Arches National Park

I visited Arches National Park twice – by myself late afternoon on Thursday and with Jett Friday around noon. The second visit was to give Jett an opportunity to see this beautiful park, but I also wanted to take a look at the “Windows” area, which I had skipped when I ran out of time on Thursday. Besides, Friday was even clearer than Thursday.

The roads in the park were being resurfaced, which made it more difficult to get around. Some areas – most notably the “Park Avenue” area – were totally closed, which was disappointing. But the park has so many features that there was still plenty to see.

The entrance to the park is flat, but it immediately transitions into a climb up the side of a cliff. In less than a mile the road rises over 500 feet, producing a panoramic view of the Moab Valley. From there it flattens out and the rest of the 18 mile ride is relatively flat and easy, with just one additional drop – maybe 200 feet – into a valley.

Many of the arches require a walk to get close. Jett wasn’t interested in any hikes and I was pressed for time on Thursday, so I only did two hikes. The first was about a half mile up to a promontory, to view the Delicate Arch. I found that view disappointing and probably not worth the effort. The second hike was about a quarter mile, into a chasm containing the Sand Dune Arch. That hike was eerie and definitely worth the effort. But I found myself wishing I could find a time when the lighting was better. But with the chasm being as deep as it is, there may never be a time when it gets direct sunlight.