With the warmer temperatures, we both slept well our first night camping near Moab and woke up at 7:30am, ready to begin work at 8:00am. You could already tell it was going to be a hot day, so the plan was to work at the campsite until about 11:00am, then head into Moab to find a place to work inside, charge our camera batteries, and purchase some groceries (for the first time during the entire road trip!). I made coffee and breakfast (cereal and soy milk we had taken from the hotel) while Jordan began working in his hammock.
We made our way into town around 11:30am, when it was becoming increasingly impossible to escape the 30C+/90F+ degree heat and swarming black flies – who seemed to be out in full force that morning. We ended up settling outside of a Burger King, as they had an outlet outside and a shady area to work. They were also operating dine-in at 50% capacity, so we were able to use the washrooms and work inside if we wanted some A/C. We treated ourselves to some iced tea and chicken nuggets before ending our workday at 4:30pm. We then packed up and were off to run some errands before a quick evening hike. Jordan had found a place to fill up our water jug, we got gas, and finally ran into the grocery store to grab some supplies for dinner that night and breakfast the next morning (all for under $6 – score!!).
Once our adulting duties were out of the way, we drove over to Corona Arch Trailhead, where we hiked the 3-mile trail to Corona Arch and Bowtie Arch. Corona Arch is a partly freestanding arch with a 105-foot by 140-foot opening, and Bowtie Arch is located adjacently to it. This easy hike crosses open slickrock and provides a ladder bolted to the rock that allows hikers to climb a short cliff.
The trailhead is across from the Colorado River, so after hiking we decided to meander over to take a bath (yes – we are those people, who bring their shampoo and soap to have a full-on bathing session in the river – no shame). Temporarily washing the stink off and feeling more than refreshed, we made our way back to the campsite to enjoy our dinner and another amazing sunset by the fire before crawling into our sleeping bags for a good night’s sleep.
The next day…
It was our second and final day of working remotely for the week (thank you long weekend!). We planned on a similar routine as the day before – work at the campsite in the morning, drive into town around lunch time to find an air-conditioned place to mooch off, then explore the area until dinnertime. Stocked up on fresh food for the first time of the entire trip, we devoured a breakfast of scrambled eggs, roasted summer sausage, and sourdough bread that was toasted to perfection over the fire.
After a couple hours of work, once again the heat and bugs began to get on our – okay mainly my – last nerves. We drove into town in search of a place near the river and man did we luck out. Just before you enter Moab, there’s a little park and marina that happens to have a huge pavilion with picnic benches and get this… PLUGS! It was the dream. Close enough to the river if we needed to take a work break to cool off, and it was also equipped with bathrooms and a water filling station. We spent the rest of the day there, until 4:30pm came along and it was time to clock out and spend a few hours exploring before dinner and bed.
Just down the road from the park was Grandstaff Trailhead, an easy 4.5-mile hike that involves several river crossings and ends at Morning Glory Natural Bridge.
We finished just before 7:00pm (after a refreshing post-hike dip in the river – this was becoming a routine and I wasn’t mad about it!) and made our way into town again to gather groceries for dinner. We hadn’t eaten vegetables in… well, too many days, so we decided to get a salad from a local restaurant, along with a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. We shared that and were able to save about ½ the chicken to have for sandwiches the next day. We spent the evening around the fire and later enjoyed sharing a (very melted) Coffee Crisp and Caramilk bar.
Must-sees: While in Moab, you must check out Corona Arch – even if you aren’t keen on hiking. To be honest, we preferred this arch over any in Arches National Park (with Delicate Arch being the exception). The route is easily accessible and therefore makes it one of the best short hikes in the Moab area.
Where to eat: Moab Kitchen is the only 100% vegan establishment in Moab, and offers plant-based eats and healthy treats. This permanently placed food truck has no set prices as their menu is by donation only. Their menu is constantly changing, and they regularly invite vegan guest chefs. I could have easily eaten every meal here, but only had a chance to try their I Am Possible Burger, veggie pizza with house ‘mozzarella’, orange-n-cream smoothie, and the Mayan hot chocolate cookie (all delicious). Another local restaurant that we ordered take-out from was 98 Center Moab. They are committed to supporting small producers, farmers, and local artisans in the region. I had the Bánh mì salad which was incredible and provided some much-needed vegetables after several days of boxed meals!
On Reflection: Since we were working during the days, we only had the evenings to explore the area, and one hike I wish we had been able to do was Fisher Towers Trail. 5 miles in length, this trail gains 1,820 feet of elevation and is decorated with an enormous variety of rock art. The Fisher Towers are composed of soft red sandstone and have eroded into many incredible shapes. We also planned on hiking the Dead Horse Rim Loop Trail, located in Dead Horse Point State Park, until we discovered there was an entrance fee. This easy 6-mile loop takes you through a high desert landscape with panoramic vistas extending from Canyonlands’ sculpted canyons, pinnacles, and buttes to the La Sal Mountains.