Day Eight - Apr 15, 2025

The Needles, Canyonlands

Tonight's Lodging: Needles Campground, Loop A, Site 15

Today's Weather: 73 degrees, partly cloudy

High Point: The Druid Arch Reveal

Low Point: Site 14’s family gathering is exuberant and unaware

Touristic Events: We suppose Druid Arch, the Visitor Center

Travel Tip: If you are in a primarily tent campground, remember we can all hear you. And occasionally we’d rather not

Miles By Automobile: 10

Miles By Foot: 14

Daily Didactic

The day started early, a little after 7:00. Maybe this is an age thing. We made the same breakfast, coffee, and tea we’ve made for seven days now and enjoyed the early morning sun.
As we arrived yesterday, the very nice couple next door in site 13 welcomed Theresa, who had been left behind in site 14 as Brian did a second lap to make sure we had the very best campsite available. It’s an unsurprising nervous twitch of his. They are from Colorado Springs and are here for the week as well. In the evening, they invited us to join them on a hike to Druid Arch today.
This morning, we accepted their generous offer. At our 10:00am regular launch, we drove the five miles to the Elephant Hill trailhead to begin the 10.5 mile out and back, Parenthetically, this is also the launching point for every tricked out jeep in the area to do some technical rock climbing. Fun to watch and imagine, and to each their own.
The trail was wonderful, the company was great, and Druid Arch was astounding. The arch initially presents itself on end and looks like a fin or spire. Only after climbing a ladder and a little rock scramble to the left does the reveal take place. Spectacular. The four of us enjoyed lunch at the base of the Arch (and all of its only slightly less impressive peers) before hiking the fun five miles out to our rental. Back at camp we snacked, relaxed, and repeated. Eventually we headed to the Visitor Center to check in with friends, loved ones, and the internet. We are bad at no internet.
We called it an early evening and looked forward to what tomorrow has tee’d up.

Where we slept last night.