Arches National Park

2 years ago

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Children-Sport Culture-Prehistoric Monument Diverse-Nature Exercise-Other Exhibition-History Nature-Mountain Nature-Rock formation

Start your time in Moab by going to it’s icon: Arches National Park. This will get you excited for the rest of your holiday and the incredible landscape will give you a lot of “oohs and ahhs” moments. To enter into Arches National Park, you’ll either need to pay a $30 entrance fee per car or use your America the Beautiful National Park Pass for yearly entrance to all national parks for only $80 per car. If you plan to visit more than 2 national parks in a year, I highly recommend you purchase the America the Beautiful Pass. You’ll quickly see upon receiving your park map at the entrance that Arches is small compared to most other national parks. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in incredible views, unique landscapes, and, of course, tons of natural arches. The main thing you need to do in the park is drive the entire scenic route. Without any stops, it’ll take you about 1.5 hours but I highly recommend you take your time and stop plenty to really enjoy the views. Off the main road, you’ll pass a lot of parking areas with trails, all marked on your park map, ranging from a few 100 feet to a few miles to get up close and personal to the arches. If you have the time, enjoy the longer hikes, but if you arrive later than expected, just taking advantage of the short walks to the arches will still be amazing. If you only have time for one hike, head to the Delicate Arch. This is by far the most famous arch in the park and the one you’ll see on all of the Utah license plates while in the state. The Delicate Arch hike will take you 3 miles roundtrip but is worth the walk. Just note that if you’re traveling with your dog, you can’t take them on any trails in most national parks, including Arches. Although famous for the number of natural arches located in the park, the entire park’s scenery is epic and unique. Don’t just rush from arch to arch, take some time to soak up the in-between spots, especially when combined with snowy La Sal Mountains in the backdrop. It’s a seriously great contrast! Picture by me, Kat Smith.