Arches National Park – Top Things to do in your first trip

Arches National Park

Arches National Park – That’s my personal favorite among Utah 5. The fourth National park which we visited in Utah is Arches. I planned to visit Arches for both Sunset and Sunrise. Since Moab, a town near to Arches has the clearest sky, I wanted to stay late in the park for Stargazing. We started from Capitol Reef around late afternoon and we reached Arches when the sun was about to set. And that was the best part of the trip, watching the sunset over the arches and brightening the arches with orange and red cues was so pleasing and soothing to both mind and soul.  The park was a paradise of beautiful arches and I want to go again for sure in the future.

Arches National Park – What is it?

Arches National Park is located in eastern Utah and often referred as “Mars-like” because of the stunning red rock formations. Arches is a high desert environment with hot summer temperatures, cool winters, and precipitation.

Arches National Park – What is it known for?

No doubt, Arches! Arches National Park has the densest concentration of natural stone arches in the world.  There are over 2,000 document arches in the park, ranging from silver-thin cracks to spans greater than 300 feet.

How are Arches formed?

As Geologist states in the park site,

First, geologic forces wrinkled and folded the buried sandstone, as if it were a giant rug and someone gathered two edges towards each other, making lumps across the middle called Anticlines. As the sandstone warped, fractures tore through it, establishing the patterns for rock sculptures of the future.

Next, the entire region began to rise, climbing from sea level to thousands of feet in elevation. What goes up must come down, and the forces of erosion carved layer after layer of rock away. Once exposed, deeply buried sandstone layers rebounded and expanded, like a sponge expands after it's squeezed (though not quite so quickly). This created even more fractures, each one a pathway for water to seep into the rock and further break it down.

Today, water shapes this environment more than any other force. Rain erodes the rock and carries sediment down washes and canyons to the Colorado River. Desert varnish appears where water cascades off cliffs. In winter, snowmelt pools in fractures and other cavities then freezes and expands, breaking off chunks of sandstone. Small recesses develop and grow bigger with each storm. Little by little, this process turns fractured rock layers into fins, and fins into arches. Arches also emerge when potholes near cliff edges grow deeper and deeper until they wear through the cliff wall below them. In addition to grand arches, water dissolves small honeycomb formations called tafoni.

FAST FACTS:

• The park has no food, gas and lodging facilities inside the park. Moab, a town located 5 miles from the park entrance, has all basic and necessary services
• The park has limited parking facilities. To avoid crowds, try to arrive before 9 AM or after 3 PM.
• Arches National Park is a high desert; keep yourself hydrated, even when it is cold.
• There is no cell coverage inside the park. Ensure to grab the park guide and map from the visitor center.
• When it thunders, avoid outdoors.
• Don’t rock and roll on the arches.
• The sun is intense and the shade is very minimal in the park.

Arches National Park – Must Do’s:

• Drive the scenic drive

The park has a 43-mile paved road with many roadside pullouts to view the beauty of the arches. Most of the landmarks can be viewed and reached with a short walk from the parking lot.

• Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock is one of the most iconic features in the park which is 128 feet tall. This feature may appear as an epic balancing act but actually, it is not balanced at all. The slick rock boulder of Entrada Sandstone sits attached to its eroding pedestal of Dewey Bridge mudstone. The exposure of these two rock strata layers is ideal for the formation of arches and balanced rocks. The giant rock is viewable from the road pullout but I suggest to take 0.3-mile round trip which gives you a closer look at the rock.

• Park Avenue Viewpoint

The best view can be seen from the paved viewpoint. Though there are no arches in the Park Avenue, the trail descends into sheer walls of the canyon. The dramatic landscape consists of gorgeous canyon and towers of rock in every direction. A short hike from the Park Avenue descends into the canyon and continues to Courthouse Towers.

• Courthouse Towers

Courthouse Towers is one of the most picturesque spots in the park. The massive monoliths, towering walls and the viewpoint of La Sal Mountains is seen from here. There are many roadside pullouts which give a clear view of stunning formations like the Tower of Babel, The Organ, Three Gossips and Sheep Rock.

• The Windows

A must see in the park. Never ever miss the windows section in the park. The Windows is the most scenic spot in the park and has the largest concentration of arches in the park.  The windows section is located 2.5 miles east on the Windows road. A short 1-mile hike from the parking lot involves a gentle climb up a gravel trail leads to the massive North and South Windows and Turret Arch. The Windows section looks awesome during sunset. We visited windows section around sunset and we also took the primitive trail which is a slightly longer trail around the back of the windows which gives you the view of both the North and South Windows.

