Page Updated: May 27, 2023
Arches National Park
2021 JUNE
Pine Tree Arch - Arches National Park
Mighty 5 quest complete! Arches marked the last of our visits to Utah’s national parks, and it was a satisfying end to our visit to the beehive state. The park is truly gorgeous and has some of my favorite geological features in all of Utah crammed into its 76,000+ protected acres. We had a day to spend in Arches National Park, and we spent it well! But leaving the park, we realized a single day was sinfully short.
Dawn in Arches National Park is remarkably stunning. Unable to get a campsite in the park (they were all booked), we camped at nearby Dead Horse Point State Park and drove into Arches as the sun was rising. It’s nearly 18 miles from the entrance gate to the end of Arches Scenic Dr. We drove straight through to its end watching the landscape wake up. It’s beautiful!
We spent our day on the longest maintained trail in the park; Devils Garden Trail. Arches are obviously the theme of the park. Devils Garden leads to 7 of them for close encounters while passing several off in the distance as you hike. Each arch is impressive in its own right, but my favorite features are the sandstone fins. I’ve read elsewhere God is a stonemason… and Utah's Arches National Park is the back room of his workshop. It seems that’s an appropriate description to me!
V on sandstone fins - Arches
By the end of our 8.4 mile hike through the north side of Arches, we were toast. Stepping off the trail led us to a sea of parked cars and traffic being directed by park rangers. We were thrilled we’d made the wise decision of starting at the crack of dawn. Knowing we weren’t guaranteed a park elsewhere in the park, we left the window screen in place, cranked up the air, and ate a lunch in the car. Cold fried chicken and mac & cheese.
It didn’t seem right leaving the park without a stop by Delicate Arch. It’s on nearly every Arches souvenir, and it’s the destination of one of the parks most popular trails. We weren’t interested in hiking it this visit, but there are two viewpoints right off the parking loop that are perfect for us to see it from a distance.
We thought we’d struggle to find a parking; bizarrely enough, the lot at Delicate Arch was empty. It was a treat having the viewpoint to ourselves!
There’s a lot we left unexplored in Arches National Park. We saw plenty we’d love to do that would fill up the week of a future trip. Canyoneering is high up on the list. And, maybe by then we’ll have developed some rock climbing skills. (insert your chosen freaked out face here). And after reading about the Fiery Furnace, a natural labyrinth of narrow passages between towering sandstone walls-nps.gov, we’re absolutely signing up for that one.
scenes from Arches
-b&b
Dead Horse Point State Park
Devil’s Garden
