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Home , Arches National Park, Fin (geology), Glen Canyon, La Sal Mountains, Wolfe Ranch

Service Visitor Guide U.S. Department of the Interior

The with the Windows Section in the foreground NPS PHOTO / PAUL STOLEN

We Need Your Help BY RACHEL JOHA is a destination for over 1.5 million people a year. Numbers like that can have a huge impact on the landscape. No matter your experience in the outdoors, we all play a role in protecting and preserving our public lands. The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace are helpful guidelines to minimize your impact here at Arches or anywhere you visit.

Plan Ahead and Prepare Dispose of Waste Properly Minimize Campfre Impacts Be Considerate of Other Visitors Plan your trip activities to match your “Pack it in, pack it out.” Don’t leave Never leave a fre unattended, and Avoid disrupting natural quiet with loud goals, skills, and abilities. Research the behind any trash or food scraps. In thoroughly extinguish all fres. Fires are music or shouting. Remeber— you share park and current conditions ahead of arid climates like ours, organic litter only allowed in designated pits at Devils public lands with other other visitors. time. Bring enough water, a map, food, like orange peels or nut shells does not Garden Campground and in picnic Respect and protect the quality of and appropriate gear so you don’t need decompose quickly. “Go before you go.” areas. Collecting frewood or kindling is everyone’s outdoor experience. rescuing. Dozens of hikers at Delicate Before starting a hike, use the bathroom not allowed in the park. and Devils Garden get in trouble and carry a human waste disposal bag Thank You! every year from lack of preparation. for emergencies. Respect Wildlife Practicing these Leave No Trace Do not feed wild animals. Secure your outdoor principles is a powerful way to Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces Leave What You Find food and trash so clever ravens can’t show your love and help preserve public Concentrating your activity on non- Chalking, carving, scratching, or get into it. Keep pets under control lands for future generations. vegetated durable surfaces (e.g. a trail, painting on the rocks is considered and on a leash so they don’t harm or rock, a drainage path, or pavement) grafti and is illegal. Cairns (stacks of stress wildlife. Pets are not allowed spares vegetation, sand dunes, and soil rocks) mark routes in the park. Don’t at overlooks, on trails, or in the Leave crust from damage. Don’t walk through change existing ones or build your own, backcountry, even in carriers. Observe No desert puddles, whether they are wet or which can mislead other hikers. wildlife quietly from a safe distance so Trace™ dry. They contain living organisms. as not disturb them. Center for Outdoor Ethics

Welcome to Arches Have a safe and enjoyable visit by remembering these rules and advisories.

Drink water. It is easy to become dehydrated here, Keep off the arches. sunThe beam sun is intense, and shade is rare. even in cold temperatures. Plan on drinking at least It’s prohibited—and dangerous—to climb on any Sun iconAvoid exertion during peak heat (>90°F /32°C). 1 gallon (4 L) of water per day. You can get water at Keeparch or on prominentoff features arches like Balanced Rock. ;icon ' Protect yourself with sunscreen, sunglasses, WaterArches Visitor Center and Devils Garden. droplet iconSunand a iconhat. water cup iconWhen thunder roars, go indoors. Do not rely on cell service at Arches. DoThere is no safenot place outside during a storm. walk Watch your step.on arches icon Coverage varies throughout the park. There are pay Seek shelter in a safe building or vehicle. Rocks fall. People fall. Sandstone is slippery when Emergency? Call 911 i cellphones at thephone visitor center. icon wet or icy. In winter, avoid snowy or icy trails. Respect nature. Leave drones at home. Launching, landing, Leave the rocks as you see them. Leave plants, rocks, and artifacts where you see or operating unmanned aircraft (such as model Graffiti—carving, scratching, chalking, or any type do them.not Do not feed orpick disturb animals. flowersno airplanes,drones icon quadcopters, or drones) isicon prohibited. doof marking—is illegalnot and unsightly. write on rocks icon Find your way. Walk on hard surfaces. Do not use ATVs. It’s prohibited to use any type Cairns (small rock piles) mark routes. Don’t build • Stay on trails to protect fragile biological soil crusts of ATV or OHV. There are many roads outside the (i) your own; they could mislead other hikers. If you and plant and animal habitat, and to reduce your park where you can use ATVs and OHVs. get lost, stay where you are, and wait for rescue. walkrisk of getting lost. on nohard ATVs surfaces icon icon Emergencies call 911 Park Information

