Mighty Five Plus One – Part III: Utah’s Arches National Park

Posted on   October 21,2019   By John Compisi

On the first of September we launched our thirteen-day adventure into Southern Utah and its Might Five National Parks. As previously reported, we flew into Las Vegas from Northern California, picked up our rental car and drove a few hours to Zion National Park where we adventured for three days and then on to Capitol Reef National Park.

This is the third in the series of articles which will record the highlights and a few ‘not so’ highlights of our adventures. The Parks we visited, the Might Five, were Zion, Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands and Bryce Canyon.  The ‘Plus One’ is Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. This article features our two-day visit to Arches National Park which became a National Monument in 1929 and a National Park in 1971.

The drive from Capitol Reef to Moab (the closest city to Arches) was startling in its contrasting rock formation, topography and elevations. The distance is about 130 miles and it took us about 2 hours. We checked into our hotel in Moab and immediately drove the five miles (about 10 minutes) out to the Visitors Center, which we had passed on our way into Moab.

The Visitor Center is well situated at the base of the main Arches attractions and at the beginning of the Scenic Drive (there are approximately 25 miles of high-quality paved roads). Although we were there after Labor Day, the Park Rangers advised getting an early start because traffic could be heavy within the Park.

After watching the Park orientation film, we decided to do a ‘quick’ recon so we drove all of the paved roads (about 50 miles round trip) without getting out of the car just to get a sense of where things were and how much time it would take to get between the various hikes we intended to do the next day.

Based upon our recon the day before we had plotted a plan to complete seven of the most accessible trails covering about 6.5 miles. That is one of the most wonderful things about Arches, amazing geological wonders and natural bridges all very accessible for closeup viewing. It is also one of the drawbacks as the trails are often fairly heavily trafficked which was different then our experiences at Capitol Reef.

We started at Devil’s Garden and walked the 1.6-mile round trip to Landscape Arch. The trail was a bit crowded but the ultimate view was quite beautiful. The arch seems very fragile with its, apparent, ribbon thin structure.

From Devil’s Garden we drove back toward Skyline Arch which was only a short walk (.4-mile r/t) from the parking area. The arch itself is elevated and when you are close it appears at least 50 feet above your viewing level. Splendid!

The temperatures were rising (mid 90’s) by late morning and we were regretting not getting an earlier start as advised by the ranger the day before. None-the-less, we plowed forward.

After parking at the Sand Dune Arch parking area, we walked the relatively flat trail (.65 miles one way) to Broken Arch, which is actually not broken.  You’ll see in the picture what appears to be a break but currently is not. Do not want to be there when it eventually breaks!

From Broken Arch, we followed the trail back to Sand Dune Arch. It is utterly amazing how the rock and soil composition changes in such a short distance. Sand Dune Arch is surrounded by trails of deep sand (the kids were all removing their shoes). The arch itself is surrounded by walls of rock making its structure even more striking.

By mid-afternoon we were sweating and a bit worried that we would be too exhausted to finish our agenda, but being good troopers, we made our way passed Balanced Rock to find the Double Arch and North/South Window formations and their respective parking areas. This two-mile plus (we left our car at one parking area) hike offered delicious views but also some relatively heavy traffic.

The Double Arch was a geometric and geological wonder and one only hopes that it remains in place for centuries in order that many more people may enjoy its wonders, no matter how unlikely that may be.

The North and South Windows were not as fascinating but perhaps we were exhausted and ‘arched out’. Despite our lack of passion, we gutted up and made the circuit if for no other reason than achieving our objectives for the day.

From there, we drove back to Balanced Rock, one of the most iconic features in Arches. It stands an eye-popping 128 feet tall and is estimated to weigh 3,600 tons (7,200,000 lbs). While it may look like it is balancing it actually is not. According to the park guide, the slick rock boulder of Entrada Sandstone is naturally cemented to its eroding pedestal of Dewey Bridge mudstone. Eventually this too will come tumbling down.

Arches is very different in vistas and geology from Zion and Capitol Reef despite the fact that all three are located on the Colorado Plateau. At just under 80,000 square miles, Arches is not even in the top 30 largest National Parks. The elevation of the park runs from the high of 5,653 feet and the low of 4,085 feet at the Visitor’s Center.

Tips: We were there in early September so a late afternoon/early evening hike was perfect as it was cooler (only ~85° – 90°F). Always carry lots of water, wear a hat and use sunscreen. In general, an SUV offers easier driving access to some trail heads.

What to do: Take the scenic drive. Hike! We did many shorter/easier hikes but there are some very challenging (with heights like Fiery Furnace) hikes if that is what gets your adrenalin pumping.

Where to Stay: There is no lodging in the Park but the nearby town of Moab has plenty. We stayed at the Homewood Suites by Hilton which was new and spacious. It’s located in the heart of Moab, which allowed for walkability, if desired. The rooms were all suites including a full kitchen (full-sized refrigerator/freezer, cooktop, sink, microwave, dishes, flatware, glasses and cups), dining area sitting area and nice bathroom. The outdoor hot tub and pool seemed to get a lot of traffic. Breakfast was included and similar to most complementary breakfasts in moderately priced hotels. Overall, we were very satisfied with the rooms, breakfast and services.

Where to dine: Dining in Moab is a treat after the limited choices in Zion and Capitol Reef. We enjoyed a lunch at Sweet Cravings on the Arches side of town. Great, made to order, sandwiches but they also offer breakfast and an exceptional grab and go menu.

We had dinner at the Sunset Grill, formerly the home of Uranium mining magnate Charlie Steen, who made millions in the 50’s providing Uranium for the various U.S, nuclear programs. Fascinating stories of riches gained and lost and the ongoing family dynamics must have old Charlie rolling over in his grave. The food was good and the views where stupendous.

Where to obtain Adult Beverages: Considering Utah’s archaic alcohol laws we were able to obtain cocktails and wine with dinner. Moab has an ABC store but you can also obtain beer and wine and spirits as indicated below. City Market Moab is located on 425 S Main St, (currently a subsidiary of Kroger’s) and has a full wine and beer listing (no spirits). The Moab Brewery Right in town (686 S. Main Street), nine beers on tap, burgers, steaks, Mexican, pasta, seafood, vegetarian, salads and gluten friendly options. They also sell Spirits from sister distillery Moab Distillery which is located next door.

Next up, Canyonlands National Park!

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