Boondocking in Big Bend Campground – Moab, UT

We’ve covered a lot of ground in our first two weeks on the road – almost too much ground. When leaving our home in Alabama, we also wanted to leave the southeast. This led to a relentless trek across middle America, staying no more than two nights at any location. It was hard to put on the brakes and soak in our surroundings. Fortunately, Moab gave us the perfect opportunity to do so.

The drive from Fruita to Moab was calm and rustic. We made a quick pit stop in Cisco – an eerie ghost town – to take a few photos, and continued down 128 until we reached our BLM campsite.

We stayed in site #15 at the Big Bend Campground. It was a semi-private, waterfront spot surrounded by mountains of Red Rock. We payed for four nights and began to unwind. The sound of the Colorado River and the light of a campfire ushered in a blanket of stars every night.

The town of Moab is quaint and touristy. There are plenty of coffee shops, cafes and local retailers – and, not a Wal Mart in sight. We ate a heaping breakfast at Jailhouse Cafe and bought souvenirs all over town. It wasn’t the most dog-friendly place, but we were pleasantly surprised to find a large dog park in the center of town.

While the campsite and town are charming, we came to Moab to experience Arches National Park and it was mind blowing. The harsh movements of the red landscape were more similar to Mars than of Earth. The hiking trails are not for the old or faint of heart. We climbed up steep rocks using all fours and walked up endless sets of sandstone stairs. The furthest arch we hiked to was “Partition Arch”. The entire Arches experience was unlike any we’ve had before.

We also did an auto tour of Canyonlands National Park, stopping only at the marked viewpoints to snap some photos. It is said that on a clear day you can see for 100 miles at the Grand Lookout.

Our time in Moab was invigorating and relaxing but we’re headed to Cortez, Colorado today to visit Mesa Verde. Stay tuned for more “Tales from the Trails”!

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