Arches National Park
If you are traveling to Utah, you absolutely can not miss Arches National Park! This has been on my bucket list forever, and I am so happy I finally made the trip. If you are traveling from Salt Lake City, it is about a 3 hour drive but well worth the road trip.
The closer you get to Arches National Park, hotels start to become more scarce, and subsequently more expensive. We stayed at a hotel in Green River, about 40 minutes away from Arches, so the next morning we could get up and conquer the park – and it worked out perfect. There is also a limited number of campsites on site, but they fill up quickly so make sure to make reservations in advance or make alternative backup plans!
Delicate Arch is by far the most well known of the Arches at Arches National Park. This is the arch you may have seen on Utah license plates, and has come to be a trademark for Arches National Park. Because this arch is so popular, I definitely recommend going to see it at sunrise if you are up for it! However, we visited the arch at about 9:30 and the crowds were not terrible. This hike is a 3 mile round trip, and starts out as a paved trail and gradually becomes steeper and rockier closer to the arch. There is no shade on this trail, so bring at least 1 Liter of water per person on this hike! Also make sure you look at the park map to locate water stations, because they aren’t at every trailhead!
Sand Dune Arch
This arch is only a 0.3 hike from the start of the trailhead, and perfect for children and families! There is a nice shaded area perfect for resting or having a bite to eat. If you want to do some further exploring, head to Broken Arch trailhead next, which is only 0.2 miles away!
The hike to Broken Arch is on a paved trail, also suitable for hikers of all skill levels! The arch is actually not broken but fully in tact, and is one of my favorite spots in the park! There are well over 2,000 sandstone arches, so it’s hard to pick one favorite!
The Skyline Arch is a 0.4 mile roundtrip hike from the trailhead. This arch is clearly visible from the trailhead, but because of the short distance it is worth getting a closer look!
Landscape Arch is located on the the Devils Garden Trail. The Devils Garden Trail is a 6.75 mile roundtrip in entirely. But don’t worry, to get to landscape arch from the trailhead is only 1.35 miles. You may not be able to tell from the photo, but this arch has a span of 290 feet – the longest of any natural arch in the world! Even if yo do not take on the entire Devils Garden Trail, this arch is a must see.
In addition to the 2,000+ arches located at Arches National Park, there are an abundance of other land formations and scenic views that you can’t miss. Balanced Rock and Petrified Dunes (not pictured), are nestled among the vast sand dunes throughout Arches National Park. In some areas of the park you can also see the majestic La Sal Mountains serving as a glorious backdrop. The contrast between the blue skies, immense arches, and mountains towering in the background are what truly make this park such a beautiful spectacle.
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