Arches National Park Utah
Posted in North America | April 19, 2010 | Comment NowArches National Park is an American national park located in Canyon Country in the eastern part of the state of Utah in the United States. The Arches National Park Utah is famous for the world’s biggest concentration of natural sandstone arches (about 2,000 of them), including the famous Delicate Arch and other fascinating geological formations. The park is 310 square kilometres in size with the highest elevation being Elephant Butte (1,723 metres). Forty three arches have crumbled under erosion since 1970. The park was designated as a National Monument in April 1929 and a national park in November 1971. The park is administered by National Park Service.
Climate:
Temperature frequently varies in Arches National Park Utah. July is the hottest month while January is the coolest month. October witnesses the maximum rainfall while the annual average rainfall is 250 mm. Snowfall is common during winter. Thunderstorms and flash floods happen in late summer.
Flora:
Indian ricegrass, bunch grasses, prickly pear cactus, cheatgrass, lichen, Utah juniper, Mormon tea, blackbrush, cliffrose, four-winged saltbrush, pinyon pine and other plant types are found here.
Fauna:
Arches National Park Utah is home to about 50 mammal species including desert cottontails, mule deer, kangaroo rats, desert bighorn sheep, rattlesnakes, lizards, mountain lions and others.
Avifauna:
The park is home to about 270 odd bird species. Spotted Towhee, Canyon Wren Say’s Phoebe, Western Meadowlark are common birds found here.
Reaching Arches National Park:
- By air:
Canyonland Field Airport in Moab, the nearest town to the national park. Salt Lake City International City is the closest major airport, which is about 4 hour drive from Arches. Denver International Airport is also situated closer. - By road:
The park’s entrance is about 5 miles north from Moab along US Highway 191.
Fees/Permits:
Entry fee is $10 for private vehicles and $5 for individuals arriving on foot, bicycle or motorcycle (fees valid for seven days). There is also a multi-agency pass available.
Get around:
By car, foot or by bike.
Attractions:
- Park Avenue:
An easy one mile trail located near the park entrance) - Double Arch:
A huge joining of two arches and which is accessible by a 0.8 mile long roundtrip
- North & South Windows
- Turret Arch
- Wolfe Ranch
- Delicate Arch (the most famous arch in the park). The structure is 480 feet high
- Petrified Dunes
- Fiery Furnace
- Devil’s Garden Trail (sandstone fissures)
- Landscape Arch (the park’s largest)
- Double O Arch
- Wall Arch (collapsed in August 2008)
- Klondike Bluffs
- Balanced Rock
- Courthouse Towers
- Dark Angel
- Landscape Arch
- Tower Arch
- Marching Men
Activities:
- Hiking (The park has several short trails of various level)
- Photography
- Wildlife viewing
- Rock climbing (climbing is prohibited on the arches and bridges named in topographical maps of United States Geological Service)
- Backpacking (though not much popular in these parts)
- Camping (the park has a lone campground, namely, Devil’s Garden Campground). Bureau of Land Management (BLM) operates several campsites outside the park.
Accommodation:
The park itself has no lodging facility although Moab has a great number of hotels like Red Cliffs Lodge, Adventure Inn, Hampton Inn, The Gonzo Inn, Inca Inn, Rustic Inn and others.
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