Near
the Colorado border, and south of Interstate 70, this
national park contains the greatest density of natural
stone arches in the world. Located in Utah's red rock
country, the park connects with the Colorado River for a
short stretch, and a bridge on U.S. Highway 91 leads from
the park to the city of Moab.
The nearby remains of a small part of the old Spanish
Trail provide some historical perspective, as does the
Wolfe Ranch, which lies inside the park.
We'll
see many examples of natural arches in the national parks
and monuments of southern Utah (see the following pages),
but Arches has more in a smaller space than all the
others. Sandstone is very vulnerable to erosion, and what
was once flat land has been sculpted by wind and water,
removing the soft sandstone to reveal stronger rock
underneath. The shifting of salt beds under the park also
contributed to the exposure of arches. Salt beds
liquefied and buckled under the weight of heavier rock
that lay above, causing faults, which resulted in earth
layers being turned on edge. One such displacement is the
Moab Fault -- seen from the park visitor center.
What
to See & Do
More
than 1,500 arches are found in the park, ranging in size
from 3 feet to the huge Landscape Arch, which is 306 feet
from base to base and 105 feet high. Pinnacles are also a
feature of the park, and are good places to see these
spires are at Delicate Arch viewpoint (in the extreme
mid-eastern section) and along the Great Wall Road, which
is the main north/south route through the park.
The
park visitor center is at the southern entrance, 5 miles
north of Moab. Here, you can watch a slide show that will
orient you to the park attractions and walk through a
geology and history display. Commercial tours are
available, and a self-guiding booklet will lead you
through the park. Naturalists lead walks through the
Fiery Furnace area in the north/central part of the park.
This 2-hour tour is given during the prime season -- not
summer, when it's too hot and exhausting to spend much
time outdoors!
Park
Attractions
At
the extreme north end of the park road is Devil's
Garden. A trail through the area provides views of a
fine collection of arches, including the Tunnel, Pine
Tree Arch and Landscape Arch, and leads past the
Partition, Navajo and Wall arches, and ending after a
2.5-mile (one-way) walk at the Dark Angel Arch. People
who don't wish to walk the full loop, which is primitive
in places, should turn around at the Landscape Arch (1
mile) or Double-O Arch (2 miles). The starting point is
the Devil's Garden Trailhead. This trail also offers
wonderful views of the Salt Valley and the La Sal
Mountains. This is an easy walk, as far as Landscape
Arch.
The
Desert Nature Trail begins at the front of the
visitor center. This is a short, self-guided walk
following a series of numbered posts that correspond to
the features listed on an excellent brochure available
inside. The trail is only 2/10 of a mile long (0.3 km),
but it offers a wealth of diversity in desert plants
including cacti, small shrubs, and desert grasses. A
juniper hangs onto a rocky crevice and, in the fall, the
squawbush (a sumac) turns bright red. You may see desert
animals such as spiny lizards, cottontails, and
squirrels.
Delicate
Arch Trail provides a moderately-strenuous hike for
1.5 miles (one-way), crossing a suspension bridge over
Salt Wash and climbing along the rock ending at the arch.
The trail is off a sideroad, with the trailhead at Wolfe
Ranch. The ranch is a national historic site,
containingthe remains of a rustic homestead settled by
John Wesley Wolfe, a civil war veteran, and his
family.
Another
major area is Fiery Furnace, which is located in
the middle of the park. There are two viewpoints in this
area, providing overlooks of the Salt Valley and the
Fiery Furnace -- a display of exposed sandstone fins. The
viewpoint is at the head of the 2-mile guided walk.
You'll see several arches, including Skyline, Broken, and
Sand Dune.
Located
along the highway north of the visitor center is the
Windows area. From the highway you can see four of
the most impressive arches: North and South Windows,
Double Arch, and Turret Arch. The two Window arches -- as
seen from Turret Arch -- are also called the
Spectacles.
The
most remote part of the park is Klondike Bluffs,
situated at the end of a sideroad that departs from the
main road just south of the Devil's Garden area. This is
a vast area with panoramic views of many formations,
including the awesome Tower Arch. It is also is a popular
cross-country hiking area. Backpackers should get advice
at the visitor center on hikes in the area and be sure to
inform the rangers of their intentions.
Camping
in the Park
The
only campground in the park is operated on a first come,
first served basis. It's located near the north end of
the park in the Devil's Garden area. It has 50 tent and
trailer sites, plus two group sites for tents. The
campground has running water and flush toilets from
spring until fall and a fee is charged; in winter there
are chemical toilets and no water nor fee. The Devil's
Garden Campground is open from spring through early fall,
at an on-site amphitheater where rangers give
interpretive talks during evening hours.
For
park information, write to the Superintendent, Arches
National Park, P.O. Box 907, Moab UT 84532. Or call (435)
259-8161.
Other
Places to Stay
Overnight
accommodations and restaurants are available in the
Mormon pioneer town of Moab.
For
nearby motels, plus B&B inns in
Moab,
Go
to the Moab Page,
or go to hotel reservations.