• Double Arch

Another must visit spot. Believe me, wherever you go in the park, every location has something to offer and every arch is unique in its own way. The Double Arch is the tallest and the second-longest arch in the park. The Double Arch is accessible from the parking lot of the Windows section. A relatively flat trail leads to the base of two giant arch spans that are joined at one end. Double Arch is another perfect spot for stargazing

• Delicate Arch

The most famous geological feature in Utah and the most widely recognized symbol of Utah is delicate arch. People flew from different parts of the world to get a glimpse of this free-standalone arch.  Most of the magnets which you see in the store have this delicate arch in it. It is described as the most delicately chiseled arch in the entire area and hence the name. The Delicate Arch cannot be viewed from the parking lot. There are two viewpoints available – Lower and Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoints. Lower Viewpoint is only 100 yards from the parking lot, but Upper View Point is about 0.5 miles (roundtrip) steady climb strenuous trail. Both of the viewpoints provide a view of the Delicate Arch from a canyon separated from the Wolfe Ranch.

The arch is accessed closely from a trail at Wolfe Ranch parking lot. The trail climbs 480 feet up a steep slick rock slope.

• Devil’s Garden

One of the premier locations in the park is the Devil’s Garden which has a larger concentration of narrow rock walls called fins. Fins form when rainwater erodes parallel fractures caused by the uplift of salt deposits below the surface. Fins eventually erode and give way to the formation of arches like Landscape Arch, the crown jewel of Devils Garden. The Devils Garden offers breathtaking views.

• Landscape Arch

Landscape Arch is the longest arch in North America with a light opening of 306 feet. This awe-inspiring expanse is only 6 feet (1.8 meters) in diameter at its narrowest. Large segments of the arch came crashing down in the 1990s – proof that the park’s landscape can change dramatically in an instant. Although other arches have fallen, Landscape Arch still hangs on by a very thin thread.

 

A relatively flat, hard packed trail leads to this spectacular ribbon of rock and the trail is 1.6 miles roundtrip. This is one of the easiest hikes in the Devil’s Gardens

• Double O Arch

The trail to the Double O Arch extends from the Landscape Arch and climbs steeply over the sandstone slabs.  There are uneven surfaces and narrow ledges with steep drop-offs. Dark Angel arch is 0.5 miles beyond Double O Arch.

• Pine Tree and Tunnel Arch

A short side trail from the Landscape Arch leads you to the Pine Tree and Tunnel Arch.  Tunnel arch is a thick fin of sandstone along Devil’s Garden with a big, tunnel-like hole in the middle. Mostly the arch is not crowded much and there is a shady tree before the arch. Pine Tree Arch is a red rock arch with an irregular, ground-level opening, reached by a spur of Devil’s Garden trail.

• Sand Dune Arch

That’s a surprise package. A short trail on sand leads to the Sand Dune Arch, thus making it easy and fun for kids. The arch is usually less crowded and is the perfect place to shoot only arch as the other arches in the park is always crowded. I liked the arch a lot and the narrow sandy way which leads to the arch

• Fiery Furnace

The Fiery Furnace is a natural labyrinth of narrowing passages between towering sandstone walls. One must require hiking permit or has to be accompanied by the park ranger for the hiking in the fiery furnace. It tests your ability and strength. Attempt the hiking in Fiery Furnace if you are a seasoned hiker and have prior experiences in backpacking.

• Skyline Arch

Another famous spot in the park. It’s an easy hike to the arch but it’s definitely hard to get under the arch. The skyline arch is the only arch that sits on the skyline which is why it is named as the skyline arch and it can be viewed from many parts of the park because of its positioning. The hike to skyline arch is short on a relatively flat surface.

• Broken Arch

It’s a popular arch in the park and it is not broken as its name suggests. The lintel of the arch is creased, and looks like it doesn’t form a connection, and appears broken. The trail goes directly under the span of Broken Arch before swinging west towards the Devils Garden Campground. There are two short trails leading north towards the lesser renowned Tapestry Arch, about half-way between the campground, and Broken Arch.

FAST FACTS:

• Landscape Arch is the longest arch in North America
• The trail beyond Landscape Arch becomes difficult, with rock scrambling, narrow edges, and exposure to heights.
• Lower and Upper Delicate viewpoints lead to the viewpoint where the Delicate arch can be viewed from the canyon behind it
• The hike to the Delicate Arch is accessed from the Wolfe Ranch
• Arrive at the park in the early morning and complete most of the Arches in the morning before it becomes too hot
• Ensure to hydrate yourself
• A side trail from the Double O Arch leads you to the Partition Arch and Navajo Arch; the trail requires steep climbs.
• Arches National Park is very photogenic in every way; some tips to capture the best out of the location is provided on the park website for reference
  • Early Morning

    • Moab Fault • The Three Gossips • Sheep Rock • Turret Arch • Double Arch • Cache Valley • Delicate Arch Viewpoint • Wolfe Ranch • Landscape Arch • Double O Arch

  • Late Afternoon

    • Park Avenue • La Sal Mountains Viewpoint • Courthouse Towers • Petrified Dunes • Balanced Rock • Garden of Eden • The Windows • Delicate Arch • Fiery Furnace Viewpoint • Skyline Arch • Tower Arch

Our Experience:

We started from Capitol Reef by late afternoon and reached Arches National Park around sunset. We hiked the Windows action to observe the magic of the sky as the sun sets for the day. And also to capture the iconic shot of Turret Arch through the North Window section. The brightly shining red rock formations with orange and yellow cues in the background were stunning and the photos cannot bring justice to it. Arches are also known for star gazing as Moab has one of the clearest skies.