National Park Service i HOURS OF OPERATION ` PETS U.S. Department of the Interior The park is open 365 days a year. The visitor center is open daily from 9 am You may have your pet at Devils Garden Campground and may walk your to 4 pm, with extended hours spring through fall. The visitor center is closed pet along roads and in parking lots. You may not have pets on hiking trails, December 25. at overlooks, or anywhere in the backcountry, even in carriers. Pets must be on a leash no longer than six feet (1.8 m) at all times. Do not leave pets Arches National Park FOOD, GAS, AND LODGING in vehicles when temperatures are above 65°F (18°C); they can die of heat PO Box 907 There is no food, gas, or lodging in the park. The town of Moab, fve miles exhaustion. Moab has kennels with boarding services. Many public lands Moab, UT 84532 from the park entrance, has a full complement of restaurants, lodging, outside the park allow pets. email [email protected] grocery stores, gas stations, and other services. For information visit phone 435-719-2299 www.discovermoab.com. ACCESSIBILITY People with mobility impairments can access: • visitor center and toilets Visitor Guide 2021, Volume 1 − CAMPING throughout the park • Devils Garden Campground site 4H • Park Avenue Devils Garden Campground has 50 sites and is located 18 miles from the Viewpoint: Paved • Viewpoint: Hard surface, level • Balanced Arches Visitor Guide published by park entrance. The campground has two group sites for groups of 11 or Rock Viewpoint: Paved, level • Cabin/Rock Art Panel: Hard Canyonlands Natural History Association, more. The campground is usually full every day, March through October. surface, level • Double Arch: Hard surface with slope; may need assistance. a nonproft organization that assists the We recommend reserving a site before you arrive. If you don’t have a in its educational, reservation, plan to use other area camping options. For camping outside the For people who are deaf or have hearing loss, we have a variety of interpretive, and scientifc programs. For park, ask at the visitor center, or visit www.discovermoab.com publications at the visitor center, exhibits throughout the park, and all video more information, see page 8. programs are captioned. % SHARE THE ROAD Park roads are narrow and winding. Do not stop in the roadway—save At the visitor center, we have audio recordings, tactile models, maps, and sightseeing for designated viewpoints. Watch for pedestrians and bicycles. rock samples for people who are blind or have low vision. We also have Ensure a minimum distance of 3 feet (1 m) when passing. large print and braille publications as well as an audio version of the park brochure. At the bookstore, you can purchase or rent an audio tour of the Find us online. RESERVATIONS park’s scenic road. Follow ArchesNPS to share your park You can reserve: • standard campsites up to six months in advance, • group experiences with us and our growing campsites up to 12 months in advance • ranger-led Fiery Furnace hikes (see Service animals, dogs or horses trained to perform specifc tasks for a online community: below) up to six months in advance. Visit www.recreation.gov or call person with a disability, are allowed on trails. Emotional support (“therapy”) 877-444-6777 (toll free), 877-633-6777 (TTY), or +1 518-885-3639 animals are not considered service animals under the Americans with website nps.gov/arches (international). Disabilities Act. facebook.com/ArchesNPS twitter @ArchesNPS instagram @ArchesNPS fickr.com/ArchesNPS youtube.com/ArchesNPS Things to Do

Park Fees RANGER PROGRAMS ç HIKING Check the visitor center or website for information on ranger programs There are many options for hiking, ranging from a short stroll to a strenuous, Arches National Park charges fees for park and special events. Programs are always subject to change. multi-hour hike. Check page 4 for a list of hiking trails. entrance, camping, and some permits. Eighty percent of the fees collected Evening Programs May be offered most nights in summer at Devils Garden çBACKPACKING at Arches are returned to the park to Campground amphitheater. 45 minutes. Free. Arches has only a few areas for overnight backpacking. Outside the address priority needs in maintenance, developed visitor area there are no designated trails, or reliable water infrastructure, resource management, and Fiery Furnace Hikes May be offered daily, spring through fall. Physically sources. To backpack at Arches, you must obtain a backpacking permit visitor services. Fees are subject to change. demanding hikes require scrambling up and through narrow cracks and at the visitor center and camp in designated sites or zones. Or, consider along ledges above drop-offs. Children under 5 are not permitted. Make backpacking at nearby places like Canyonlands National Park that offer

