Certain places possess a vibe that can be unexplainable. A power to draw you in so that you only sit in wonder. Such places transcend the modern and cause you to wholeheartedly embrace a higher being, whether you call it God, Mohammed, Buddha or simply the Universe.

Aches National Park is such a place. Traveling slowly through the park, surrounded by fantastical , sculptured sandstone, it is impossible to NOT believe in something bigger than yourself. Impossible to believe that a random explosion millions of years ago created such magnificence.

Covering over 76,000 sq miles, and featuring the largest concentration of sandstone arches in the world, Arches is a harmonic symphony of nature, the flat, arid landscape the perfect foil for the drama of the sandstone cliffs reaching to the sky.

The tourists around us seemed single-minded, hell bent on hitting each “highlight” on the park map, snapping a quick photo, before racing to the next scenic pull-out. So intent on their mission they seemed to ignore the very magic surrounding them.

We preferred, instead, to pull over and simply be. We took photos, of course, as evidenced here, but our goal was not to check off each box on the “must see” list. Instead, we soaked contentedly in the atmosphere of this very special place. Thanking the greater powers that be for a chance to exist amongst something remarkable.