Explore a desert landscape full of arches, and stunning views, in Arches National Park.
Moab, Utah, is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, home to Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park. I only had time and the energy for the first two, though.
Arches National Park is famous for its natural erosion caused arches. Most people just come for those arches. Honestly, so did I. However, I discovered a beautiful desert landscape here that is truly unforgettable.
The scenic drive has a ton of overlooks. I spent much of my first day at the park (basically an afternoon, which is a great time to visit) checking these out. On the left is what they call the Courthouse Towers.
Sheep Rock. I love rock formations that look like other things. This was once actually part of an arch that collapsed.
These are “petrified” sand dunes, actual sand dunes that turned into stone. Pretty cool.
Arches has a bunch of hoodoos as well. Very common feature in the southwest.
“The Windows” from a great distance. We will be returning to those in a bit.
Balanced Rock.
A zoomed in picture of the La Sal Mountains.
The Salt Valley goes through the northern area of the park, leading to some interesting rock formations. I will also be returning to this area.
The other side of Salt Valley.
My ultimate destination of the day was Delicate Arch, that famous arch that you find everywhere, including license plates and Instagram. I was not interested in climbing up there just for a photo with a zillion people in it. (There are people that just go to Arches to take a photo of this arch.) Luckily there is a lower viewpoint of the arch. Here is a very zoomed in photo of the arch. A very zoomed in photo.
I returned early the next morning, 7 am early, to beat the crowds. Now to explore the “Windows.” Since it was early morning, the lighting sucked.
Turret Arch.
The South Window.
The North Window.
Double Arch nearby is pretty cool. I was so lucky to get photos of these arches with no people in them, kind of makes up for the fact I woke up at 5 am (which is 4 am my time).
Now onto the Devil’s Garden area of the park. After exiting the Salt Valley, you see some interesting rock formations.
These are all pretty cool.
A short hike brings you to Skyline Arch.
I had this area entirely to myself. It was fantastic.
Heading into the Devil’s Garden. This trail has a ton of arches on it. A short hike brings you to three. More if you do the entire trail, which is more of an all-day hike. This photo is deceiving. The trail is usually pretty crowded.
The so-called Tunnel Arch. I can see how they came up with that name.
Pine Tree Arch. Not sure how it got that name.
Now for my favorite arch in the park, Landscape Arch.
My last stop was Park Avenue. I had planned to walk the trail here, but I was exhausted. So, the overlook had to do. Pretty cool.
Arches National Park is a fantastic place to see some interesting and unique geology. The park is getting more popular by the year, however. The best time to visit for the crowds is in the winter. I visited over Easter weekend in April. It wasn’t horrible, but I timed my visit accordingly. Arrive early in the morning, before 9 am, to get one of the limited parking spots at the trail heads or arrive after 3 in the afternoon. Summers are going to be insane, people wise and the temperatures are not going to be pleasant, so try to visit in the Fall, Winter and Early Spring, for the most comfortable temperatures and less crowds, just avoid holidays.
Check out my next update where I explore Canyonlands National Park!
