Moonshine Arch
We had intended to hike up to the arch because we didn't find any information until the day before that we could actually drive to it. What a nice surprise! We had been looking forward to the hike, but this would give us more time in the day for trails. We almost missed the turn off (it's tough to spot) but we eventually all ended up off the pavement.
You can get to the harder trail a few different ways, but we managed to find the most-traveled way in. We found a couple signs, and lots of evidence of other vehicles, bikes, and hikers in the sand. The part past the fence and gate was pretty fun, but it kept getting better.
We did our first 360° video and we weren't sure how it would turn out. It turned out well, so we'll do more of them. They're longer and not for everyone, but it's a good way to see an entire trail (or just the good parts).
We were thinking things would be mellow until we came around a corner and saw the hill. Monica happily announced the festivities on the CB and then everyone headed up. It was a blast, and a great way to start the morning. Slickrock is always best for breakfast.
Unfortunately, it wasn't long before the fun trail was over and we were at the arch. We parked all over the place, and had the whole area to ourselves while we were there. Because we left first thing in the morning, we beat everyone to the site. It ended up working out well.
We walked all over below and on top of the arch, just enjoying the place. The view of the reservoir was even awesome from there. As we left, we took turns parking under the arch for photos.
The way down was almost as fun, and we saw a few hikers making their way up. It didn't take long for us to make it back to the trailhead, though. We hadn't aired down, so we hopped back onto the pavement for the rest of our day near the Flaming Gorge.
Report from a Different Day
