Day 6: Arches in the Morning, Corona Arch in the Afternoon

The Crew
By Dublin & Chester · Oct 26, 2026 · 5 min read
#southwest trip #utah #moab #arches #corona arch #dublin #chester

Day six of the Southwest loop, a Moab stay day. Arches in the morning, Corona Arch in the afternoon, and a moonrise to close it.

Dublin's Report

We started at 7:15 from Utahraptor State Park, about ten miles to Arches, aiming to arrive right as the park opened. Chester and I stayed tucked away safely in the camper at first while Wayne and Elle headed in, because Arches trails are not for dogs, and a good dog knows the rules even when the rules are unfair.

Wayne said Balanced Rock looked great. They hiked up around 8:10, took several pictures, and that huge boulder just stood there balanced like it should fall over any second. From there they headed on to the Devil's Garden area, and then to Delicate Arch, up the trail past Wolfe Ranch and a petroglyph panel with bighorn sheep figures, all the way to the arch standing alone against a blue sky with the La Sal Mountains behind it.

Here is the part Chester will tell you himself, but I will say my piece first. Near the end of the trail, where the path runs high and you have to get near the edge, about thirty feet from it, Elle decided she had gone far enough. Heights are not her thing. Now listen: knowing your limit is smart, not scary, and she was all happy again once they were back on the flat path. Anybody who calls that anything but a good call has never stood on a high path with their knees telling them the truth.

At one stop they found a restroom and picnic area with a posted set of instructions for using the restroom, including not standing on the toilet and not using the floor. My verdict, and I stand by it: humans are insane if they need instructions for going to the bathroom.

Back at the camper we had a nice long lunch, and Wayne and Elle gave us a bit of a haircut, because good grooming is always in order. Then, finally, our turn: a walk at Corona Arch with the dogs, all four of us on the slickrock together, red cliffs and the Colorado River valley spread out around us, Corona Arch standing in the distance. We closed the day back in Arches at the La Sal Mountains Viewpoint, snow-capped La Sals glowing in the evening light, and then a moonrise over Utahraptor, not a sunset, a proper moonrise. A perfect Moab day.

Dublin's road wisdom: A good call is a good call, even when it means turning back. Especially then.

Chester's Report

DAY SIX. MOAB STAY DAY. BEST DAY SO FAR. Okay, first part: the humans went into Arches at 7:15 while Dublin and I held down the camper, which is a very important job and I did it lying down, professionally. Wayne said Balanced Rock looked great, a giant rock balanced on nothing like a magic trick, and then Devil's Garden, and then Delicate Arch, which is the famous one, all alone in the sky with mountains behind it.

Now the serious part, and I am going to be gentle because this matters. Wayne told us what happened up at Delicate Arch. Elle said the heights were too much for her. She got to about thirty feet from the edge on the high path and said, nope, that is far enough, and turned back. And you know what? GOOD. That was the right call and I am proud of her. Dublin says knowing your limit is smart, not scary, and Dublin is right, and once they were back on the flat path she was all happy again, which is the whole point. Heights are not her thing and that is FINE. I would have carried her down if I could. I am not allowed to carry humans. I checked. Twice.

Then the funny part: a bathroom sign. A SIGN that tells humans how to use a bathroom. Do not stand on the toilet. Do not use the floor. Use the toilet. Dublin's verdict is that humans are insane for needing this sign and I agree completely, I have never once needed a sign to explain a bathroom. I was born knowing.

Then lunch, and a HAIRCUT, because Wayne and Elle decided we needed grooming, and I look fantastic, obviously. And then OUR TURN: Corona Arch, all four of us walking the slickrock, red cliffs everywhere, the river valley below, the arch itself way out there like a giant stone rainbow. Best walk. Then the La Sal Mountains all snowy in the evening light, and a MOONRISE over Utahraptor at the end, big and bright over the mesa, not a sunset, a moonrise, and I watched it come up like it was performing just for us. Day six, done. Moab, I love you.