Entrance Fees reservations or ask at the visitor center. Hikes may fll weeks in advance. more extensive backcountry opportunities. $10-$16 for adults, half price for youth. Single vehicle (per vehicle) $30 â CLIMBING AND CANYONEERING Motorcycle (per vehicle) $25 D FOUR-WHEEL DRIVING Most routes require advanced skills. Plan ahead, and be prepared for self- Pedestrian/Bicycle (per person) $15 Arches has a limited number of four-wheel-drive roads. ATVs/OHVs are rescue. Follow all regulations, route closures, and group size limits. Get Interagency Annual Pass $80 prohibited. Check at the visitor center for current road conditions, especially permits and route information on the park website. Climbing of any Southeast Parks Pass $55 after recent rain. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) maintains many type is prohibited on all arches and prominent features, including popular four-wheel-drive routes outside the park. Balanced Rock. Slacklining is always prohibited. Passes for US citizens or permanent residents with disabilities, seniors, and STARGAZING cameraPHOTOGRAPHY icon active-duty military personnel are also Many overlooks with open views of the sky offer great stargazing. The Take home great photos of your Arches experience. Here are some tips for available. Inquire at the entrance station or farther you are from Moab, the darker the sky will be. Try stargazing at where you might capture that magic moment at both sunrise and sunset. visitor center. Panorama Point or The Windows. Read more stargazing tips on page 6. “Light Painting,”or using artifcial light sources to illuminate features Rangers offer stargazing programs in summer. Check at the visitor center. at night is prohibited. Camping Fees Nightly Fee Devils Garden $25 per site * CYCLING Early Morning Moab Fault • Three Gossips • Sheep Rock • Turret Arch Juniper Group Site $100-$250 Ride bicycles or e-bikes only on roads—not on hiking trails or off-road. • Double Arch • • Delicate Arch Viewpoint • Wolfe Ranch • (based on group size Shoulders are narrow; there are no bike lanes. There may be large vehicles • Double O Arch of up to 55 people) on the road. Ride single fle. The unpaved Willow Springs Road offers an Wren Group Site $75-$160 enjoyable two- to three-hour ride. Most popular biking trails are on Bureau Late Afternoon Park Avenue • La Sal Mountains Viewpoint • (based on group size of Land Management (BLM) land. Courthouse Towers • Petrifed Dunes • Balanced Rock • Garden of Eden • of up to 35 people) The Windows • Delicate Arch • Fiery Furnace Viewpoint • Skyline Arch • Tower Arch

2 Arches National Park Using New Techniques to Combat Graffti BY MATT SMITH

Each year, park visitors hike up the steep, Some deeply incised grafti requires deceivingly difcult trail to Delicate Arch. the use of power grinding by a skilled Along the way, hikers encounter another operator. But the harm to Frame Arch natural wonder, Frame Arch. Also known was too severe. Grinding away a six-foot- as Twisted Donut Arch, Frame Arch truly long, ¾-inch-deep (2 cm) area would does “frame” Delicate Arch when viewed have drastically changed Frame Arch, from just the right angle. Unfortunately, destroying a large portion of what nature in April 2016 Frame Arch was tragically took so long to create. damaged. Fortunately, treatments to reclaim deep “ANDERSEN,” deeply chiseled and nearly grafti continue to be developed. Two six feet (1.8 m) in length along the base of methods include inflling with a mixture Frame Arch was an act of vandalism park of ground sandstone and an acrylic staf discovered that spring morning. bonding agent, and in-painting with organic pigments. Vandalism: action involving deliberate destruction of or damage to public or In October 2017, after studying the private property. damage and carefully matching colors, we began partial inflling and in-painting Some American Indians believe, as their on Frame Arch. We completed repairs in ancestors did, that Arches National Park 2018. We continue to monitor the inflling is a sacred place. Some recognize arches and may use this same technique in other as portals in space and time, allowing areas of the park. access to perspectives from the past, present, and future. Today’s technology National parks are places where shared allows visitors from around the world the experiences bring people from around opportunity to share moving experiences the world together. Why do a few people NPS PHOTOS / CHRIS WONDERLY inspired by visiting Arches National Park. choose vandalism as a park experience? We fnd graffti in the park frequently. In October 2017, we began flling some carved graffti with Across cultures, arches are How can the act of defacing geological a mixture of ground sandstone and an acrylic bonding agent. We continue to monitor the flling widely treasured. masterpieces be justifed in the mind of and may use the technique in other parts of the park. one who vandalizes? So, for countless park visitors, grafti applied anywhere in the park is a Regardless of the answer, we require Your involvement is crucial. Choose to Moving forward together, our senseless and selfsh act that alters a vigilance to mitigate grafti at Arches. We leave no trace by not marking on rocks. partnership of shared care and concern hallowed place. Grafti upsets park must act quickly to discourage additional Talk to friends and family about why can help preserve our national parks and visitors—and staf too. harm by copycat ofenders. grafti is not OK, and promptly report monuments. any violations you witness.

