taking pictures under the arch and people surrounding the arch. Then at the edge of the bowl (or depression) stand all the photographers. The whole area surrounding the arch is so wonderful. Check out the third picture and try to find the 4 people taking pictures of Delicate Arch from a different vantage point. I always wonder how people who first explored the area find exciting sights like Delicate Arch.


Once sunset comes around, people move away from underneath the arch. Then we heard clapping... what? Then a tourist pops in to sneak in a picture while they stand underneath the arch. "GET OUT OF THE WAY!!" yells a photographer. Then, the shocked tourists move out and everybody claps again. Oh! People are clapping because there's nobody standing under the arch so everyone can get that prime shot!

Well, here's mine :)

When we were satisfied filling our cups to the brim of the gorgeous view, we trekked back to the trailhead, and I was so focused on getting back that I forgot to look up. And when I did, I saw this magnificent sunset. Ah, what a grand end to the day.


We headed to Devil's Garden Campground to set up our tent. My friend was exhausted so she went to sleep first. I read that Arches is a great spot to catch the night sky so I stayed up as long as I could. I was testing out my skills (read: none) to take some night shots with my camera propped on the car, when I saw a movement out of the corner out of my eye. I have no idea what it was to this day and for all I know, it was a mountain lion who smelled our food and was steadily walking towards me. Ugh! I hastily jumped into the car and slammed the car door shut, which might have scared it off. Then, some mule deer came to visit (I know it's deer for sure because I shined the light on them). Okay, I can deal with deer while taking my shot =.=

I'm working on becoming better at night photography, so I present to you the only one of that night.

Delicate Arch Trail
Start: Wolfe Ranch parking lot (some lot parking with side parking when lots are full)
Duration: 2 - 3 hours
Difficulty: strenuous
Length: 3 miles RT
Exposure: full sun
Danger: hot temperature, slick (slippery) rock, and high, brisk and chilly wind at the arch

Happy travels!
Cat

After visiting Canyonlands, we made the drive to Arches. If my friend didn't have a seatbelt on, I think she would have jumped up and down because she was so excited to be at Arches.

At the Arches visitor center, we discovered which main arches to visit and the best times to visit based on our schedule. And the interesting thing is that the park entrance is at the same level as the highway, but all the arches and the entire park is on a plateau higher up. First up on the list? Landscape Arch. We drove all the way to the end of the road to Devil's Garden to begin our exciting journey.

Can you believe the fact that the span of Landscape Arch itself is longer than a football field?! It is 290 feet (or 88 m) :o In the brochure, I believe that it recommended sunset as a better time to visit... However, sunrise might produce better hues and tones, as we visited Landscape Arch awhile before sunset :/








And don't forget to look around. It's not always about the destination :)



We were so silly with Tunnel Arch. We kept thinking, "where is it?" Well, duh, look for where the light is shining through or you can see through to the other side.



I think the most drastic difference is that Canyonlands features deep canyons formed by rivers and Arches sits on a salt bed, formed when the sea used to flow over the area. After a period of time (think millions of years), the region was uplifted by faults and of course and erosion from wind and rain swept away the layers, forming the arches as they are today. And as a witness who only visited for less than 24 hours, it's not easy to notice the change happening, but if I were to visit in several decades (which I would love to), i might notice something new.

Devil's Garden Trail
Trail to Landscape Arch
Start: from Devil's Garden parking lot (lots of spaces, though may be tough to find during peak time and season)
Duration: 1 hour
Difficulty: easy (dirt trail)
Length: 1.6 miles RT
Exposure: full sun (shade towards sunset with not so great views of the arch)
Danger: hot temperatures during summer season
*can add detour to visit Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch (additional 15-30 minutes)

Happy travels!
Cat

After visiting the Grand View Point Overlook, my friend said I could only visit one more spot before we made the journey to Arches because she was tired of looking at rocks and wanted to see pretty formations of rocks. So, I said, "Let's do Mesa Arch."

I raced her to the arch (and won!) and realized that this was the famous arch that I've seen in so many pictures on the net and on Instagram. Whoa! Too bad we didn't arrive around sunrise, which is when the sun peeks through the arch. Mesa Arch is still a grand view at any time of the day!



