Early in January a friend and I took a trip to Moab, Utah. I love Moab in the off season as the crowds are low and reservations are not needed to get into the National Parks. The trade off is some restaurants and stores are closed, especially during their “dead” month of January. I typically camp when I visit during warmer months and though I love camping as much as the next person, in the winter I choose to stay in a hotel. They’re inexpensive in the off season and I enjoy access to a hot tub after a chillier day on the trail.
Taking the Scenic Route to Moab from Denver
If you’re traveling to Moab from Denver I highly recommend taking I-70 to Scenic Byway U-128 on your way in to and out of Moab. Taking this route adds about 20 minutes to your drive but, if I may be so bold to say, it’s one of the most beautiful drives in America. This Byway twists and turns along the Colorado River which has cut through massive canyon walls that tower over the road. The drive is even more beautiful at sunset. There’s loads of camping and hiking off this byway including Fisher Towers Trail (4.2 miles, 1469 ft. gain) and Professor Creek and Mary Jane Canyon Trail (7.6 miles, 541 ft. gain- bring water shoes). This grand entrance into Moab is sure to start your trip off on the right foot.
Hiking in Moab
I’ve been traveling to Moab and the surrounding areas for the past ten years and there are still many trails I haven’t ventured onto yet. Each time I visit Moab, I’ll start one of the days with my favorite sunrise hike, Delicate Arch Trail (3.2 miles, 629 ft. gain). It never gets old. This trip, I wanted to check out some trails I hadn’t previously done included Fiery Furnace (2.1 miles, 492 ft. gain), Tower Arch Trail (2.5 miles, 626 ft. gain), Professor Creek and Mary Jane Canyon Trail (7.6 miles, 541 ft. gain) and Jeep Arch (3.7 miles, 954 ft. gain). The last trail my friend and I did not get to so it’s on the list for the next trip!
Tower Arch Trail
Tower Arch Trail sits within Arches National Park but is not very popular as it’s off the main paved road and down a long dirt road. My friend and I were the only ones on this trail when we went in January. When you’re the only one on a trail in Utah, you can easily imagine you’re the only people left on planet earth which is a little eery and oddly exciting to think about. This trail was easy (for us) to lose as we mistakingly thought dry sandy creek beds were the trail. After getting lost more than once and adding an extra mile to our trip, we made it to the arch. It was gorgeous. Pay close attention to the rock cairns and the AllTrails map if you do this one!
Hiking Fiery Furnace
I had been wanting to hike a permitted trail in Arches National Park called Fiery Furnace and it is much easier to get a permit for it in the off season (November- March). Permits open to be reserved online two days in advance of the intended hiking date. When picking the permit up at the visitors center you’ll talk with a ranger and watch an eight minute video on protecting and being a good steward of the area during your time on and off this trail.
Fiery Furnace is a big maze filled with slot canyons, boulders to climb, unique rock formations, arches, view points and dead ends galore. The unique part about Fiery Furnace is that you can explore anywhere. There is a marked route that ranger guided hikes follow but you’re welcome to stray from that in any direction as long as you stay off the fragile ecosystems like biological soil crust and ephemeral pools. These are outlined in the video you will watch at the visitors center.
My friend and I spent about two hours in Fiery Furnace but could have spent much longer. We shimmied through slot canyons, pretended we were skilled boulder-ers to climb up to some epic views and reconfirmed, for the second time this trip, that we have an abysmal sense of direction. Whatever direction our guts were telling us to head in, it was wise to head in the exact opposite. My Garmin watch and I get equally confused any time I step foot in a canyon.
Life’s Side Quests
During our time in Fiery Furnace we found ourselves wandering off the marked route and following trails to impassible ends. We called our journeys off the marked route side quests. These side quests led us to some of our favorite views and experiences even though we knew we’d eventually have to turn around and try to find our way back to the main trail.
This got me thinking about side quests in life. I recently published a blog on vision planning where I talked about how I set my year’s visions and work towards them. What I didn’t talk about is the very windy path taken to that vision. I often hear that some find reaching an end goal somewhat unfulfilling because the journey to the goal, filled with the unexpected, is the true reward. This, I’ve found, is true for me and maybe more important than the goal itself, is the life we live on the way there.
As I’m heading towards a goal in my life, I find myself on various side quests. Sometimes these paths are intuitively chosen and sometimes they’re not. If something new sparks my interest, I may follow it for a little bit to see where it leads.
Side quests can vary greatly in size. A small one I went on in December was following an urge to take a multi-week pottery throwing course. Turns out, pottery throwing is not for me but I still enjoy my cute lop sided mug and vase I made.
A medium one I went on a couple years ago was picking up a meditation practice after reading a convincing book. This practice has stuck with me, led me to various meditation retreats, guided me through big changes and has probably changed me and my life in more ways than I even realize.
Side Quests Not Taken
There is also something to side quests not taken. After high school, I planned to take a gap year before college to join a group of other young adults to sail around parts of the world. I still vividly remember my dad raising his hand during one of my college visits and asking in front of a room full of prospective students and their parents how the school handled deferrals should, say, his daughter who’s sitting next to him want to take a gap year to sail around the world first.
I forgoed this rather large side quest and ultimately decided to go to college choosing one based on location rather than degrees offered. I thought I would go to school for architecture but upon arriving to my college campus for orientation, I learned the school I chose did not offer an architecture program. I pivoted to pursue mechanical engineering which was a short lived career but it eventually led me to digital product management, a career I currently enjoy. What I’ve enjoyed most though has been the opportunity to live in Colorado, work remotely, explore the mountains all year long and meet some of my best friends. I no longer have the desire to sail around the world or become an architect. Hindsight 20-20, it’s interesting to notice how side quests big or small, taken or not, have changed the trajectory of my life.
When an interesting side quest presents itself on the trail or in life, if you feel called, why not take a little time to see where it goes. Whether it leads to a lesson or a killer view, what I do know is life will continue to unfold in unexpected ways along the way.
Until the next tale… Happy trails.
-Hannah
Tales of My Trails 