Geology
Arches National Park covers 119 square miles in Eastern Utah, and is famous for 2,000 arches that were naturally made over millions of years.
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The Arches in the park were formed by the Paradox Formation, a salt bed that was affected by tectonic activity that molded the landscape into the arches that we know today.
Location and Lodging
The park is located close to the town of Moab which is about a 5 minute drive (8km) from the park, which also includes many places to stay and eat. Large airports close to arches, are the Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) About 4 hours away, or more regional airports, are the Canyonlands Field Airport (CNY) located about 18 miles away but it only services small regional flights. Inside of the park, there is a Campground called Devil’s Garden, with clean water for washing dishes, picnic tables, flushing toilets, and fire pits.
Family Friendly Trails
Windows Trail
Delicate Arch Trail
Devil's Garden Trail
Balancing Rock Trail
One of the most popular trails is the Devils Garden Trail, which features one of the largest spanning arches in the world. However, it may not be suitable for children due to its length—a challenging 8.0-mile hike. With smaller children, the first part of the trail is still fun for little kids.
A very popular and scenic trail, the Delicate Arch Trail, leads to one of the most recognizable arches in the park. It is accessed via a 3.2-mile loop that begins at a parking lot on Delicate Arch Road.
Starting at the visitor center, the Arches Visitor Center Nature Trail is a short, 150-foot loop that showcases the park’s native desert plants.
Another fun and easy hike is the Balancing Rock Trail, a short 1.7-mile loop that circles a massive rock balanced on a narrow pillar. It’s a great option for families.
The Windows Trail is also easy and family-friendly, stretching about one mile. Along the trail, you can view the North Window, South Window, and Turret Arch.
Fun Facts/Tips
Moab is a very lively and local town, that has a adventure center with kayaking, rock climbing, and a 4x4 jeep tour through a off road trail outside of the park that visits many of the great views on top of the mountains. There is another National Park called Canyonlands located about 26 miles (29min drive) that also has some trails and some really beautiful sightseeing of the Colorado Plateau.