Mesa Arch Trail (out-and-back; take the circular route)
Start: parking lot
Duration: 1 hour
Difficulty: easy
Length: 2 miles (round-trip)
Exposure: full sun

Happy travels!
Cat

Next stop after Capitol Reef: Canyonlands!

We finally merged with all the traffic on highway 70, which was somewhat of an unusual sight because we had seen so few cars since leaving Las Vegas! (There were a fair amount at Zion.)

My friend was very antsy and eager to get to Arches (surprisingly, not too far away from here!) How can somebody not be amazed by this grand view! Nature is so amazing and it was definitely worth the 'detour' up here.

Look closely at the rim of the canyon to spot some unpaved roads in the first and second photograph. Yes, that shows the drastic size comparison of cars to the depth of the canyon. I highly recommend making a visit, especially if you're visiting Arches as well.


Grand View Point Overlook
Start: parking lot (We did not do the hike as we were short on time. The pictures are from a couple steps outside the car)
Duration: 1 - 2 hours
Difficulty: easy
Length: 2 miles (round-trip)
Exposure: full sun

To continue the (short) journey at Canyonlands, see part two

Happy travels!
Cat

I think I begged (maybe asked, haha) my friend to stop by Hickman Bridge after Goosenecks Overlook and Panorama Point. Even though we already did a hike at Capitol Gorge, I wanted to squeeze in another before leaving the beautiful Capitol Reef.




And our last view of Capitol Reef! :(







Hickman Natural Bridge Trail (out-and-back)
Start: from parking lot off highway 24
Duration: 1 hour
Difficulty: moderate (climb in the beginning and mild climbing over rocks and walking through sand)
Length: 2 miles
Danger: passing under sheer cliffs with possible rock drops
Exposure: mostly exposed with some shade (depending on time of day)

Happy travels!
Cat

We passed by Panorama Point on the way to Goosenecks Overlook. It's an easy pull-over from the road and there's no entrance fee needed for both spots.



Happy travels!
Cat

We awoke fresh and energized, ready for our jampacked day to Canyonlands and Arches. Before finishing up the last leg or so, we decided to check out a couple short stops to take in a little more of Capitol Reef.

We arrived at Capitol Reef fairly late, so we decided to sneak in a hike at the relatively easy Capitol Gorge trail. The rangers at the visitor center recommended this hike for a casual glimpse into what Capitol Reef offers.



Part 1 of the hike are some petroglyphs, drawn by Fremont Indians, some inscriptions by pioneers who found this area much later, and some random vandalism.





I had recently learned what tanks were from my hike earlier in the week at Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas, Nevada. Tanks are naturally formed reservoirs that capture rain or snow melt. This is the part of the hike that's not particularly easy to find looking up, but after some scrambling, we accidentally found it. Of course, there is an obvious trail on the descent, looking down towards the wash.




Throughout the entire trek, we were surrounded by beautiful towering gorge walls. In California, we don't have reddish stone. The colors were so stunning!




Part 3 is.... just kidding. I mistakenly thought there was another section. Take my word and head back to the trailhead after visiting the tanks. I thought there was an end to the trail so we kept walking further into the gorge. The landscape changes at each turn, but can look the same to some. After another hour and the sun steadily creeping toward the horizon and not finding anything, we decided to walk back. Walking on soft sand is not easy; it's a workout in itself. Try walking on the beach in the soft sandy section for a mile and compare it to walking along the sand close to the ocean where the sand is much more compact. The compact sand is a lot easier to walk on, right?

On the way back, I started noticing more details on the trail, which made me fall more and more for the beauty of Capitol Reef.



As we neared the trailhead, I started to drag my feet because I was oh so tired! To get me going and not thinking about how far I still had to walk, I started to look up at the sky, and noticed the blue glow of the gorge at dusk. The red sienna browns and yellows that were so vivid earlier in the day had transitioned to their silent blue and pale yellow tones.












I think I can sufficiently say that I've been to Mars! heheh

Capitol Gorge Trail (out-and-back)
Start: from parking lot
Duration: 1 hour
Difficulty: easy (some climbing to find the tanks)
Length: 2 miles (round trip) (+ 1 or 2 more miles for us haha)
Danger: be weary of summer flash floods

Happy travels!
Cat