Stop #6: Arches National Park
The park I was most excited to see in Utah was the one we visited first. There is something majestic and magical about natural arches.
We began the day with a glimpse of Delicate Arch in the distance. I said that I wanted to hike out to the arch. Much to my surprise, my mom said she wanted to as well. It wasn’t an easy hike. It involved lots of sun and some narrow ledges.
Delicate Arch becomes more and more delicate as wind and rain continue the erosion process that created it in the first place. There’s a possibility that it won’t last the rest of my life. I wasn’t willing to take that risk, so I took a hike.
The view was well worth the effort.
Again, patience was key to the best photos.
Delicate Arch is probably the most famous of Arches’ arches, but there are over 2,000 more.
We took a brief walk out to Landscape Arch. Park visitors used to be able to walk underneath this arch but in 1991 part of it came crashing to the ground and the trail remains closed for safety. This scary story was a great reminder of the frailty of the natural beauty in our parks.
The section of the park near Landscape Arch is called Devils Garden and has several short trails to a variety of arches.
Tunnel Arch
Pine Tree Arch
I wanted to see Double O Arch. The trail to it was less “trail” and more “scary, open rockface.”
I made it to where I could see the arch and managed to get a photo. But I found standing on the narrow rock looking up to take the picture scary and disorienting.
Time to climb down – which was scarier than climbing up. Even in my terror, I needed to snap a picture of the valley.
On the way out of the park we stopped in one last section to catch the sunset. Double Arch was one of my favorite spots of the day.
And I loved how the late afternoon sun turned the desert rocks into a fire glow.
A short walk to the other side of the parking lot had us at Turret Arch.
I turned around and began to walk towards North Window and South Window.
Then my mom got my attention and told me to turn around. I did and I saw the sun setting through Turret Arch.
Our first full day in a park was a complete success! We had seen so much and still had four parks to go on the trip.
Have you been to Arches National Park? Which was your favorite arch and why? Have you seen natural arches other places in the world? Let me know in the comments below.
Go. Live.
