Arches National Park Things to Do Tips by blueskyjohn

The Windows Area

The Windows area is just past the Balanced Rock parking area. There are four major arches is the area, North and South Window Arches, Turret Arch and Double Arch. The trails are very easy to walk with no major hills or obsticles. All four arches are within one square mile and there is a parking area within a quarter mile of each arch.

Address: Arches National Park

Delicate Arch

Delicate Arch is one of the most popular hikes in the park. This is the arch that is on the Utah license plates. The hike is only 3 mile round trip but it is exposed to sunlight for the entire hike and is all up hill to the arch. I recommend this hike for the morning or evening to avoid the sun. It is very enjoyable walking on the slick rock, a nice change from the rocky trails of the northeast USA.

Address: Arches National Park

Directions: Half way into the park

Double Arch

The Windows area is just past the Balanced Rock parking area. There are four major arches is the area, North and South Window Arches, Turret Arch and Double Arch. The trails are very easy to walk with no major hills or obsticles. All four arches are within one square mile and there is a parking area within a quarter mile of each arch.

This is a slightly more famous arch because it appears in the third Indian Jones movie. At the beginning of the movie a young Indian Jones catches some robbing a cross in a cave. When he steals it back and comes out of the cave, Double Arch is in the background. When looking at the arch, turn right and you will see a large alcove that looks like it could be a cave, it is not. This is where Indy jumps out of the cave. The magic of movies!

Directions: Turn right (when driving north) just after Balanced Rock. Drive to the end and circle around.

Primitive Trail

This is a great hike but I cannot recommend this for inexperienced hikers. The trail starts from the Devil's Garden trail head. Just before you reach Landscape arch, there is a sandy trail that leads to the right. The trail is marked with a wood sign at the beginning. follow the sandy trail for several miles until you reach a dry wash. the direction of the trail is marked with a wood sign. While in the wash you will come to a large pot hole usually filled with water and several logs in it. Try not to use the logs to cross the water because they are unstable. Get a running start and run along the left side, circling to the right. Don't stop running! This should get you up. You can also skirt the right side very high if you have good hiking boots and you are comfortable using friction to scale steep slick rock.

There is another tricky area as you start to cross the fin's about 2/3 of the way along the trail. It is steep slick rock that you ascend diagonally. This tends to be very slippery because of dry sand that is deposited by other hikers. I had one student slip here and slide to the bottom.
At the end of the primitive trail you come up to Double O arch. This is a good place to stop for lunch. The trail now heads back towards the trail head, passing several more arches. Make sure you take the side trip to Navajo Arch, it is well worth it.

Address: Arches National Park

Directions: At the end of the park (northern end).