we absolutely love going to Arches National Park. For many years, we would jump at the chance to chaperone the kids' field trips in elementary through middle school.
anytime friends and family come to visit; it's always a win - but we're really down to go all year long.
I know a lot of people that live here but never explore the national parks that are literally right in our backyards. So, when the tourists ask where they should go & what they should see; they have no answers. Bless their hearts, because many of these people are my good friends.😆
we do not take for granted that our backyard is a place millions of people dream of coming to.
In reality - it's one of my favorite places on the planet.
There aren't a lot of places someone can go, to completely lose themselves in the rocks
Arches is definitely a good place to do so.
The Windows section inside arches(above) is one of the most visited locations inside the park
- It's a good spot for sunrise photography.
- It's usually a good place for sunset; just face the opposite way from sunset.
- It's only a 10-minute walk, making it a crowded place February-November.
- There are "3" arches in the windows section.
(clockwise above - turret arch, the parade of elephants, north & south window, double arch)
notice I put a pair of "...." around the "3" arches that can be found in the windows section.
It's not that I'm bad at counting; it's just that finding hidden arches has kind of become an obsession.
It's not that I'm bad at counting; it's just that finding hidden arches has kind of become an obsession.
so, this adventure took us off the 'main' trail at the windows section and we took the primitive trail away from the tourists & into the 'backcountry.'
we love to hike amongst giant boulders that make you feel tiny!
we've been here at least a few dozen times for sunrise inside this park and it has yet to disappoint.
my favorite human to hike with .. ^
can you spot our tiny sunrise shadows, above?
after we dropped down onto the primitive trail; we saw ZERO other human beings.
after a short, really easy hike beyond the 74 tourists cluttering the 'popular' arches, Christmas tree arch greets you from the distance.
(to me, it looks like the Grinch's head .. 😂)
^ the view from the ledge directly below the arch ^
an excited me, after successfully climbing the sketchy ledge below, to get to the ledge above 😄
the view through the arch is spectacular but leads to a pretty scary drop-off.
It isn't a 'pass-through' arch, like many others here in Moab.
You will undoubtedly break something if you try to do so 😄
so go have your own Moab fun, but don't die doing it.
Ribbon Arch is farther down this trail, but 85 degrees at 10 am means we headed back.
😊^ bonus arch on the way back ...
