Encompassing a land area of 73,000 acres, Arches National Park’s terrain is mostly arid desert, which is adorned by thousands of pinnacles, spires, balanced rocks and of course arches, made of sandstone. This makes this American national park quite a picturesque and special place to visit.
Out of all the arches you will encounter, Delicate Arch is definitely something you must see before leaving the park. This natural formation has indeed become an iconic representation of the state of Utah. This structure is on the cover of postcards, magazines and travel guidebooks, but to see it with your own eyes is quite the experience. Get up close by standing under the arch. From here, you will truly appreciate the artistic talent of nature; and you can look out at the arid landscape and see the contrasting snow-capped La Sal Mountains in the distance. And the bonus is that the view will not fail to take your breath away.
Most visitors to Delicate Arch make their way to this marvelous landmark by hiking. In fact, Arches National Park is a popular hiking hub! Aside from traveling on foot to the arch itself, you can also make your way to the two official viewpoints, which are identified as the Upper and Lower. These viewpoints share the same trailhead and offer you a fantastic view of the Arch,which is about a mile away.
Second only to Delicate Arch’s popularity, The Devils Garden is very much an attraction worth visiting. The site actually refers to a well-maintained primitive hiking loop that cover 7.2 miles. The loop highlights an area populated by a number of arches and huge sandstone fins. This route is absolutely scenic and has been the longest maintained trail in the national park.
Aside from Delicate Arch and Devil’s Garden, Arches National Park offers hiking enthusiasts a wide range of trails that can suit all ability levels. Most of these trails are intertwined to conveniently showcase the park’s 2,000 sandstone arches. Your biggest challenge as a visitor is to choose which trails to follow. Although, coming back for more hiking adventures is never a bad idea! Some of the most popular hiking routes here include the Balance Rock Trail, the Double Arch, Eye of the Whale Arch, Lower Courthouse Wash and Fiery Furnace, which is often described as a sandstone maze. If you want to see the largest arch on earth, check out Landscape Arch. The Dark Angel is an interesting alternative to the usual arches as it is an impressive sandstone tower that boasts a height of 150 feet.