From our hotel, theSuper 8 in Moab, we drove five miles north on UT 191 to the park entrance of Arches National Park. First we looked at the visitor center again. I would recommend this to every reader, because you get a lot of information and also current weather reports here. We learned that there are over 2000 arch-shaped rock formations in the park.
Arches National Park: Arches Scenic Drive
Balanced Rock
We then followed the Arches Scenic Drive, an 18-mile panoramic road, until we reached our first point of the day, the Balanced Rock, after about nine miles. This rock formation has a total height of 39 meters. The boulder balances about 16 meters above the ground and is the size of three school breasts. From the parking lot, the rock is actually already sufficiently visible. However, due to the unsuitable position of the sun for a photo, we went on the 0.5 kilometer long circular route.
Window Section
After a short drive, we were already in the so-called Window Section. There are several stone arches here. To the right of the parking lot are the North and South Window, although you can only enter the first one. We followed the trail around the Arches, which was marked as a primitive hiking trail. From there, we were able to get both Windows on a photo.
Double Arch
On the opposite side of the Window Section is the Double Arch, which consists of two stone arches. The larger arch has a width of 45 meters and a height of 31 meters. The 1.2-kilometre-long circular trail is partly covered with sand, but easy to master even for inexperienced hikers.
Delicate Arch
To see the famous Delicate Arch, there are two variants. Either you look at it from Delicate View Point (accessible by car) or you go on a 4.8-kilometer circular trail. We decided to do the hike, which we can only recommend to future visitors. We parked our car at the historic Wolfe Ranch, packed enough water (2 liters) and followed the trail. Especially in the summer months, you should take enough water, sunscreen and a hat with you. After all, you have to overcome 147 meters of altitude, with hardly any opportunities to rest in the shade.
Arches National Park: Devils Garden
Before we ended our day in Arches National Park, we drove by car to Devils Garden. From the parking lot you can hike to many different arches. We decided to walk over the Landscape Arch to the Double O Arch. Again, you should pack a lot of water, as the paths have many steep climbs and hardly any shade. After 1.3 kilometers we arrived at the Landscape Bogen. With a width of 88 meters, this is the longest stone arch in Arches National Park. Since parts of the arch collapsed in 1991, it has unfortunately been largely cordoned off by the rangers. The path to Double O Arch is steeper, very rocky and leads past deep abysses. But it's worth the effort!
Arches National Park: Willow Flats
We did not leave the park via the developed panoramic road, but turned right into the Willow Flats at the height of the Balanced Rock. This off-road track is very easy to drive for the first few miles. Only when the path crosses an old riverbed several times, crossing the washouts is often a complicated undertaking. With our jeep and our meanwhile good experience in off-road driving, however, it was no problem. About halfway along the route, we passed an inconspicuous sight. Here there are ancient dinosaur footprints in the stone. Insanely fascinating!
Are you still looking for a suitable hotel in Moab?
You can find a hotel that suits your budget through the various online travel agencies such as Agoda,Booking.com,ebookers.de,Expedia,Hotels.com,lastminute.de, otel.com or Venere.com.
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