Arches National Park

After Shenandoah, it was official John and I had been bit by the National Park bug.  We planned our next trip to Utah, the home of five U.S. National Parks. We decided to stick to the Eastern half of the state, as we only had eight days.  It would have been possible to see all 5 Utah Parks in one trip, but not entirely enjoyable in our opinion. 

We flew into Salt Lake City late on Friday night and immediately went to bed at a local hotel.  We woke up early the next morning, stepped out on the balcony of our room and caught our first glimpses of the surrounding mountains.  Driving from the airport the night before we had no idea they were surrounding us on almost all sides.  We went to see the Mormon Tabernacle in the morning, quite an impressive piece of architecture. Then we began the four-hour drive from Salt Lake City to Moab.

The only way I can think to describe this drive is as other-worldly.  It honestly felt like we were driving around Mars. It is bare and desolate with no buildings, telephone poles or even electrical wires on the side of the road.  Coming from the overcrowded East Coast, it was nothing either of us had ever seen before.  Four hours later we arrived in the small desert town of Moab, Utah.  The one main road in Moab had a few different hotels, some restaurants and lots of little shops.  The town is definitely geared toward tourists based on its proximity to both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, but in a tasteful way, not too gaudy or over the top.  Our trip was at the end of August but surprisingly, it was not super-hot. The temperature hovered around during our four day stay in Moab.

Our introduction to Arches National Park was the Park Avenue Trail.  It is a one-mile hike through the bottom of a canyon, surrounded by red rock monoliths (upright blocks of stone).  From this trail, the Courthouse Towers, the Organ and the tower of Babel are all visible.  John and I were about halfway through the trail when we looked to our left and spotted two deer watching us from the canyon wall.  They could not have been more than 50 yards away, but were clearly not phased by our presence.  It was an incredible sight!

Deer sighting on Park Avenue Trail

Most of Arches attractions are easily accessible and a short walk from the road.  For example, Balanced Rock, Sand Dune Arch, and Double Arch are all less than a half-mile from the designated parking areas.  Delicate Arch is by far the most famous site in Arches (it can be found on the Utah license plate) and it definitely lives up to all the hype.  The 1.5-mile hike to the arch is pretty strenuous, as you are basically hiking straight up a large rock face, but it is absolutely worth the effort.  We made the trek up for sunset (and were not the only one’s with that plan), but I am so happy we did.  The massive arch is breathtaking on it’s own and adding the orange glow of the setting sun is only icing on the cake.  We got some amazing pictures and unforgettable views.

Landscape Arch
 (the largest arch on the planet!)

Delicate Arch

Another “must do” in Arches National Park would be to take a ranger-guided hike through the Fiery Furnace.  It is not a difficult hike but requires a fair amount of scrambling, squeezing through narrow spaces and pulling yourself over, crawling under and through numerous rock formations.  It’s like a natural obstacle course or maze in the middle of the Utah desert.  I am glad we chose to the ranger guided tour as opposed to paying for a permit and going on our own.  The guide pointed out formations and characteristics we never would have noticed and gave us tips on the easiest and safest ways to make it through the trail.  It was an awesome and unique experience!

National Park Ratings

1. Arches National Park

2. Shenandoah Valley National Park