Arches, Arches Everywhere

2018-09-23
Arches National Park, UT

Today was the trip to Arches National Park. This one is not subtle about how it got its name; there are some 2000 arches in the park. I was "arched out" after maybe five or six. They are pretty, but not more so than many of the other formations. The difference is of course that they will likely collapse sooner.

If you talk to a good photographer, they will tell you that you can get the perfect landscape shot if you wait. This may mean you need evening light rather than morning light to illuminate the correct face of the cliff, or it may mean you need a sunny day in Seattle, or it may mean that you have to wait for the Winter Solstice, or it may mean that you need the sun to go supernova to light this one recess. While I expect the statement is true, they never seem to mention how long you may have to wait. I bring this up because today it was cloudy. The sunny areas and shadows kept moving around, and with limited time in the park (and limited tolerance to the heat) I had to take what came my way. The flip side of this is that there are dozens of photographers jockeying for position every morning at Delicate Arch trying to get the perfect sunrise picture. I didn't make that either.

I had decided to do the Delicate Arch first because I figured it would be the hardest to get parking. Arches is the most popular park in Utah, ranking at 17 of 60 overall in number of visitors per year. In hindsight, I should have waited until tomorrow (Monday) for Arches as it's a big weekend destination. At any rate, I went directly to the Delicate Arch trailhead once I got to the park and hiked the 3.5 miles round trip out to see the arch. It was crowded as expected, with people taking turns standing in the arch for pictures. Despite this, it was a decent hike, but it took a while and the day grew hotter. Not shown is the dozens of people in line to take their individual picture with the arch; I was happy to get a shot while they were working their way back to the line in post-picture afterglow.

Wash on Delicate setting only
Wash on Delicate setting only

Next I headed over to the Devils Garden. The full loop trail is 8.5 miles, but it pretty quickly became apparent that I wasn't going to be able to complete that in the heat of the day. Maybe if I'd started at 7:00 AM. The trails were listed as "primitive" which means you get to do some scrambling and walking ridges. It was cool for the difference.

It's a ridgeline. It's a path.
It's a ridgeline. It's a path.

At any rate, I was able to see some more arches in what ended up being about 5 miles round trip. Landscape is the second most famous arch in the park. It doesn't stand in space like Delicate, but it really does seem more likely to go away soon. Also I love the smooth lines.

Graceful!
Graceful!
Another arch. You get the drift.
Another arch. You get the drift.

When I got back to the trailhead I'd had enough heat (by the end of the day I had imbibed a gallon of water) so I opted for some easier opportunities. I walked around Balanced Rock which lives up to its name.

Safety Tip: Always check for coyotes and Acme delivery trucks before approaching a rock like this
Safety Tip: Always check for coyotes and Acme delivery trucks before approaching a rock like this

I stopped at Courthouse Rock for a picture.

Not to be confused with Jailhouse Rock
Not to be confused with Jailhouse Rock

I went by Sand Arch which does in fact involve sand.

Guess what this is?
Guess what this is?

I did a few pull-outs too. The trick is that most of them are on the incoming side, so I ended up traveling the park road twice. That wasn't a bad thing as I got to see a lot more.

Cool landscape
Cool landscape
Neat non-arching rocks
Neat non-arching rocks
It's pretty in the desert
It's pretty in the desert

After spending enough time at the park I headed back to my tent by way of the store to pick up another gallon of water to replace the one I drank.

Hiking distance: 9 miles

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