We decided to look for a trail near Colorado Springs that we hadn’t hiked previously and found the Monument Rock Extended Trail that is located in the nearby town of Monument. The trail is rated as moderate and takes you by an impressive rock feature known as Monument Rock. The trail itself goes through the woods, across meadows, and has views of the mountains. There are several intertwining trails, some of which will take you to the top of Mount Herman, which is the peak that sits above the trail. There are also some that are rated hard, so it is important to pay attention to which trail you are following as it isn’t well marked.
Hiking in the WoodsLooking Up at Monument RockPurple WildflowersTrail Passing by Monument RockMountain Views
The Monument Rock Extended Trail is a loop that goes right next to Monument Rock, which is quite impressive. The full loop is about 2.7 miles, so it makes for a nice hike with an elevation gain that is less than 300 feet. The views are spectacular and, as is typical for this time of year, there are many wildflowers along the trail. The highlight of the hike is certainly Monument Rock, which stands out due to its size, color, and shape. It was certainly an enjoyable hike and we were able to complete it before the afternoon rain started.
Blue Skies and Monument RockRocky TerrainHiking Towards Monument RockMore WildflowersSomeone Put a Glove on a TreeMeadows and MountainsMultiple Trails
There are some places where you expect to see some unusual animals, such as when going to the jungle or desert. Some places are associated with certain animals, so they often use them as part of tourist attractions, like riding a camel or seeing a snake charmer. Other times, it is simply a random event where you just happen to see animals in their natural environment as part of a hike. We have certainly seen our fair share of different animals, some of them cute and some of them not so much. Whenever we see animals, we do our best to get a photograph of them, with varying results. Do you take photographs of animals during your travels?
Mountain GoatsThree-Toed Tree SlothAdorable Baby MonkeyLlama on Moon Island in BoliviaAgouti in PanamaCamel in EgyptSnake Charmer in MoroccoBird on the Porch of Our Eco LodgeTarantula Crawling Out of a TreeBlurry Picture of Giant River Otters in the Amazon Jungle
Another extremely popular hiking trail in Arches National Park is the Devils Garden Trail. One of the reasons for its popularity is the diversity of the trail as well as the number of arches that can be seen on the trail. The first part of the trail is considered easy and also provides views of three arches, including the Landscape Arch, which was one of our favorites. After reaching the Landscape Arch, the trail becomes more difficult as you head toward Double O Arch and then the second half of the loop is extremely difficult where you need to rock scramble and there a steep slopes. For obvious reasons, many people only go as far as Landscape Arch, which was what we did as well.
Landscape Arch – One of Our Favorite ArchesNot a Difficult TrailInteresting Scenery on Devils Garden TrailPine Tree ArchTunnel Arch
In addition to hiking Devils Garden Trail, there are also some shorter trails in the area just before you reach Devils Garden that are worth exploring as well. We did the short hike to see Skyline Arch, which was definitely worth seeing. We also hiked to Sand Dune Arch, which was a short trail, but the sand was deep making it a little harder on the legs. We did not hike all of the way to Broken Arch, but it is clearly visible from the parking area near the Sand Dune Arch. As with any trail in Arches National Park, long or short, you will want to be sure to bring plenty of water. With temperatures climbing above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, it is important to where sunscreen and stay hydrated.
Sand Dune ArchEntrance into the Sand Dune Arch AreaSkyline Arch Was Another FavoriteBroken ArchView from Devils Garden Trail
In addition to all of the tourists that were enjoying the trails, we also saw several lizards during our hikes. They seem to be quite used to the crowds and didn’t run away as people gathered around to take their photo. Snakes are also common in the park, as it is a desert environment, but we did not see any during our hikes. You will definitely see your share of birds as well from hawks to ravens. People should be sure to stay on the trails and not climb on the arches in order to protect the beautiful scenery for future generations to enjoy.
Lizard Standing on a RockFirst View of Landscape ArchAnother Arch Near Landscape ArchLizard on the TrailWalking on Devils Garden Trail
We hiked the Devils Garden Trail on our second day in Moab, Utah, so we had learned to get out early in the day to avoid as much of the heat as possible. The entrance to the park is only seven miles from Moab, but there were long lines of cars waiting to enter the park that took as long as thirty minutes before getting through the gate. Once through the entrance, it will take about another thirty to forty minutes to drive to Devils Garden if you don’t stop at any of the many pull-offs along the way. With so many arches in the area, Devils Garden is definitely a highlight of any visit to Arches National Park. If you have enough time in the park, we would also recommend hiking the Delicate Arch Trail to see one of the most well known arches in the park.
Beautiful Arch and Blue SkiesMore Rugged Scenery Along the TrailSurrounded by Rock FormationsA Raven on Delicate Arch TrailTrees and Rocks in Arches National Park
