Sunset over Moab, Utah

words and images by Warren Wilson

Just got back from a few days in Moab, Utah. Born and raised on the East Coast, I found it exciting to learn that even in the 20^th Century they were still toting guns and rustling cattle. And although I don’t fully understand how those beautiful sandstone structures were formed, I was there to take in the sights—and to photograph.

Moab’s primary industry is tourism. So, very much unlike the East Coast, everyone was friendly and willing to serve. It seemed that there was a restaurant and a motel on every block. Several motels had “No Vacancy” signs. So, here it was late October and the area was still in tourist mode. Warm days and cold nights gave me a sense of early-Summer and late-Autumn on the East Coast, all in one day.

Traffic was a mess on the weekend I arrived. There was an off-road car tournament. Thousands of fans seemed to assault the small city of Moab. The congestion was bumper-to-bumper most of the weekend. But, once the weekend was over, traffic died down and it was much easier to travel. And, the diner wasn’t as crowded.

Living on nights of 4-hour sleeps, I covered a lot of ground including Canyonlands, Arches, and Dead Horse State Park. Had a chance to see some petroglyphs (ancient wall paintings). But, you really need to keep your senses about you as you drive. The roads are winding and, at times, steep.

Should I have a desire to return to Moab, I’d do one thing differently. I’d fly into Grand Junction rather than Salt Lake City International. The drive from SLC is 4 hours. That can be quite a journey early in the morning. But, I made it! And, I’m ready for my next destination—Death Valley.

Gallery images can be found here.