Share the Scenery Hey Kids—

Since 2010, Arches’ visitation has topped • Start your day early. Enter the An Extra Note about Parking This One’s For You! 1 million people. The park is popular for park before 8 am. Sunrise is just as During the busy season, you may see good reasons. The breathtaking scenery beautiful as sunset. rangers assisting in crowded parking lots. attracts people from around the world. • Allow extra time. There is plenty of Please follow their directions. scenery for all to enjoy, and the rocks Park staf have been working to manage aren’t going anywhere—at least, not Acceptable parking places include trafc in the park since 2006. We continue on a human time scale. individually marked stalls, parking to consider trafc management options, • Carpool. Parking is very limited, “lanes” along fences, and existing and are gathering information, data, and so consider leaving extra vehicles, turnouts along the roads. Never park on NPS PHOTO / ANDREW KUHN analysis to guide future planning. large RVs, or trailers at the hotel, vegetation or in a manner that blocks Do you want to explore Arches and help campground, or visitor center trafc, and please don’t hold up the fow protect the park? Then become a junior In the mean time, you can use these tips parking lot. of cars by waiting for a parking spot. If ranger! Becoming a junior ranger is a serious to have an enjoyable experience and to • When parking lots fll, staf may delay there isn’t room, move to another area and important task, but it’s lots of fun too. help preserve these timeless landscapes vehicle entry for several hours. and come back later. Ask at the visitor center how you can get for others to enjoy: • If the park is too busy, visit other involved. Options include completing a parks and public lands nearby. See booklet or checking out a Red Rock Explorer page 8 for some options. Pack. You’ll earn a badge and certifcate and join the ranks of the many junior rangers who help protect this special place.

NPS PHOTO / SHEENA HARPER

Arches National Park 3 Plan Your Visit YOUR STEPS MATTER % DRIVING ç HIKING

In 1½ hours, you can: In two hours, you can do one of these four routes: • Drive to The Windows and see some of the park’s largest arches. • Hike The Windows loop trail and between parking areas to Double Arch. Drive back to Balanced Rock and walk the trail around its base. • Drive to Delicate Arch Viewpoint and see the world’s most famous arch • Hike up the sloping slickrock to see Delicate Arch. (Avoid this trail in from a distance. Stop at Wolfe Ranch on your way back, and imagine midday summer heat.) homesteading here in the late 1800s. • Walk between tall fns in Devils Garden to see Landscape Arch, North America’s longest. In 3 hours: • Walk to Sand Dune Arch, then across the feld to Broken Arch. • Drive the whole park road, spending 10 minutes at each viewpoint. Continue through the end of the campground and return. Enjoy Tapestry Arch and the sandstone fns.

In half a day: In half a day, take one of these two hikes: • Drive the whole park road, spending 10 minutes at each viewpoint, and • Climb up the fns of Devils Garden trail to the spire called Dark Angel. take a short walk at The Windows Section, Delicate Arch Viewpoint, or On your way back, hike the primitive trail route only if you’re up for Balanced Rock. challenging slopes, exposure to heights, and narrow traverses. • If you don’t mind driving an unpaved road to the remote area called Klondike Bluffs, hike the primitive trail to Tower Arch.

