Hot, arid land with red sandstone arches

According to liuxers, Arches National Park is located in eastern Utah, United States. It lies at an elevation of 1,200 to 1,700 meters, north of the city of Moab. Arches National Park, an almost entirely desert-like landscape, is famous for its red, naturally formed sandstone arches. The park area was first declared a national monument in 1929. In 1971 it was named Arches National Park. The sandstone arches, the Arches, are called Entrada in Spanish. There are over 2,000 such stone arches and bridges throughout the reserve. Arches Park covers an area of ​​730 km².

Arches – natural bridges and arches

The most powerful is the Landscape Arch with a span of 92 meters. The Delicate Arch with a span of about 10 meters and a height of almost 14 meters is somehow reminiscent of a petrified lower body, petrified pants. This is only a subjective impression of the author. There are also very small arches in the park area, about 1 meter high. There are countless other distinctive and unusual rock formations in the protected region. Even today, weathering and erosion continue to create new, bizarre rock formations in the protected area.

Formed in millions of years

This impressive landscape has been shaped by nature over millions of years. The Arches region impresses with its red stone arches and gates. This large number and the size of the Arches is unique in the world. Arches National Park is crossed by the Colorado River. You can enter the protected area via the park entrance north of Moab, via the Moab Canyon.

Furnace in Utah – Arches National Park

In summer, temperatures in the park area can exceed 40°C. Although a thunderstorm often cools off in the afternoon during the hot spell in the summer months, Arches National Park is only suitable for hiking to a very limited extent. Seen over the year, the amount of precipitation is very low. During the winter, temperatures drop well below freezing. Sometimes it snows a bit in the national park, but very rarely.

Abundant wildlife – mostly nocturnal

Animals and plants in Arches National Park had to adapt extremely to the climatic conditions in the desert-like park in order to be able to survive there. There are a number of nocturnal species in Arches National Park; they avoid the heat of the day. Kangaroo rats, desert rats, ferrets, owls and bats are out and about in the national park at night. Other park residents include skunks, foxes, pumas, bobcats, various squirrels and chipmunks, coyotes, porcupines, mules, prairie rabbits, rabbits and songbirds, eagles and hawks. Reptiles like snakes and lizards need the heat of the rocky desert to get going.

The desert blooms – usually not

The flora of the high Arches National Park has also had to adapt extremely to the dry and hot climate. Many plants only grow and flower if there is enough water available. The seeds can be present in the soil for years; but they do not germinate because of the drought. However, when the rainfall is right, grasses and wildflowers transform the desert into a colorful carpet of green. Many plants also flower only in the spring and late summer after rainfall and not during the summer heat.

Camping in Arches National Park

The campsite “Devils Garden Campground” is located in the national park. It is about 30 kilometers inside the national park. There are sanitary facilities and running water, as well as drinking water, tables for picnics and barbecues. There are no showers. You have to bring your own wood and charcoal. Outside of Arches National Park, the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) operates a few campgrounds around the city of Moab.

Arches Information Center

There are 2x daily park tours through the embers by park rangers. Adults are $10, children 12 and under are $5. Golden Age Pass holders only pay $5 per tour (roughly 2010-2015 prices). Today in 2022 the entrance fees are of course higher. Arches National Park is open all year round. The information center at the park entrance of Arches National Park has a small museum, exhibitions and a bookshop. Horse riding excursions or tours with motorized vehicles are also offered in the centre. In the information center it is also possible to get an overview of Arches National Park using maps. At the entrance to the national park it is probably not possible to buy food, but drinking water. If you still need something, you will find what you need in the relatively nearby city of Moab.

Cactus Region in Utah

In Arches National Park there is a large number of different types of cacti, as well as mostly low plants adapted to the desert-like climate, as well as yucca palms. With their long roots they reach the water deep in the ground. Along the Colorado River, small oases, green bands, have emerged amidst the otherwise dry landscapes. Willows and poplars also grow there along the watercourses.

Sightseeing Arches National Park

• Balanced Rock Trail
• Broken Arch
• Delicate Arch
• Devil’s Garden Trailhead
• double arch
• Double O Arch
• Fiery Furnace
• landscape arch
• Park Avenue Trail
• partition arch
• Sand Dune Arch
• skyline arch
• Tower of Babylon
• windows arch