So, it appears to be quackgrass, based on searching through the PDF "Grasses & Grasslike plants in Utah". Thanks GardenWeb for pointing me to this in your archives. Here is a link that might be useful: Grasses & Grasslike plants in Utah.pdf

Maybe Wyethia amplexicaulis...white Mule's Ears??? Link to info below. Whatever the plant turns out to be, your images are gorgeous. :-) Rosie Here is a link that might be useful: Mule's Ears

Thanks, everyone! Paul, that plant was very bizarre. I had to touch the fat part to see if it was a healthy part of the plant or some weird growth....it was totally normal and firm. If you look closely at the picture, you can just see tiny yellow flowers. Unfortunately, I didn't think to get a close up of them. Ryan, I'm learning that May is a particularly good time to head west, and my husband is thinking about camping at Arches the next time we head out that way. I will be sure to add Bryce Canyon to the list, and maybe we'll actually get to see a little more of Moab, other than the main street! The drive on I-70 from Denver to Moab is especially scenic with the mountains gradually giving way to the canyon lands. There's even a rest stop along the Colorado river where you can get your feet wet! Nancy

I want to say they are all Miscanthus sinensis cultivars, because of the look of the flower heads. The first one may be 'Yaku Jima.' The second one stumps me because of the striping of the medium-width foliage. The third one is one of the wide-bladed varieties. Maybe 'Malepartus' and maybe 'Silberfeder.' It isn't very happy looking, with sparse foliage and burned blade ends.