The national parks in the U.S. are most certainly a treasure to enjoy. I am about to take you on the ultimate journey to see Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Follow along as I take you into Utah and our drive from Texas through New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and finally Utah. You might consider the ultimate road trip!

Life Changing Event

After a life changing event in early 2017, my husband and I made the decision that we want to take a real vacation and visit places we’ve never been. So we set a few goals! To explore and visit all the beautiful national parks in the USA. We plan to visit them one at a time, and thought we would start with these two incredible parks!

New Life Goals

As a result of this change in our lives, we also thought long and hard about the important things in life; like family, making new memories and experiences, and spending more time with our parents. Which is why we invited our parents to join us on this trip.

An Epic Road Trip to See Arches and Canyonlands

Starting our journey from Austin, we packed up our coolers with ice, food, and water. Then jammed our pillows and snacks in the car and made our way down the highway.

Passing Through the State of Texas

We drove through quite a few small towns in Texas of which one of them is Fredericksburg. This small town is quaint, charm and a hometown feel. It is also considered one of ten best wine travel destinations.

As we were cruising down the highway out of Fredericksburg, we made a few stops to stretch and use the restrooms. A few hours later, we then pulled off the road again at a small rest area and had a picnic. We enjoyed our home-made turkey sandwiches and chips, glanced at large lizards and trees, then got back into the car and made our way to Lubbock.

After spending the night at a very comfortable Holiday Inn hotel, we start our day early. The morning came quick, as we ate the hotel breakfast and enjoyed the cookies and treats. The drive has gone smooth so far to this point along with a few pit stops and lunch time breaks, we finally made it to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Exquisite Mexican Dining in New Mexico

Driving into New Mexico is quite a scene with its natural beautiful landscapes and clean roadways everywhere you look. The climate in June is gorgeous here which is perfect to walk around and take in a few historic sites.

Discovering one of the best Mexican restaurants in New Mexico makes this trip even more enjoyable! Thanks to the recommendation of one of the hotel staff, it by far exceeded our expectations. Can’t go wrong with high quality food, outstanding service and a top notch atmosphere! Cervantes

Travel Through Navajo Nation in Arizona

Next, our journey will take us further into New Mexico. We were smack dab in the middle of Navajo Nation Reservation territory. Driving into some parts of Arizona and Colorado. I am reminded of one of my best friends; who is Navajo, driving through this area. She and I served in the military together, of course, we parted ways and she has returned home to Arizona. I made a visit to see her back in 1997 and stayed with her on the reservation in Page, Arizona; an enlightening experience no doubt.

Anyway, I wasn’t aware of all the agriculture, land, and the community owned by the Navajo Nation. I think about all the history of this country as we pass through these lands and make our way into Utah.

Utah – the Land of the Mighty Five Parks

The state of Utah is amazing from the moment you enter. You will be taken aback by its incredible red canyons and landscape. Prior to reaching the very cool small town of Moab, you come upon an arch that you can stop and enjoy as you rest and start your journey of exploring these great lands.

Just outside of Moab, you’ll encounter Wilson’s Arch. Our excitement about exploring this place is indescribable! Feeling like a little kid excited about Christmas! We took a few photos as we crawl and climb over the boulders to get to the top. Hard to believe, that our fun had only just begun!

Arches National Park

This place is unbelievable with all of its rock formations and stunning scenery. A photographers dream to enjoy these enchanting viewpoints and landscapes.

The sunlight shining at different times of the day make these arches and rock formations come alive. Exploring through these landscapes you can’t help to think about how this was all formed many years ago.

Popular rock formations here include Delicate Arch, Balanced Rock, and Landscape Arch. Of course many others.

Canyonlands National Park

Hiking throught Arches is an amazing experience. What made it even more special was sharing the experience with our parents. Day two we spent time roaming around parts of Canyonlands; although I recommend days to fully experience everything throughout these parks. 

La Sal Mountains

On day three in Moab, the mountains of La Sal were calling! We decide to mix up our trip and add a little greenery, trees, and mountain nature to the plan. As the car climbed the upward elevation of the La Sal mountains, we encounter a few animals. A herd of cattle apparently are migrating from one side of the road to the other. It is pretty cool to see this and it definitely made our mountain visit even more memorable.

Dining In Moab

Moab is a great small town, of course there is limited dining options. One of the restaurants we enjoyed is a place called The Diner; where you can enjoy a delicious dinner as well as scrumptious ice cream. We left that place with big smiles on our face as the meals were more than delicious. 

In Summary

Overall, we had an amazing time on our journey to Utah. It was full of spectacular things such as gorgeous nature, stunning rock formations, and historical landscapes. This trip brought us back to life and it helped me realize the truly important things in life that matter. Together with creating new wonderful experiences with our parents, this trip will forever be a treasure trove of unforgettable memories.

Enjoy more adventures in Utah:
Adventuring in Utah
Zion National Park * Angel’s Landing Hike