Spring In Moab
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The annual joke in Moab is “How do you know when Spring is here?” The answer is “When all the license plates turn green.”
Yep, it’s that time of year again in Colorado. Most of our ski areas have shut down for the season. The still-cold nights are balanced by some lusciously warm afternoons. It’s the beginning of Mud Season – ur, I mean Springtime – and all us mountain folk are jonesing for the dry, warm, welcoming desert. For many of us, that means just one thing – a road trip to Moab, Utah.
Fisher Towers Hike
I declared my own personal Spring last weekend with a camping and hiking expedition to the Fisher Towers area near Castle Valley, about 20 miles east of Moab proper. Where stunning red rock formations stand majestically against the deep blue sky, you can immerse yourself in scenery that’s truly straight out of several classic westerns. This alone is worth the trip.
The hike is a moderate out and back trail with a enough rock scrambling thrown in to keep it very interesting. You may travel about 4 miles until the trail peters out on a ridge overlooking the amphitheater that contains the towers. The highlight of my trip was keeping an eye on the progress of a dozen people completing a rock climbing rite of passage by standing atop a precarious looking red tower at least 1000 feet above where I walked.
You may camp at the very base of Fisher Towers or about a mile away along the river at Lower Onion Creek. There’s shade and the Colorado River at Onion Creek, but the scenery at Fisher Towers is unparalleled. There are perhaps a dozen other campgrounds along the Colorado River Scenic Byway, as well. At the other end of the spectrum is a luxury resort. There are also numerous options for less primitive camping and hotel and motel lodging within Moab.
The National Parks in the area, Arches and Canyonlands, rightfully attract visitors from around the globe, but don’t let the apparent crowds keep you away. Everyone’s happy to be in the warm sunshine in an incredible place and they disperse quickly when they leave town and head out on hikes of their own.
Welcome back!