Arches National Park
Located in Moab Utah, Arches National Park is a natural beauty unlike any I've seen before. Representative of a North American Desert, the park features dry scrubland that stretches for miles in any direction you look, with towering Mesas and sparse trees breaking the eyeline of the red plains.
The Road to the Wilderness- Park Entry Road
As the drive up the winding park road leads you to the first Plateau, a sense of excitement fills any newcomer as they set wheel on the road to the wilderness of Utah.
Mornings on the River's Edge- Taken outside the Springhill Suites hotel in Moab
Not within park grounds, this scenic overlook was taken just outside the hotel I stayed in the night before my trip to the park! Early morning sees many Mourning Doves (which I could not photograph in the morning light) while the late evening and night sees little Brown Bats (which I could not also photograph in the light of the hotels streetlamps)
Precarious- Unique Rock Formation
One of the more popular "non arch" rock formations, this unique rock formation has been fine tuned by the natural elements for thousands of years, and in the future may even be broke by those same natural elements.
Sun kissed- photo from the Horse Rock site
The first stop in my tour of the park, this is an absolutely memorable view, showing off the true beauty of the national park!
Out of State- California Scrub Jay
Although perfectly within its natural range, this California Scrub Jay is living in an environment different from its typical habitat. The desertic plains of Arches National Park are typically much drier and hotter than its traditional scrubland (semi-desert) homes, which are far more mild and water is never too far.
Opportunities- Western Raven
Although gruesome, taking advantage of roadkill is especially important in an environment like that of Arches National Park. Animals are hard to find despite the vast flat expanse of the desertic plains, and carrion even harder, making a park road the perfect scavenging ground for a larger carnivore such as this Western Raven.
Chasmic Glory- Raven taken outside Sand Dune Arch
Sand Dune Arch is partially hidden away in a breathtaking canyon full of red hot sand. Nothing particularly resides in the canyon, but its outer cliffs make great homes for Swallows, and spectacular scavenging grounds for birds like this Western Raven.
Highlights of a Dry Wind- View from a rest stop in the park
The perfect place for a rest stop, here you can get a good view of the parks main habitat, a large desertic plain. Pronghorn, Mule Deer, Coyotes and more make this type of environment their home, so much so that I didn't see a single mammal my entire trip to the park!
Canyon's Edge
Another Scenic overlook in the park, this was taken much further down the road than the rest stop image before this. Just nearby was a set of large spires and the devils garden walkway.
Escaping the Sun- Plateau Tiger Whiptail Lizard
Being a cold blooded animal in an environment that changes temperatures extremely quickly is tough, but thankfully many reptiles like this Plateau Tiger Whiptail Lizard take advantage of the many shrubs and rock outcroppings available to properly thermoregulate in their ever changing habitat.