Wheelchair-accessible trail Hiking m Toilet near trailhead TRAIL LENGTH TIME DESCRIPTION 7 Water near trailhead

EASY TRAILS Nature Trail 50 yards roundtrip 10 min. Learn about native desert plants on the nature trail behind Arches Visitor Center. m 45 m Balanced Rock 0.3 miles roundtrip 15-30 min. This is a loop trail at the base of a fragile, picturesque rock formation. Part of the trail is paved. m 0.5 km The Windows 1 mile roundtrip 30-60 min. A gentle climb up a gravel trail leads to the massive North and South windows, and Turret Arch. Return via the same m 1.6 km trail, or take the slightly longer primitive trail around the back of the Windows from South Window viewpoint. Double Arch 0.5 miles roundtrip 15-30 min. A relatively fat trail leads to the base of two giant arch spans that are joined at one end. at The Windows 0.8 km m I100 yards roundtrip I5-15 min. IYou can’t hike to Delicate Arch on these trails; the hike to Delicate Arch begins at Wolfe Ranch. Delicate Arch Viewpoints 91 m A fat accessible trail leads to the lower viewpoint. A longer, moderately strenuous trail climbs steeply 0.5 mile m (0.8 km) to the upper viewpoint, separated from Delicate Arch by a canyon. Sand Dune Arch 0.3 miles roundtrip 15-30 min. Hike through deep sand to a secluded arch tucked among sandstone fns. Do not climb or jump off the arch. m I0.5 km I I Broken Arch 1.3 miles roundtrip 30-60 min. The trail crosses a large meadow to the arch. Extend the hike to 2 miles (3.2 km) roundtrip by hiking through the m 2.1 km arch, past Tapestry Arch, and through the campground. Part of the longer loop includes some moderate scrambling. Skyline Arch 0.4 miles roundtrip 10-20 min. A short, out-and-back hike on a fat, well-defned trail leads to an arch in a high wall. 0.6 km I I Landscape Arch 1.8 miles roundtrip 30-60 min. A hard packed trail leads to a spectacular ribbon of rock. The trail beyond Landscape Arch becomes diffcult, with at Devils Garden 2.9 km rock scrambling, narrow ledges, and exposure to heights—see Double O Arch. m 7 Courthouse Wash 1 mile roundtrip 30-60 min. Park 0.5 miles (0.8 km) north of the River on US 191. A short walk across the Courthouse Wash bridge and a Panel 1.6 km breakIbrief climb leads to a prehistoric panel of rock markings (at the base of the cliffs, facing west). MODERATE TRAILS Park Avenue 1 mile one way 30-60 min. The trail descends steeply into a spectacular canyon and continues to Courthouse Towers. For a roundtrip hike, 1.6 km - retrace your steps along the trail rather than walking along the road. Elevation change: 320 feet (98 m) DIFFICULT TRAILS Delicate Arch 3 miles roundtrip 2-3 hours Take at least 2 quarts (2 L) of water per person. Avoid during midday summer heat. This trail climbs 480 feet (146 m) at Wolfe Ranch 4.8 km - up a steep slickrock slope. The trail has no shade and some exposure to heights. Just before you get to Delicate Arch, m the trail follows a narrow rock ledge for about 200 yards (183 m), which is often icy in winter.

Tower Arch 2.6 miles roundtrip 2-3 hours The trail climbs a steep, short rock wall, cuts across a valley, and then meanders through sandstone fns and sand dunes. at Klondike Bluffs 5.5 km An alternate, shorter trail (0.3 mile [0.5 km] one way) begins at the end of the four-wheel-drive road on the west side m of Tower Arch. This unpaved road washes out quickly in rainstorms; check road conditions before heading out. Double O Arch 4.2 miles roundtrip 2-3 hours The trail beyond Landscape Arch climbs steeply over sandstone slabs. There are uneven surfaces and narrow ledges at Devils Garden 6.8 km with steep drop-offs. Spur trails lead to more arches. Dark Angel is 0.5 miles (0.8 km) beyond Double O Arch. m 7 Devils Garden break7.9 miles roundtrip I 3-5 hours IFull Devils Garden trail system includes Landscape Arch, Double O Arch, and the primitive trail. This challenging hike all trails 12.6 km involves narrow ledges, steep exposures, uneven surfaces, rock scrambling, and few trail markers. m 7 Avoid when rock is wet or icy. Fiery Furnace The Fiery Furnace is a labyrinth of narrow sandstone that requires agility to explore. To enter the Fiery Furnace, you must accompany a ranger-guided (Fee Area) m hike (see p. 2) or obtain a day-use permit at the visitor center. Everyone in your group must be present at the visitor center to get a Fiery Furnace permit. 4 Arches National Park I 0 1 4 Kilometers

