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About Arches National Park
The Native Americans who called this area home for hundreds of
years probably never got used to the majestic rock formations
that give Arches its name.
Wind, water, and time contributed to the creation of the magnificent
sculptured arches in this beautiful sandstone plateau. Arches
National Park contains one of the largest concentrations of these
sandstone arches in the world. There are 2,000 arches in the 73,000-acre
park with sizes ranging from a few feet to over 300 foot span.
 The arches and numerous other extraordinary geologic features,
such as spires, pinnacles, pedestals and balanced rocks, are highlighted
in striking foreground and background views created by contrasting
colors, landforms and textures. One of these arches is possibly
the most recognizable natural landmark of Utah. Known as Delicate
Arch, it towers at the edge of a deep canyon and seems as fragile
as the name implies.
As centuries pass, new arches will form to take the place of the
ones that fall, and the cycles of erosion and weathering will
create a whole new park for future generations of visitors.
A 41-mile round-trip paved road in the park leads to the major
sights, including Balanced Rock, Skyline Arch, and the Fiery Furnace.
In summer rangers lead guided walks into the Fiery Furnace; reservations
are required and must be made at the visitor center. Other guided
walks and campfire programs are offered daily.
The unpaved road to the trailhead for famed Delicate Arch is passable
to cars. The hike to Delicate Arch is 3 miles round-trip. Fairly
non-strenuous trails take visitors to several other arches.
There are also remote backpacking areas in Arches National Park
and unpaved 4-wheel drive roads.
The entrance to the park is 5 miles north of Moab on Utah Highway
l9l. The visitor center is open year-round. Water is available
seasonally in the year-round campground. Accommodations are available
in Moab.
Visitation was 860,000 in 1995. Visitation is highest March through
October; lowest in December and January.
For More Information
- Contact
- Superintendent
Arches National Park
P.O. Box 907
- Moab, Utah 84532
Phone: 435-259-8161 (voice)
or 435-259-5279 (TTY)
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Plan your own adventure! Use the Utah Parks Adventure Guide to
find places to stay, places to eat, things to do and how to get
there... |
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About Arches
