Friends have been asking us what the highlight of our five-week RV trip was. It is difficult to pinpoint, but anywhere where we can experience a connection with Mother Nature is at the top of the list. Arches National Park delivers in many ways, and it is no wonder why people from all over the world visit this high desert of the American West.
Photo gallery at the bottom of this post.
This story is not for RVers but for anyone who loves the outdoors. I’m including potential itineraries for different types of travelers. For starters, Utah’s summers are scorching hot, and Moab, where Arches NP is located, has temperatures of over 100 degrees. Like many other destinations, summer is high season, but exploring must happen early in the morning or late afternoon. We visited in late summer when the early afternoon heat made it impossible to hike. Nights were cooler. Plan accordingly. I recommend spring or fall travel.
There is nothing like Arches NP in Texas, but Arches did remind me a bit of the topography found in Palo Duro Canyon near Amarillo. The arches, though, are unique. Our neighbor at the RV park said, “Once you see one arch, you’ve seen them all.” I beg to disagree.
More than 500 arches are inside the national park’s boundaries. Arches NP is in the middle of the Colorado Plateau, a vast area of deep canyons and prominent mountain ranges that also includes Canyonlands NP, Colorado National Monument, Natural Bridges National Monument, and Dinosaur National Monument. There is so much to see, but we were happy to visit Arches. The heat was the main deterrent to spending more time around Utah.
Delicate Arch is considered a symbol of Utah and is proudly featured on the “Life Elevated Arches” Utah license plates. It is also the image displayed on the “Welcome to Utah” road signs. If there was an arch we had to see it was Delicate Arch.One of the best things about Arches NP is its excellent, paved highway that takes you through the park with stops to see the many different arches. Most trails are easy, and the arches can be seen from the parking lot on other occasions.
However, one must choose from three trail options to see Delicate Arch.
The Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint is a leveled trail about 100 yards long to see the arch from a mile away. The Upper Viewpoint (0.5-mile walk with stairs) offers an even better view. The most challenging option is a 3-mile trail where you can walk under the arch and even touch it. It climbs 480 feet uphill with narrow paths and precipice views. It can also be slippery if wet, but it is the most popular trail of the three.
We opted for the second option: The Upper Viewpoint, which was a climb. We walked even further over the top of a hill to get a better view, and it was worth it. We were satisfied, and this post’s main photo shows we had a great view. I guess the tougher the trail to an arch, the more appreciated that arch is. Knowing your limits and considering the heat or winter ice is essential. We outdoor enthusiasts overestimate our capabilities. I heard Rangers frequently rescue people who underestimated the trails’ difficulty. Don’t forget to bring plenty of water, a hat or cap, sun protection, and hiking shoes. We packed some snacks, too, for the visit, which can last at least 3 hours depending on how many hikes you take and how often you stop. The park’s road is 36 miles round trip.
To visit Arches NP, you must purchase a timed entry or enter before 7:00 a.m. America the Beautiful pass holders still have to pay $10 p/ vehicle for a timed entry. To purchase, visit Recreation.gov.
Moab is the place to stay when visiting Arches. It is a fun, lively town with shops and restaurants and plenty of adventure tour operators. Jeep rentals, scenic air tours, skydiving, ziplines, 4-wheel drive trails, rafting, kayaking, speed boats, etc. We can come back every year and experience something different. Many Americans and Europeans do.
We had our motorhome and Jeep, so we booked a site at the Moab KOA. The price was much higher than we expected, at $140 a night. And it was packed!
If you have the time and love scenic road trips, I recommend flying into Denver, renting a car, and driving west on Highway 70. Moab is 376 miles from the Denver airport. Highway 70, west of Denver, is the most scenic highway we’ve enjoyed in our seven years of RVing. There are so many cities to visit on the way. I recommend Breckenridge, Vail, and Glenwood Springs. Plan a day trip to Basalt and Aspen if you stay in Glenwood Springs. Or detour to Aspen from Highway 70 and overnight there. We tried that, but the hotel we liked for its location had a rate of $1,200 a night. Basalt might be more affordable, but we returned to our condo on wheels parked at the KOA in Silt. The cost per night there was $64, and it had great amenities and views.
We spent a few nights in Montrose visiting Telluride and Ouray, both memorable experiences. These are two mountain towns that are so similar and yet so different. More on that in another post. The Star Drive-In Theater in Montrose was wonderful! And the crisp, cool night made the experience memorable.
My dreamy road trip recommendation has a problem. The closest major airport to Moab is 239 miles away in Salt Lake City. You can simply go back to Denver, which I would do, and visit more towns on the way.
We drove from Glenwood Springs to Montrose, from Montrose to Moab, and from Moab to Durango. From Durango, we traveled to Albuquerque and then to Ruidoso to continue to Texas via the Hill Country and back to the Rio Grande Valley, where we live. We are just 1,334 miles away from Moab! 😆
There is so much to see in our beautiful country. Have happy and safe travels. Plan accordingly, stick to your budget, and enjoy!
Want to know how to have the perfect trip? Always be grateful to God for the incredible blessing of just having the opportunity to plan a trip. Be thankful for being able to afford it, for your health, for being alive, and for love.
As you can see, I love sharing our travel stories to motivate people to go outside and explore. It is much better than staying home watching the news. Please message me at contact@nydiao.com if you have any questions about this or any other travel post. I’d love to hear from you. Also, if you have questions about RVing and owning/buying an RV.
Arches National Park. September, 2024.
Cactus in the Mirror by Nydia O. Studio 