Arches National Park, Moab, Utah (Aug 6, 2016)
Arches National Park was amazing. First we found out that the park is open 24 hours/day but you have to pay an entrance fee between 8 am – 6 pm. We arrived earlier than 7 am and it was the perfect timing since it is open 24 hours a day. Following the map allowed you to explore this beautiful park. Arches Map allows you to visit as many Arches as possible. There are over 2000 Arches through this Park but without any hiking you will probably see less than 15. Regardless, it is a great time to have.
First stop was to see the Delicate Arch which is the most photographed arch in the Park. We decided to go to the Upper View instead of the 2 hour hike to the actual arch. We still go some fabulous pictures. The sun as raising right on the arch. The light opening beneath the arch is 64 feet high and 45 feet wide, making it the largest free-standing arch in the park. It has had more than a few names in its history, from the colorful (“Cowboy’s Chaps”, “Old Maid’s Bloomers”) to the prosaic (“Salt Wash Arch”). The term “Delicate” first appeared in a January 1934 article about the Arches National Monument Scientific Expedition, which described it as “the most delicately chiseled arch in the entire area.” https://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/delicate-arch.htm Recently, the NPS has forbidden hanging from any arches or any climbing (not just swinging off of) of ‘named’ arches at Arches National Park. (Apparently this has happened in the past.)
Such beautiful areas to wake up to! Some other pictures:
