Arches National Park
Travel | Arches National Park
Arches National Park, located in Moab, Utah, is one of my newly favorite parks. The natural arch formations, red rocks and expansive views are breathtaking. The weather in late November was perfect for hiking and the crowds were somewhat minimal.
During my two days in the park, I managed to complete several small hikes. One great perk is the ease of access to many of the arches.
Travel | Arches National Park
One of my favorite moments in the park was spending sunset hiking around the Double Arch. I felt quite small standing beneath the huge arches.
Favorite Hikes
Delicate Arch Viewpoint - in case you do not have the time or energy to commit to the Delicate Arch hike, the viewpoint is a quick alternative to take in the Delicate Arch from a distance. The hike is a simple 100 meter walk from the Delicate Arch Viewpoint parking area.
Double Arch - an easy half mile trail, round trip, that takes you to the base of the Double Arch. The trail starts in the Double Arch parking area.
Landscape Arch - another easy trail on relatively flat ground at 1.6 miles, round trip. The trail takes you to a viewpoint just beside the Landscape Arch, considered to be the longest natural arch in the world. This trail starts at the Devils Garden trailhead parking area and there are many side trails to venture onto, if you wish.
Sand Dune Arch - I loved this easy hike to the secluded Sand Dune Arch, tucked away behind expansive sandstone walls. The hike is a quick half mile walk, round trip, and provides a nice reprieve from the sun. The trail begins from the Sand Dune Arch parking area.
Skyline Arch - this arch recently (1940) doubled in size when a large portion of the rock fell from the existing, smaller arch. When you make the short walk to the base of the arch, you can see the pile of rocks that fell from above. This hike is another short half mile walk, round trip, and begins from the Skyline Arch parking area.
The Windows - this 1 mile, round trip loop, takes you up and around three large window arches. Even though you can easily see each arch from the Windows parking area, I highly recommend taking a closer look.
Delicate Arch - I hiked to the Delicate Arch on Thanksgiving morning and it was absolutely breathtaking. I would love to go back during sunrise or sunset, to photograph the arch with vibrant colors in the sky. This hike is 3 miles round trip with no shade along the way. Be sure to have plenty of water and snacks. Try to leave your fear of heights behind as well. Two hundred yards of the hike is along a narrow rock ledge with quite the downward view! The trail begins from the Wolf Ranch parking area.