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Arches National Park
Arches National Park is known for its' remarkable natural red sandstone arches. With over 2,000 catalogued arches that range in size from a two-foot opening, to Landscape Arch which measures 306 feet from base to base, the park offers the largest concentration of natural arches in the world. Towering spires, fins and balanced rocks complement the arches, creating a remarkable assortment of landforms in a relatively small area. Arches lies near the heart of a desert called the Colorado Plateau in the state of Utah. Arches has plenty to keep you busy during your visit with various hiking opportunities to a gorgeous scenic drive through the park. To many, the most outstanding natural features of Arches are the park's geologic formations. The park lies atop an underground salt bed called the "Paradox Formation" which is responsible for the arches, spires, balanced rocks, fins and eroded monoliths common throughout the park.
Plan on spending at least a few hours in the park, exploring the scenic drive and several of the viewpoints and short trails. If time permits, longer hikes lead to many spectacular rock formations, including Delicate Arch, and the Devils Garden Campground provides an excellent base camp for multi-day trips.
Delicate Arch has made Arches more famous over the last several years by being featured in commercial backdrops to landing on the Utah license plate. However, Delicate Arch is also probably one of the most spectacular experiences in Arches. The hike to this arch is fairly strenuous and there is very little protection from shade. So dress accordingly with the proper gear and you will experience the hike of a lifetime!
One mile (one-way) trail that takes you into a beautiful canyon surrounded by spectacular towering sandstone formations that resemble a city skyline. You will have a great view of the Three Gossips, North Park Avenue, Tower of Babel and more!
One of Arches' most popular formations, Skyline Arch has entertained adults and children alike! If you can manage the difficult scramble up and under the arch, you are set for some excellent views. For those who do not wish to climb up and under the arch, never fear, this arch can be seen from the roadside and along the short trail leading up to the arch. Skyline Arch is a popular place to visit during sunrise and sunset for some spectacular photography opportunities!
Landscape Arch is a spectacular ribbon of rock, whose span is more than a football field in length.
This 18 mile road from the entrance to the north point of Arches has an abundance of sights to keep you entertained all day. There are three picnic areas along the way for your convenience. See sights such as: Park Avenue, Three Gossips, The Windows Section, Delicate Arch Viewpoint, Fiery Furnace and more!
The Grand Circle Road Trip is one of the most famous National Parks road trips in the country. The trip is predominantly in the state of Utah but crosses into Arizona as well. The Grand Circle Road Trip includes parks: Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park and more! While this road trip can be done in around 2 weeks, we recommend you allow yourself as much time as possible to explore these spectacular parks. We used Las Vegas, Nevada as the start and end for this road trip but you could consider Salt Lake City, Utah or Phoenix, Arizona for major flight destinations.
This is a great mix and match of completely different types of National Parks. From the world famous Yellowstone National Park to Craters of the Moon National Monument. You'll journey through Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana on this road trip! The Yellowstone & Arches road trip includes Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, Craters of the Moon National Monument and more!
Tags: ArchesNationalPark, Arches National Park, Delicate Arch, Park Avenue, Utah, Arches
Maine ocean islands provide the only nesting sites for Atlantic puffins in the United States. Eastern Egg Rock in the midcoast region, Seal Island and Matinicus Rock at the mouth of Penobscot Bay, and Machias Seal Island and Petit Manan Island off the downeast coast provide habitat for more than 4,000 puffins each summer.