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National park in Utah, United States
Photo: Ryan Holliday (Wrh2), CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Arches National Park is a national park that is in Utah's Canyon Country near the town of Moab. It is home to the world's greatest concentration of natural arches, including Delicate Arch, one of the state's most famous icons.
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A relatively easy one mile (one-way) trail located near the park entrance. The trail leads through a steep-walled sandstone canyon with a smooth bottom. Many hikers will get dropped off at one end of the trail and picked up at the other to eliminate the need for a round-trip.
A 0.8-mile roundtrip leads to Double Arch, a massive joining of two arches that will be recognizable from the beginning of the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The trail is very easy and located within walking distance of the Windows.
The North & South Windows, as well as Turret Arch, are located along an easy 1-mile roundtrip trail.
Near the beginning of the Delicate Arch trail, this ranch is a restored homestead of John Wesley Wolfe, who settled in the area in the late 1800s.
The most famous arch in the park, Delicate Arch can be seen from a roadside turnout, from a 0.8-mile trail, or you can take the 3-mile (roundtrip) trail starting from Wolfe's Ranch, gaining of elevation, and stand underneath this natural wonder. The trail to the arch is strenuous; be sure to carry adequate water with you. During peak season you are likely to be sharing the trail with many people; visiting at sunrise provides the best chance of solitude, while sunset offers the best photography.
An overlook of the petrified dunes lies just off of the park road between the Courthouse Towers and the Windows Area. These colorful formations are ancient sand dunes, hardened into stone as additional layers built up on top of them and were later eroded away.
The Fiery Furnace area is accessible only on ranger-led tours, which can be reserved online or at the visitor center. The tour leads through a maze of sandstone fins, showcasing one of the most interesting geologic areas in the park. A fee is charged for this tour and tours often sell out quickly, so trips should be booked as early as possible. Reservations can be made up to a week in advance at the visitor's center, or for the full season at the park's website.
Devil's Garden is a series of sandstone fissures that are home to Landscape Arch (the park's largest), Double O Arch, and numerous others. A series of trails lead to the arches, with Landscape Arch only a 1.6-mile roundtrip from the trailhead, while Double O Arch is a more strenuous 4.2 mile roundtrip. Wall Arch, once one of the most photographed arches in the park, is no more; it collapsed in August 2008.
Visited by only a very small fraction of the park's tourists, Klondike Bluffs is in the northwest corner of the park and is accessible only by a dirt road or on foot. Tower Arch is located down a short trail, as is the formation known as the Marching Men.
51 sites, 2 group sites. Standard campsites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance for stays March 1-October 31. All sites are usually reserved months in advance. Between November 1 and February 28, sites are first-come, first-served. Facilities include drinking water, picnic tables, grills, and both pit-style and flush toilets.
The bookstore is a cooperating association sales outlet in the visitor center that offers books, maps, postcards, posters, and a variety of other educational and interpretive items. For a larger selection, the town of Moab has everything necessary to satisfy your shopping needs.
By car
The entrance to Arches National Park is located 5 miles (8 km) north of Moab along US Highway 191.
By bus
Most visitors see Arches National Park on their own, driving automobiles or riding bikes.
By foot
There are numerous trails throughout the park. Hiking at or around sunrise (5-6AM) can provide a less crowded experience and easier parking.
By bike
Although the summer heat can make a bike a masochistic way of viewing the park, in cooler months it can be a popular option.
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Moab · Regional · CNY
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