Arches National Park

[This post is part of the Utah Ultimate National Parkness series - see the main post for additional background.]

What is it about natural arches made of rock that intrigues and inspires us so much? I have no idea, but they are SO VERY COOL. Going to Arches National Park, you get big arches, small arches, thin arches, double arches, far arches, near arches, etc, etc. and you can enjoy many of them in just a few days.

Here are some of my favorites:

Landscape Arch - the largest one in the park

Pine Tree Arch

Tunnel Arch

Kissing Arch (for obvious reasons)

Turret Arch

Windows Arches (North and South)

Double Arch - so majestic!

The most iconic arch in the park is the Delicate Arch - the one that is in so much of the Utah marketing, classic photography and some of their license plates. The earliest photo of the arch is from around 1906. You can glimpse this arch from a viewing spot near one of the parking lots, a short but steep hike OR what we thought was the best hike in the park that takes you right up to the arch. That hike was interestingly challenging - you have to hike up what feels like a sheer rock face, then around part of the mountain on a narrow path until you round a corner and the sudden view of the arch just takes your breath away.

Extra loved the views of the snow capped La Sal mts in the distance.

Did I mention the hike was steep?

A very busy hike to the arch, even on a weekday.

The beautiful views of the nearby mountains.

On the other side of the mountain, suddenly the rock faces were smooth.

From the nearer lookout - are we in Tatooine?

When we were first driving into Moab and around the park, we saw several rock faces with what looked like green strata. We thought it must be from copper deposits, but we learned that instead it was actually iron from volcanic ash that, because of the way it was deposited underwater, looks greenish blue from a chemical reduction process instead of the normal reddish/orangish iron oxide we are used to.

Another one of our favorite hikes was the Devil’s Garden trail - you have to drive all the way to the end of the main park road where you enter a part of the park that looks completely different. There are still arches, of course, but many other interesting formations and views.

And more random photos from the park:

Desert flowers were few and far between here.

Does this formation look like a cobra to you too?

The views were amazing.

We didn’t see a lot of wildlife, so we were happy to spy this deer.

And this lizard.

We enjoyed this narrow canyon.

Which got narrower. Craig thinks he’s funny.

The Fiery Furnace!

Park Avenue trail.

Park Avenue was also a favorite.

North Window Arch

Turret Arch

Was surprised to see this guy in the hole next to Turret Arch.

Some of the trails were on bare rock, requiring other rocks to mark the path.

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