5 Things to do in Arches National Park

By Jacob

Arches National Park is located in southeastern Utah just north of the town of Moab. Arches is a smaller national park home to over 2,000 natural arches. The park is one of my personal favorites with lots to do for all skill levels. Here are five things to do in Arches National Park.

1. Visitor Center

The entrance to Arches National Park is just north of the Colorado River a few miles north of the town of Moab. Just after the entrance station and before the road rises in elevation is the Arches National Park visitor center. Always try to visit any visitor before venturing deep into a national park or monument. At the visitor center you will find exhibits about the fascinating exhibits about the formations of the arches over time as well as the human history of the park. This will help you appreciate the scenery that you will see in the park. There is also the park bookstore where you can find souvenirs as well as the park stamp. There is also a short film that plays through the day about the park.

2. Windows Section

Before you get to the windows section of the park be sure to stop at the many vistas along the park road to see the courthouse towers, the three gossips and the balanced rock. You may recognize these formations from the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade opening scene. The window section on the right turn just passed the balanced rock. 2.5 miles you arrive in one of the most spectacular areas in any national park, the windows section. Parking in this area fills up fast so make sure you get here early to find a spot. Find the trailhead to the short but spectacular Windows Trail. This trial will take you past three beautiful arches, the North Window, the South Window and Turret Arch. Through one of the window arches you can look through to get a picture perfect view of the Turret Arch. This is something you will not soon forget. One you are done being amazed by the beauty of the windows, cross the parking lot to another striking feature, Double Arch. These two arches are on the same rock formation but are separated and create a spectacular view. Spend time climbing under the arches to truly appreciate their immense size and grandeur.

3. Delicate Arch

Back on the main road of the park, 2.5 miles past the window junction take a right to get to the most iconic arch of the park, Delicate Arch. By now you have seen the arch hundreds of times because it is featured on the Utah license plate. There are two ways to view this arch, from right up under it and from below it. Delicate Arch sits right on a cliff so this creates two viewpoints that you can see the arch. I will talk about the lower vista first, take the road to its end and park in the lot. From the parking lot take the short hike to the Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint to get your first view of the arch majestically standing on top of a canyon. Then, take the ½ mile trail up to the Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint to see it closer across the canyon.

The way to see the arch that most people take is back along the road 1 mile from the parking lot. From this parking lot, be sure to get here early because the parking lot can fill up pretty early, get on the Delicate Arch trail 3 miles roundtrip to get up close to this iconic place. On the trail you will pass Wolfe Ranch as well as some petroglyph panels that are a fascinating site. It can be easy to get a lot on the trail so pay attention to the trail markers. The trail has one particularly steep stretch along slickrock that can be harder for less fit people to negotiate with. The trail has no shade so make sure you bring water and go early to avoid the heat, especially in summer. Finally you arrive at the Delicate Arch. From here you can get under the arch but also enjoy the stunning scenery around the arch. The backdrop of the towering La Sal Mountains with the red rock canyon.

4. Fiery Furnace

The Fiery Furnace is a maze of rock walls and spires that offers a challenge for anybody. This area can only be accessed by permit or with the recommended guided park ranger tours. This area is for those who are in shape, are agile and have stamina. At the visitor center or recreation.gov you can purchase tickets to the guided tour of this area. This part of the park requires sliding, navigating over and around builders and other feats. Those who do it say it is worth it. Depending on the ranger you guide you on your tour, the experience varies. The ranger specializes in different aspects of the park from plants to geology. The Fiery Furnace is a spectacular place, if you are able to physically do it then you should take up this unique opportunity. Tickets for adults are $16, kids (ages 5-12) are $8, children under 5 not allowed. Tickets go on sale 6-months in advance.

5. Devils Garden

The Devil's Garden is located at the end of the main park road. Just to the south be sure to visit the Broken Arch Trail. Here you can see two arches, one more if you take a detour to Sand Dunes Arch. The trail is 2 miles in length and it is an easy trail. Going clockwise along the loop you first come across Tapestry Arch, it is on the side of a butte with a gap and a wall, unlike the window arches to the south. Further down the trail you reach Broken Arch, the arch is not actually broken but has a distinctive line down the center making it look broken. Further down you reach a junction, you can continue to the parking lot or take the short detour to see Sand Dune Arch. The arch is small and in the fins of rock, the arch is not as spectacular as some of the other arches but just as beautiful. Get back in the car and head north to the end of the park road to one of the best trails in the park.

Whatever you do, DO NOT MISS THIS TRAIL, from the end of the parking lot take the trailhead to begin what the National Parks Service class the “Adventure of a Lifetime”. From the parking lot to Landscape Arch is pretty easy, hiking beyond gets more challenging as well as more rewarding. If you take all the spur trails in Devils Garden your total mileage will be 7.6 miles. If you do the whole thing you will see seven arches. The first arch that you reach is Tunnel Arch, a higher up arch carved out a rock formation that really does look like a tunnel. Off the first spur trail you are led to Pine Tree Arch. Pine Tree is a very tall arch low to the ground that is an excellent window to the surrounding area. Back on the main trail and to the right you reach the largest arch in North America. Landscape is an arch to see, The arch is only 10 feet shorter than a football field and 6ft in diameter at its narrowest. A large section of this arch fell in the 90s so walking under this fragile arch is not permitted. After this point the hiking gets more difficult. Do not let the difficulty deter you. The rewards are great. Next take the spur trail that has two branches leading to two different arches. The first is partition arch, a large hole in a shallow wall of red rock, this rock overlooks a flat section of Arches National Park. One the other branch you reach the incredible Navajo Arch. This arch is more of a tunnel that you can walk under. This arch is a great place to sit and relax a while before continuing on your journey. There is a longer stretch between the Navajo Arch and Double O Arch through spectacular high desert scenery. Double O’ Arch resembles the window arches, but is less visited allowing for more solitude. Just beyond Double O Arch is the trail to Dark Angel. This is a tall rock monolith rising in a striking manner. Back on the main trail take the final spur trail to Private Arch. As the name suggests, the arch is hidden away around rock formations. Chances are you will have some privacy as well, the vast majority of people do not venture beyond Landscape Arch. On the way back to the parking lot take time to think about how incredible the Earth really is. Devils Garden is like no other place on earth and should not be missed.

I hope you enjoyed reading about Arches National Park. For more information about the park visit the Arches National Park page on our website or the Arches National Park website.

Tags

Arches National Park

Moab

Utah