Just to drive through the park's surreal, red rock wonderland inspires big dreams.
Photographers, bring lots of memory; your only challenge will be knowing when to stop.
More than 40 movies have been filmed in the otherworldly environs surrounding this park since 1949, from the John Wayne classics to Thelma and Louise's final ride to last year's Johnny Depp version of the Lone Ranger. It's easy to see why; it's an impossible landscape that leads the soul to ponder the limits of the possible. Just to drive through this red rock wonderland inspires big dreams; packing in and seeing these grand formations up close can be a life-changing experience.
Outdoor Activities: Rockclimbers and canyoneers are perhaps the ones who become most intimate with this landscape, but these rocks cry out to be touched by everyone who passes this way. Whether you're climbing, bouldering, hiking, biking or horseback riding, it's important to treat these stone monuments with the respect they deserve. Climbing is prohibited on Balanced Rock and on any arch with an opening of greater than 3 feet, and in the area known as "Arches Boulders" or "Highway 191 Boulders."
Horseback riding is permitted in certain areas, but be aware of the strict guidelines for feeding, watering and tethering the animals. Likewise, biking is allowed but restricted; bikes are not allowed on the trails or in the backcountry, and the roads winding through the park are crowded with sightseers in the summertime. Probably your best bet is to take your mountain bikes and do the Salt Valley and Willow Springs dirt roads, or
Those who prefer to keep their feet on the ground will have plenty of options to keep their attention, with unforgettable vistas from trails of all different levels of difficulty. Photographers, bring lots of memory; your only challenge will be knowing when to stop.
Staying Around the Park: This is a relatively small park and it only has one campground with just 50 sites, so reservations usually fill up well in advance during the busy season, from March through October. Backcountry campers will find no designated trails or campsites, and there are few areas far enough from roads and trails to be eligible campsites. Backpackers must pack in all their own water and know how to use a topographic map, and abide by low-impact desert camping guidelines.
That said, campsites abound outside the park, in nearby Moab and also in Canyonlands National Park, where you will find lots more backcountry to camp in.
There is no lodging in the park, but Moab is well equipped, with a Motel 6, Super 8, Comfort Inn and the pet-friendly La Quinta Inn, among others. If money is not an object, try the Fodor's Choice, Sorrel River Ranch and Spa.
Iconic Features of the Park: The Park Service has counted more than 2,000 arches alone in this park, not to mention the other surreal rock formations and arches and towers and spires too numerous to name.
The world's most famous stone arch, Delicate Arch, stands suspended on a weathered leg, while the Three Gossips carry on a millennial conspiracy. The 3,600-pound Balanced Rock perches precariously on its pedestal. Further along, the Fiery Furnace continues to amaze hikers who peruse its depths. Devils Garden is an awe-inspiring collection of towering fins followed by Landscape Arch, believed by some to be the world's longest.
Park Wildlife: Arches supports the typical desert habitat: lizards, snakes and rodents are plentiful, as are ravens and magpies. Wildlife is not the major draw in this park as it is in some others, but if you keep your eyes open, especially around dusk or dawn, you may spot a kangaroo rat, a ringtail, a kit fox or an owl. During daytime, desert cottontails can frequently be seen hopping about, and the occasional porcupine or mule deer just might make itself seen as well as hawks and eagles.
If you're really serious about birding, however, you may want to head 5 miles south to Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve. More than 225 bird species inhabit this preserve, including the indigo bunting and the plumbeous vireo.
Hiking at the Park: This national park is smaller than most, and you'll have to share it with a portion of the 1 million visitors who pass through each year. Even so, it's not hard to find yourself all alone on a trail, because most visitors don't stray far from the roads. Just be sure to protect yourself from the strong desert sun, and take – and drink – plenty of water to avoid dehydration and heat stroke.
Lots of the trails here are easy and have fast and dramatic payoffs: The flat, half-mile round trip to Double Arch, for example, takes you past the whimsical Parade of Elephants. The Windows loop, just a mile of relatively flat terrain, takes you past three huge arches, two of which look like round windows, and then on to Turret Arch.
The Devils Garden trail takes you over a relatively easy 0.8 miles past Pine Tree Arch and Tunnel Arch and on to the dramatic, 306-foot Landscape Arch. If you're looking for a bit more of a workout, keep on going; you'll pass through some challenging but exciting terrain – lots of slickrock fins you'll have to clamber over, but you'll get to see a number of interesting arches along the way. A side trail will take you to Dark Angel, a dramatic sandstone spire. The entire loop, returning on the primitive trail, is 7.2 miles.
The park's most difficult hike is Fiery Furnace, which is only attempted by about 10 percent of visitors. It's an intense drop into a fin-filled canyon where it's easy to get lost; solo hikers are required to watch a video and buy a permit before entering. The best option is to take the two-hour ranger-guided tour, but sign up in advance, as they fill up quickly.
The park service's "Things to Do" page outlines several good options based on your time-frame, for drives and for hikes:
Park Drives: The road through The Arches is 18 miles long, and one of the most memorable in the world. In an hour and a half, you can take a leisurely drive to The Windows, park and explore for half an hour and return; in about the same amount of time, you can head to Delicate Arch Viewpoint, stopping to explore Wolfe Ranch, an 1880s desert homestead. The park's "Things to Do" page outlines several good drives.
Source by: http://experience.usatoday.com/america/story/national-parks/2014/05/05/arches-national-park/8731749/
take advantage of the many trails outside the park. http://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/biking.htm
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