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Arches Visitor Center Nature Trail
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Utah
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Arches Visitor Center Nature Trail
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<p>Walk a short path behind the visitor center to learn about native desert plants and their traditional uses.</p> <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="4" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-listid="5" role="listitem"> <p paraeid="{8c8eb03d-def5-47cc-b4f3-7e1deb648b0d}{186}" paraid="826305505"><strong>Roundtrip Distance</strong>: 150 feet (45 m) </p> </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="4" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-listid="5" role="listitem"> <p paraeid="{8c8eb03d-def5-47cc-b4f3-7e1deb648b0d}{195}" paraid="1418380261"><strong>Time</strong>: 10 min </p> </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="4" data-aria-posinset="3" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-listid="5" role="listitem"> <p paraeid="{8c8eb03d-def5-47cc-b4f3-7e1deb648b0d}{204}" paraid="346648870"><strong>Elevation Change</strong>: 0 ft (0 m) </p> </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="4" data-aria-posinset="4" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-listid="5" role="listitem"> <p paraeid="{8c8eb03d-def5-47cc-b4f3-7e1deb648b0d}{213}" paraid="829112344"><strong>Difficulty</strong>: Easy </p> </li> </ul> <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="4" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-listid="5" role="listitem"> <p paraeid="{8c8eb03d-def5-47cc-b4f3-7e1deb648b0d}{222}" paraid="1213635418"><strong>Hike Description</strong>: Learn about native desert plants on this short trail behind Arches Visitor Center. </p> </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="4" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-listid="5" role="listitem"> <p paraeid="{8c8eb03d-def5-47cc-b4f3-7e1deb648b0d}{231}" paraid="611147387"><strong>Accessibility</strong>: This trail is mostly level, with surfaces of paving stone, cement, or dirt. </p> </li> <li paraeid="{8c8eb03d-def5-47cc-b4f3-7e1deb648b0d}{240}" paraid="417614211">Dogs are not allowed on this trail. Service animals are allowed in national parks. <a href="https://cms.nps.gov/planyourvisit/service-animals.htm">What is a service animal?</a> </li> </ul> <p paraeid="{8c8eb03d-def5-47cc-b4f3-7e1deb648b0d}{240}" paraid="417614211">Many visitors are surprised at the amount of vegetation in Arches. Plants are critical components of all ecosystems, and Arches is no exception. Plants capture particulate dust in the air, filter gaseous pollutants, convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, provide animal habitat, and possess many raw materials useful to humans.<br /> Diverse plant communities thrive in patches of <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/seug-soil-crust.htm">biological soil crust</a>, while others seem to grow right out of cracks in the rock. Many adaptations enable desert plants to survive the extremes of temperature and aridity found in Arches. <br /> </p>
Park Avenue Viewpoint and Trail
~2 min drive
<p>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.</p> <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="4…
Courthouse Wash Panel Trail
~3 min drive
<p>Where Courthouse Wash joins the Colorado River, walk across the small bridge and up a short trail to see a panel of rock markings created by Indigenous travelers.</p> <ul> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="4" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext=""…
Balanced Rock Viewpoint and Trail
~11 min drive
<p>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. <strong>Climbing on Balanced Rock is prohibited.</strong></p> <ul role="list"> <li paraeid="{40b1cba8-3deb-4ea9-…
The Windows Viewpoint and Trail
~11 min drive
<p>The Windows Section is located 12 miles (19 km) from the park entrance. Massive North Window is visible from the parking lot. Trails lead to Turret Arch, North Window, South Window, and Double Arch. Limited oversize parking is available at the lower lot near Double Arch. To…
Double Arch Viewpoint and Trail
~11 min drive
<p>Visible from the parking loop at The Windows, Double Arch is an impressive feature—the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/arch-rock-stars.htm">tallest </a>(112 ft/34 m) and second-longest (144 ft/44 m) arch in the park. A gently sloping path leads to its base.</p> <ul ro…
Delicate Arch Trail
~17 min drive
<p paraeid="{14474a94-72c6-4ab3-8f1d-b0b79e4a72e8}{247}" paraid="14182278"><em><strong>This trail is strenuous and the arch is not visible until the end of the trail.</strong> </em>For an easier view, try Delicate Arch Viewpoints.</p> <ul role="list"> <li p="" paraeid="{14474a…
Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trails
~18 min drive
<p>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. </p> <h4><strong>Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint</strong></h4> <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data…
Sand Dune Arch Trail
~18 min drive
<p>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.</p> <h4 paraeid="{edab8278-0fbd-4351-954a-8493e494c6fe}{43}…
Broken Arch Trail
~18 min drive
<p>Hike across grasslands to a stone arch that isn't actually broken -- yet. You can just hike out and back to the arch, make it a loop, or add on a side trip to Sand Dune Arch.</p> <h4>Broken Arch (from Sand Dune Arch Trailhead)</h4> <ul> <li><strong>Roundtrip Distance</stron…
Skyline Arch Trail
~19 min drive
<p>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.</p> <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="4" data-a…
