Barely ½ mile into the trek, the first fork in the road splits towards Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch. 300 million years ago this was all under water. Over time, the sedimented sand become stone (see what I did there?) and about 15 million years ago the entire area began to rise, the winds and water washed away some of the sedimentary rock, leaving exposed the sandstone arches that are now a huge attraction. So much so that the park has instituted a timed-based entry reservation system, to keep up with demand and keep the levels of tourists at a manageable level.
About a mile into the hike, another fork splits into choices to the left – where most people only go to Landscape Arch – the biggest/longest in the park with options to continue towards the Double O Arch – and to the right, into more wilderness. We took the less-traveled Primitive Loop (~1.7 miles) and met less than 5 other hikers that morning. It’s quiet. Relatively flat most of the way. The panoramic views are stunning. And the weather finally started warming up to what was expected (high 50’s). Although the path is well marked, there are spots where finding the markings may take a minute or two. That’s where cairns (stacked stones marking the path) come in handy. Nature zealots would argue that people should not do that, as it alters the environment. Me, I disagree. Found them very helpful in a couple instances. There are worst man-made disturbances than a few stones stacked together.
At the top of the loop, a quick 0.2-mile detour heads to Private Arch (named that way probably because you won’t see other hikers until you get back on the main loop).
From there, in less than a mile you get to the Double O arch, and the returning point towards the start of the trailhead. But if you still have the energy, a 0.8 round trip hike takes you to the Dark Angel Viewpoint. Not an arch; just a dark, tall rock formation with amazing views of the valley below. This little detour is what made the overall trek almost 9 miles for us.
The Double O should serve as a quick stop, maybe a snack or lunch. From there, the way back goes over a high crest that got very windy on the day. Not for the faint of heart, but not overburdensome either. In less than half a mile, we came across the Black Arch Overlook and by that time dark clouds were gathering. The wind was picking up. The temperature dropped. A storm was brewing. But we still had a few more arches to view (offshoots from the main path)
A good mile-long detour offers the Navajo Arch and the Partition Arch. From there, the Wall Arch, and finally, back to a couple viewpoints for the Landscape Arch. At about 300 ft wide, it’s the largest one. At that size, it’s hard to support its own weight, and rock falls in the early 90’s have caused the rangers to close access under the arch itself. It is majestic, though, and hopefully no further damage will be coming any time soon.
From there, it’s less than a mile back to the trail head. By now, the storm was under way and the rain – initially short lived – changed into snow flurries. Less than an hour ago, we were down to t-shirts in 50oF. Yup. The unpredictable nature of the weather this time of the year! Tip #10: there is no shade in most of the parks visited thus far (with small exceptions in Zion). Sunscreen and plenty of water go without saying. A wide brimmed hat is also indispensable. Especially if doing this in the summer (although, quite frankly, I would imagine this 8–9-mile hike in the summer to be absolutely atrocious, bordering on impossible)
The afternoon itinerary called for options like the Broken & Sand Dune (1.3 miles), Double Arch (0.5), Windows & Turret (0.7) and the Balanced Rock. But quick change of plans, since we were planning to go see the Delicate Arch at sunset: rent a small car for the day to avoid driving and setting up the RV at night, and we needed a quicker transportation option for next morning (more on that in day 6).
By the time we drove to Moab, rented the car, drove to the Canyonlands, set up in the Kayenta RV park, and back to Arches, we were cutting it cross for sunset at the Delicate Arch. In retrospect, renting another car was not such a bright idea and made us lose several daylight hours. Tip #11: stick to well made plans thought out in advance; there is something to be said about being flexible and adjusting, but spur-of-the moment decisions may not always be best.
The Delicate Arch is best experienced at sunset. Which is why we planned to be at the trailhead an hour before sunset. We weren’t. It was close to 45 mins (sunset is 6:20 that time of the year). So, we had to rush a bit. Which is not easy after the 10+ miles walked earlier in the day. And although the elevation gain is only about 700 ft, it’s mostly early in the hike, rather steep, and across hard rock (tougher on the joints). In the end, we made it with minutes to spare and despite a thick blanket of clouds in the distance, the sunset over the Delicate Arch was a well-deserved Kodak moment. Most of the hike back to the parking lot was done in the dark. Tip #12: Carry a flashlight (especially if hiking later in the day) and extra battery/charger (despite lack of overall cell coverage, still get signal at times, so make sure the phone has juice)
The afternoon itinerary called for options like the Broken & Sand Dune (1.3 miles), Double Arch (0.5), Windows & Turret (0.7) and the Balanced Rock. But quick change of plans, since we were planning to go see the Delicate Arch at sunset: rent a small car for the day to avoid driving and setting up the RV at night, and we needed a quicker transportation option for next morning (more on that in day 6).
By the time we drove to Moab, rented the car, drove to the Canyonlands, set up in the Kayenta RV park, and back to Arches, we were cutting it cross for sunset at the Delicate Arch. In retrospect, renting another car was not such a bright idea and made us lose several daylight hours. Tip #11: stick to well made plans thought out in advance; there is something to be said about being flexible and adjusting, but spur-of-the moment decisions may not always be best.
The Delicate Arch is best experienced at sunset. Which is why we planned to be at the trailhead an hour before sunset. We weren’t. It was close to 45 mins (sunset is 6:20 that time of the year). So, we had to rush a bit. Which is not easy after the 10+ miles walked earlier in the day. And although the elevation gain is only about 700 ft, it’s mostly early in the hike, rather steep, and across hard rock (tougher on the joints). In the end, we made it with minutes to spare and despite a thick blanket of clouds in the distance, the sunset over the Delicate Arch was a well-deserved Kodak moment. Most of the hike back to the parking lot was done in the dark. Tip #12: Carry a flashlight (especially if hiking later in the day) and extra battery/charger (despite lack of overall cell coverage, still get signal at times, so make sure the phone has juice)
A quick dinner at Moab Brewery then off to Kayenta Campground to “crash”. Next morning we had an early wake-up call to catch the Mesa Arch during sunrise…
Follow below for the other entries in this trip:
Day 1 - Zion
Day 2 - Zion, Angel's Landing
Day 3 - Bryce Canyon
Day 4 - From Bryce to Moab
Day 5 - Arches National Park
Day 6 - Canyonlands & Monument Valley
Day 7 - Colorado River & Horseshoe Bend
Day 8+ - Antelope Canyon & Vegas
A bit of detail on the hikes:
Devil’s Garden: https://www.earthtrekkers.com/devils-garden-trail-best-hike-in-arches-national-park/#:~:text=The%20Devils%20Garden%20Trail%20has,best%20views%20of%20the%20park. (I disagree with the total distance on this one; according to our pedometer was right at 9 miles; perhaps we ventured around quite a bit…)
Delicate Arch: https://www.visitutah.com/places-to-go/parks-outdoors/arches/adventure-guide/delicate-arch
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