After the long drive over the Rockies and into Utah, only half of our group had made it into Moab, (we weren't sure if the others were so far behind due to an extremely old vehicle, slow driver or excessive bathroom breaks). To kill some time, we made a stop in the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands, the most northern part.
We crossed many free range grates and probably took the sharp turns a little too fast, but all of us were amazed at the storm that was rolling in over the La Sal Mountains and the many canyons.
I had only been to Canyonlands once before, several years ago with my mom and we visited this same section of the park. Then, I honestly wasn't too impressed. But after becoming much more involved in outdoor recreation and beginning to appreciate the wilderness more, especially canyons and desert settings after my 8-day rafting experience through the grandest canyon on the planet, I was definitely more intrigued by the seemingly massive holes in the ground.
The weather probably added to the view, with the dark clouds casting an ambiance over the park while the mountains stuck out underneath blue skies. But everything just felt bigger. I hadn't realized the enormity of this section of the park before. It almost looked fake, like a painting, or as if it were a mirage and wasn't really there. We could see a tiny car driving on the White Rim Road, several miles below us, adding scale to a mind-boggling perception of size.
I think my expressions as we approached several viewpoints was just as stunned as the others. Our trip leader even said, "I love taking people in here for the first time. I love watching their facial expressions. It's so amazing driving through the park, on top of the plateau, and not being able to see anything until you find yourself standing on the edge of a cliff."