United States Utah

Arches National Park

A scenic US park in Utah known for over 2,000 natural stone arches, towering pinnacles, massive fins, and giant balanced rocks.

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Named for some 2,000 arches found throughout this 73,234-acre wonderland, Arches National Park boasts a natural landscape unlike any other on Earth. Over the course of the last 300 million years, geologic forces shaped the spires, pinnacles, and ever-so-precariously balanced boulders into the national park that now wows over 1.5 million visitors each year.  You should take at least an afternoon — if not a full day — to drive through the park’s 36 mile loop. There are plenty of chances to stop off and wander along the way. At each pull-out, you’ll be able to marvel at ancient sand dunes and massive, stand-alone domes, sweeping desertscapes, and the layers that make up the park’s colorful badlands. Some of the shortest trails are the busiest ones, like the view of the park’s largest arch, Landscape, which rings in at 306 feet from base to base. The iconic Delicate Arch (as seen on Utah’s license plates) can be accessed after a 2-3 hour hike and shouldn’t be missed. Along the way, you’ll also spot a few petroglyph panels made by Puebloan, Fremont, and Ute peoples who settled in the arid lands next to Wolfe Ranch, a shack built in 1898, which still stands near the parking lot where you exit for your pilgrimage to Delicate Arch.  A drive through Arches will only pique your interest in this beautiful landscape. More strenuous hikes, like the Primitive Trail to Devils Garden, allow you to explore the depths of this park, the vast majority of which is completely inaccessible from paved roads.

savannah.whitmer 4 years ago

Few places in the world can match the whimsical pull of Arches National Park. This natural feat is chock-full of precarious-looking rock arches that are the shade of autumn pumpkins, and they’re a sight to behold. Highlights such as Delicate Arch and Balanced Rock steal the show here, but with over 2,000 naturally formed arches, you’ll end up with way more than you bargained for experience-wise.

sarahlempa 4 years ago

Arches, arches, and more arches – that’s what’s on the sightseeing map of the aptly-named Arches National Park. In fact, there are more than 2,000 of the naturally formed wonders in this stunning corner of Utah. And that’s not it, either. Slacklining, road biking, hiking, bouldering, and more all ensure this one lives up to its rep as Moab‘s main adrenaline-giving playground. Not feeling anything too hardcore? Don’t worry. There are also simply gorgeous vistas of the Colorado Plateau and the desert to boot.

jrfrancis 4 years ago

Wow the kids with an expedition through some of the world’s largest and most gravity-defying stone arches. There are some good shorter hikes through the hoodoos to see the amazing geology, with sightings of lizards and other strange reptiles on offer along the way.

jrfrancis 4 years ago

Arches National Park Experiences

Arches National Park Articles

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