Arches National Park Scenic Drive
un jour / 48 miles / une heure 32 minutes
The scenic drive in Arches passes many outstanding natural features. The park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive rock fins, and giant balanced rocks.
Jour 1
Arches National Park Visitor Center
Start at the Visitors Center to see exhibits on the geology and history of Arches National Park.
8:05 am - 1.3 miles / 3 minutes - 8:08 am
The layers across from you, on the west side of the highway, are 140 million years older than the layers where you’re standing, here on the east side. Also visible from here are smaller fault lines, where individual rock layers no longer line up horizontally as they once did.
8:13 am - 1.0 miles / 2 minutes - 8:15 am
A paved sidewalk leads to a viewpoint down a corridor of towering rock walls and curiously carved spires. Descend stairs to walk the trail among massive monoliths toward Courthouse Towers Viewpoint one mile away. Often overlooked, Park Avenue Arch is visible from the parking lot, suspended high up a rock wall on the right. Light is not visible through the arch from this angle.
8:20 am - 0.5 miles / 2 minutes - 8:22 am
La Sal Mountains Viewpoint is located a short distance inside the park and offers an excellent overview of red rock scenery both inside and outside the park. Best for viewing Three Gossips formation.
8:27 am - 1.2 miles / 3 minutes - 8:31 am
View of the Three Gossips and the Court House towers.
8:36 am - 3.7 miles / 5 minutes - 8:41 am
Navajo Sandstone runs from the Visitor Center to The Windows Section. At one time, this layer was a field of dunes. Time and force compressed the dunes, and calcium carbonate cemented them together. Petrified Dunes viewpoint is a great place to see this layer.
8:46 am - 1.7 miles / 2 minutes - 8:49 am
Balanced Rock can be seen from the park road 9.2 miles (14.8 km) from Arches Visitor Center. View the feature from a viewpoint or hike the short trail around it.
8:54 am - 2.6 miles / 6 minutes - 9:00 am
Massive North Window is visible from the parking lot. Trails lead to Turret Arch, North Window, South Window, and Double Arch.
9:05 am - 0.2 miles / une minute - 9:06 am
Visible from the parking loop at The Windows, Double Arch is an impressive feature - the tallest (112 ft/34 m) and second-longest (144 ft/44 m) arch in the park. A gently sloping path leads to its base.
9:11 am - 1.3 miles / 3 minutes - 9:15 am
Wander around among the unique formations keeping with the theme: Adam and Eve, Serpentine Arch, Devils Golf Ball.
9:20 am - 2.5 miles / 5 minutes - 9:25 am
Panorama Point offers wide-open views of Arches and the surrounding area. Located at the top of a hill, you can enjoy views of the La Sal Mountains, the Fiery Furnace, and even Devils Garden from your vehicle or at viewpoints along the parking area. Panorama Point is also an excellent place to stargaze and take in the night sky.
9:30 am - 2.9 miles / 5 minutes - 9:36 am
This trail is strenuous and the arch is not visible until the end of the trail.
9:41 am - 1.1 miles / 2 minutes - 9:43 am
Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trailhead
Delicate Arch is the most famous arch in the park and a must-see for many visitors. View it from a distance at one of two viewpoints, both reachable from this trailhead.
9:48 am - 4.7 miles / 8 minutes - 9:57 am
Sweeping vista.
10:02 am - 0.7 miles / 2 minutes - 10:04 am
The Fiery Furnace is a natural labyrinth of narrow passages between towering sandstone walls. Stand at this viewpoint near sunset, when low-angle light makes the rock faces glow like a wood-fired furnace.
10:09 am - 2.2 miles / 3 minutes - 10:13 am
Hike through deep sand to find this hidden arch between tall sandstone walls. You may also choose to continue across a grassland to Broken Arch, returning via the same trail or making a loop through the campground.
10:18 am - 0.7 miles / une minute - 10:19 am
A short, out-and-back hike on well defined trail leads to an arch in a high wall. A gentle, rocky uphill slope at the beginning of the trail continues along a relatively flat path to the base of the arch.
10:24 am - 1.0 miles / une minute - 10:26 am
Devils Garden is located at the northern end of the park. This trailhead offers a range of hiking experiences, from easy to strenuous.
10:31 am - 0.8 miles / 2 minutes - 10:34 am
While the trail to Skyline Arch from the Main Park Road is mostly level, steps at the beginning make it inaccessible to wheelchairs. Instead, drive to the campground amphitheater and take the paved path to view Skyline Arch from the opposite side.
10:39 am - 1.7 miles / 4 minutes - 10:43 am
Salt Valley Road travels from the main park road to Klondike Bluffs and the Tower Arch trailhead. This road is two-wheel-drive in normal conditions.
10:48 am - 16.4 miles / 23 minutes - 11:12 am