SUGGESTED ACTIVITIESA Red Rock Wonderland
Visit Arches and discover a landscape of contrasting colours, landforms and textures unlike any other in the world. The park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, in addition to hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive fins and giant balanced rocks. This red rock wonderland will amaze you with its formations, refresh you with its trails, and inspire you with its sunsets.
A paved scenic drive takes visitors to many of the major viewpoints within the park. The park’s rock formations delight children as well as adults, with many easy trails providing opportunities for kids to get out of the car and explore the arches up close. Hikers can choose from a wide variety of trails, from short twenty minute walks leading right up to many of the largest arches in the park, to more adventurous hikes into lesser seen areas.
Suggested Activities
AVAILABLE TIME SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
2 - 3 hours: Drive the 36 mile round trip Scenic Drive.
1/2 day: Drive the Scenic Drive and hike some of the easy short trails in the park, such as the Park Avenue Trail and trails in the Windows Section of the park.
Full Day: Drive the Scenic Drive and hike some of the longer trails in the park,such as the trails of Double O Arch, Tower Arch, Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch.
Several Days: Hikers can experience a wide variety of hiking trails, including some of the lesser-seen, yet equally spectacular, ares of the park such as the "Primitive Loop" in the Devil's Garden Section of the park.
Tips for Visiting During Times
From March through October, the parking lots at Devils Garden, Delicate Arch/Wolfe Ranch or The Windows may occasionally be full between 09:00 and 16:00. During these peak hours, expect travel times to be longer than expected along the scenic drive. Delicate Arch is often crowded, particularly at sunset. The following holidays and weekends are especially busy:
- Easter week (date varies - usually in April)
- Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
- Labor Day (first Monday in September)
- Utah Education Association break (4 days in October, visit myuea.org for details)
Planning your trip
- Avoid visiting on the holidays/weekends listed above.
- Early morning (sunrise) is always less busy than sunset. To beat the crowds, try entering the park before 08:00 though you may encounter groups of early-morning photographers at some destinations.
- Carpool if you can. Consider hiring a company to shuttle you to and from the park.
- Parking for oversized vehicles (RVs, trailers) is extremely limited. Leave oversized vehicles in town, or in the visitor centre parking lot.
- Consider a commercial tour of Arches National Park.
Lodging
No lodging is available within the park. The closest lodging is located within the town of Moab, just 5 miles south of the entrance to the park.
Delicate Arch - Note Just for Photographers
Over one million people visit Arches National Park every year, and just about everyone wants to see all of the major views within the park. One of the most heavily visited arches is Delicate Arch. As a result of its popularity, you should always expect to see people surrounding this world famous arch. Although it may occasionally happen, it is unrealistic to expect a solitary experience around Delicate Arch. Be courteous to other visitors during your visit to the arch, and do not expect people to move away from this world famous landmark during your photographs. Remember that not everyone who visits this arch is a photographer. Most people simply want to experience the joy of standing next to such a beautiful landmark. People can add scale to any photo of Delicate Arch, so make your visit a great shared experience for everyone involved.
For more information on Americas National Parks call 01243 779 737 or follow the links below:
Link to America Holidays
Link to Americas National Parks
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