How to visit and what to see in Arches National Park (Utah)

One of the National Parks most curious that you can see on your trip through the west coast of united states is undoubtedly the Arches National Park.

It cannot be considered as a essential when planning your route along the west coast, but in it you will find really curious rock formations, as well as hiking routes to visit them.

If finally in your trip through the state of Utah do you plan to include the Arches visit, I will tell you that you must access from the south of this national park, For the 121 route, Near Moab.

The main characteristic of this national park is its numerous natural rock arches of large dimensions that can be seen throughout the park.

You find it 264 kilometers north of the Monument Valley and almost 400 kilometers south of Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah.

Arches, Arches National Park in Utah

Arches is somewhat displaced with respect to the set of National Parks that arouse the most interest among those of us who travel to the United States, such as the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, or Bryce Canyon.

But for those who know the arches national park (for now I have not had the opportunity to visit it), it is one of the most spectacular.

This park is located at an altitude of between 1200 and 1700 meters, and currently preserves some 2.000 natural rock arches, although due to the effect of erosion the arches They can fall or disintegrate.

That has happened with more than 40 arches since 1970.

In addition to the archesIn this park you can see different and curious rock formations and very striking landscapes, like large rocks balanced on top of rock pinnacles or large rock walls.

Your visit will involve taking a tour of the park, looking for the most notable ones. rocky arches.

What to see when visiting Arches National Park

If on your tourist day you only have a few three hours for the visit, what is advised is that you go directly to the area known as Windows, where you can see the natural arch known as Double Arch.

You will need about half an hour to walk to this arch.

On the way to Windows, as soon as you enter the national park, you will pass by the large rock wall called Park Avenue, and also for Courthouse Towers, a promontory with rocky spiers that emulate towers.

A little further on you will find Balanced rock, a curious rocky pinnacle on which a large rock is balanced.

Delicate Arch in Arches National Park

After visiting Windows, you will have to go a little further north, until Wolfe Ranch. a small house used by the original settlers.

There you will find a gazebo known as Delicate Arch Viewpoint from which you can see the natural arch which has become the great icon of arches national park, the so-called Delicate Arch.

If you want to see it up close, you have to travel a 2,4 kilometer path, which will take between half an hour and three quarters of an hour one way, and the same on the way back.

During the entire path you never see the arch, which can only be seen at the end of the route.

If, on the other hand, you have a lot of time to visit Arches, then you can go further north towards the areas of Fiery Furnace (Where is he Visitors Center) Y Devil's Garden, where you will find several groups of natural arches.

Landscape Arch in Arches National Park

The most prominent of these arches Devil's Garden, north of the park, is the Landscape Arch, which is considered the longest rocky natural arch in the world.

Of course, to see it you have to do a new walk that can take up to two hours.

El Landscape Arch It has a gap of 88 meters, so this arch is slightly longer than the Kolob Arch from Zion National Park

Schedules and prices to visit Los Arcos National Park

Access to the park is open 24 hours a day, as well as the entrance fee to visit Arches It is $30, and includes a car and all its occupants.

If on your trip along the west coast of the United States you are going to visit several national parks, you can consider the option of purchasing the Annual Pass.

In this tourist pass with annual validity that for 80 dollars for a vehicle and four passengers allows you to access the vast majority of the aforementioned parks.

Map of Arches National Park

You may find this useful official map of arches national park.

Map: How to Get to Arches National Park in Utah

El Arches National Park is in the state of Utah, 750 kilometers from Las Vegas distance.

If you go from city ​​of salt lake city, you will find it 389 kilometers away.

If your visit is part of a route through national parks in the western United States, you should know that Arches It is 545 kilometers from Grand Canyon and 234 kilometers from Monument Valley.

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