Arches National Park, Moab, UT

 Arches National Park is one of the smaller National Parks, but is full of wonders.  There are thousands of arches!  It is the greatest concentration of this amazing feature in the world.  The sandstone is shaped by pressure and then sculpted by rain.  These already spectacular formations are even more dramatic with the vivid blue of a cloudless Utah sky as background.

It is possible to observe the evolution of the arches - some are arch-shaped indentations in the cliff walls, some, like the one above, have expanded as sections of rock drop out and some have collapsed at the top.

The Park is a great spot for everyone.  Many of the arches are visible from parking lots or after walks of a few yards.  There are also long, but easy hikes and also challenging hikes over rough terrain.  There is no food for sale in the Park.  We packed lunches and ate at picnic benches.  There are plenty of restrooms.  The air is very dry, so extra water is important.  There is also very little shade.  We visited at the end of November and the UV index was low.  It was cold, but comfortable with jackets and mittens.  The Park is minutes from downtown Moab, which has plenty of restaurants and stores.

We saw a kangaroo rat, fox and many ravens.  The ravens are huge, noisy and seem very curious.

We entered the Park around 8 AM.  When we were leaving, the Park was closed to incoming visitors.  The Park is small and traffic has to be limited.  It is a good idea to check the radio station for the Park before heading over for the day or else be sure to arrive early.

                                                The tiny dots in the left arch are people

                                                        The morning sun made for long shadows

                                                        This formation had arches within arches