It seems that everyone’s first stop at Arches is at Park Avenue. You can enjoy the view of the tall, thin red rock fins from the paved trail at the viewpoint, or hike down into the valley. If you choose the hike, consider having one person in your group drive ahead, and meet you at the other end of the trail (at the Courthouse Towers parking area).
Arches National Park is located just north of Moab, off US 191. Thanks to the newly paved and widened entrance, you can’t miss it. (The visitor’s center is new too, and well worth a stop.)
This was my second visit to Arches. You can click here to jump into the Arches & Canyons trip, which also includes stops in Canyonlands National Park, Zion, Las Vegas, and the Grand Canyon.
There would be no blue skies over these brilliant red rock formations on this visit. The sky was already threatening to pour, during my stop at Park Avenue. So I took a few shots at the viewpoint, then moved on.
Here’s one place I didn’t stop during my previous visit: the Petrified Sand Dunes. You can hike out among them if you wish, but the view from the side of the road is sufficient.
Note: This trip was first published in 2005.
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