Three-hundred sixty-six miles, five and a half hours, six people, one dog, and a camper. Destination: Moab, Utah. Our Thanksgiving this year was spent camping with friends and having a new adventure.

Moab’s desert landscape had juniper bushes and sandstone buttes. The ground was made of cryptobiotic soil. The living earth was built up in clumps and sometimes topped with black micro-organisms. These mounds may not look like much but they hold the earth together. The soil also allows other desert plants to thrive. This small piece of the environment, in itself, is incredible.

During our stay, we ventured to two arches. One in Arches National Park, Delicate Arch, and one near Moab, Utah, called Corona Arch. We were allowed to take our dog with us on the hike to Corona Arch because it wasn’t in the National Park.

To get to the arches we were barely on level ground, hiking either at an incline, decline, steep side slant, or cliff edge. Seeing pictures of these arches does not do them justice. They are stunning to see and dwarf a person in comparison.

My family enjoys participating in the Junior Ranger programs at the National Parks. The booklets are engaging, teach facts about the ecosystem, history, and encourage participation in hands-on learning.

There was also always something for each individual to do at the campsite, whether collecting firewood, climbing the buttes, shooting, drawing, dirt biking, or chatting and roasting marshmallows around the fire. Sunsets were not to be missed. When evening came we would all gather outside to watch the horizon. The sunsets were brief but beautiful.

Biking trails were plentiful in the area. Our friends took us on a challenging five-mile trail. It led us through sandy areas, in grasses, and most of all on rocks. We would speed up steep rock piles and creep down bumpy sides. Sometimes a section was smooth and other times it would be so rough the bike would rattle.

This adventure was not what one would think of as a typical hot desert trip. The weather was cool and great for outdoor activities. Being outside all day was refreshing and a welcomed break from school. I look forward to the next great outdoor adventure.

For more information on Arches National Park go to https://www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm. For more information on the Corona Arch Trail go to https://www.blm.gov/ visit/corona-arch-trail.