We decided to stay in the park for star gazing. The best-known spots for star gazing are the Windows, Double Arch, Park Avenue, and the Delicate Arch. We were in the Windows section and as the sky was cloudy, we couldn’t see much of the Milky Way but we were able to view a bunch of stars which I had seen in my childhood. Sleeping on the terrace and counting the stars on the sky is fun.  It’s been ages! We saw Mars and were counting the stars in the mid of the night. We started around midnight to the place where we stayed. We stayed in an Airbnb in Moab which is only 5 miles away from the park.

Since Arches are known for spectacular Sunrises, we reached the park at early morning around 5 PM the next day. We hiked to the Double Arch and waited for the first rays of the sun. Oh boy, it was magical to see the arch brightened up in red with the first mild rays of the sun was out of the world experience. We walked along the Primitive trail near the windows section to access the back portion of the Windows and capture both the windows together.  Along the primitive trail, one can view Pothole Arch, Garden of Eden, Elephant Butte and Parade of Elephants.

We then proceeded to the Devil’s Garden and we hiked to the Landscape Arch. Landscape Arch is my favorite arch in the park and the view of the thin longest arch with the clear blue sky at the back is spectacular to watch. We took a side trail to Pine Tree Arch and Tunnel Arch.  You will get a glimpse of the Partition Arch from the trail itself. The trail beyond Landscape arch involves steep climbing up the slick rocks. Please attempt only if you are up for it. On the way return from Devil’s Garden, we took the short trail to the Skyline Arch. The trail to the broken arch is through the bushes and on the open sun. A short walk on the trail will give you the clear but distant view of the broken arch.

We stopped at almost in all the pullouts as every turn in the Arches National Parks offers stunning and breathtaking views. The view from the Park Avenue viewpoint was stunning. Never ever miss the La Sal Mountains Viewpoint. The viewpoint offers a view of the La Sal Mountains, sheep rock, three gossips, and the organ. There are a number of pullouts in the Courthouse Towers area to catch these phenomenal features closer. The Fiery Furnace viewpoint has a short trail to the viewpoint which offers the view of the furnaces. The last spot in the Arches National Park is the Delicate Arch. We couldn’t do the hike to the Delicate Arch as we were completely exhausted and tried. We hiked to Lower and Upper Delicate Arch viewpoints to view the glimpse of the standalone delicate arch.

The hiking information can be accessed from here -https://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/hiking.htm

Photographic Spots:

The entire park is very photogenic and my favorite spots in the park are mentioned below

• Capture Turret Arch through North Window
• Sunset at the Windows
• Sunset at Turret Arch
• Sunrise/Sunset at Balanced Rock
• Park Avenue
• Landscape Arch
• Skyline Arch on mid-afternoon
• Sand dune arch

Star Gazing:

Arches National Park is known for its clear dark sky and every year thousands of people flew here for star gazing. For every astrophotographer, Arches National park is a paradise. Some of the favorite spots are

• Stargazing below North window with lighted window
• Below the Archs of Double arch

I was happy as I was able to do almost all the easy and moderate hikes in the park and was able to make most out of our visit.  The best decision we took is to start early in the morning even before the sunrise and complete most of our hikes before the sun becomes too hot. We returned back to Moan around 1 PM for lunch and rested awhile for about 3 hours. We started back at 4 PM to the park to view the remaining arches in the park. Our short nap during the midafternoon reenergized us and refreshed us. We did few of the hikes in the evening and we stayed late in the evening for star gazing. Another great decision which helped us to cover most of the park was our decision to stay in Moab. Stay close by to the park so that you can access the park whenever you want to and commute time to the park will be reduced to a greater extent. Also, Moab is a beautiful small town with art shops and restaurants offering a variety of cuisines.

The town, Moab, resembled Gatlinburg in Tennessee and is full of life at night. Please take a stroll on the streets of the town by evening. The town has a number of unique restaurants and cafes. We had our breakfast on Jailhouse Café and we loved their roasted potatoes to bits. It resembled Indian version of roasted potatoes. We tried Singhai Thai Cuisine for our lunch and it is a family-owned restaurant. We loved the food at both the places and I highly recommend them to anyone.

In a nutshell, Arches National Park is one of the most beautiful places with naturally formed arches, red rock formations and spectacular strata’s.

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Thanks,

Karthi

Facts gathered from the Park Website and the Pamphlets. The pictures in the post are clicked by me. The content and the pictures in the post belongs to the author. Reproduction and distribution of the content/pictures without prior permission from the author are prohibited.