0 1 4 Miles

EA GL E

PA R K North CAUTION

Stay on trails or bare rock to protect biological soil crusts. North ArrowThese communities of tiny organisms are critical to all life in the desert.

ATV, UTV, and OHV use prohibited in park

D E V CA I Private N NY L FI ON S Arch

N

Dark Angel G O

A Y K R N LO N 1.0mi Double O Arch D A C D E Primitive I 1.6km K N E Trail

B L U Restroom icon F FS Arch G N I Tower Partition Arch R P Arch 1.7mi Landscape Arch Pine Tree Arch S

2.7km Rough road.

High clearance, Tunnel Arch T

Marching four-wheel drive S Men required. O Devils Garden Trailhead L

Devils Garden Campground 1.4mi Amphitheater 2.3km Tapestry Arch Skyline Arch S A 1.0mi Broken Arch L 1.6km T

Sand Dune Arch

7.2 mi 11.5km Soft sand in highway 70 icon

wash crossings. Impassable after

heavy rains.

V 5.0mi A 8.1km L L E Y FIERY

FURNACE 4829ft 1474m Delicate Arch 9.0mi Fiery Furnace Viewpoint 14.5km Rock Art Salt Valley Overlook Panel . Wolfe Ranch Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint

To 70 and Crescent Junction Because of soft sand on picnic Lowerarea, Delicate restroom Arch Viewpoint icon highway 70 icon steep grades, vehicular travel from junction of 191911 and 0313 is recommended only from 1.0mi 0 north to south through this 1.6km 18mi 29km 1.2mi CACHE VA area. Stay on designated roads. 1.9km LLEY ARCHES NATIONAL PARKPARK

Panorama Point HERDINA 2.5mi PARK 4.0km Eye of the Whale Arch

0.3mi 0.5km Pothole Arch Soft sand. ATV, UTV, and OHV Impassable use prohibited in park after heavy WIL 0.8mi LOW rains. FLATS 1.3km Garden 3.8mi Balanced of Eden Elephant 6.1km Rock 5653ft 3.2mi 1723m To highway70 and Cisco from 70 5.1km 2.5mi 4.0km junction of hig191 and 128 hway 191 and 128 Double Arch 45mi 72km Parade of Elephants To Castle Valley from junction of 191 and 128 191191 ROCK 16mi 26km PINNACLES North Window South Window 1.9mi Turret 3.1km L Arch L

A 9.2mi THE WINDOWS W 14.8km 128 SECTION

T

A

E

R

313 G Petrifed Dunes

Viewpoint

N E

O Y H

N A T C

ILE M EN V PETRIFIED E S DUNES Upper Big Bend (BLM) 6.0mi Big Bend 9.6km (BLM) To Dead Horse Point State Park G BI BE from junction of 313 and 191 N Oak Grove D

19mi 31km 00 (BLM) Tower of Babel To Canyonlands National Park– Sheep Rock Hal Canyon Island in the Sky from junction Courthouse Towers Viewpoint (BLM) Three Gossips

of 00313 and 19119 1 The Organ 21mi 34km P

COURTHOUSE a rapids

r

k k Drinks Canyon

TOWERS A (BLM) 4085ft v e 1245m La Sal Mountains Viewpoint Visitor Center Park Headquarters Park Avenue Park only in designated spaces. inecS awyBc y If a parking lot is full, please Viewpoint and Trailhead

return at a later time. M Entrance station O AB

C AN YO Grandstaff (BLM) N Courthouse Wash Unpaved road Hiking trail Restrooms Parking Rock Art Panel dashed(Easy) black line, hiking trail (easy) solid line, unpaved road restroom icon Goose Island (BLM) 5.0mi 128 Four-wheel Hiking trail Picnic area Campground 8.0km campground tent icon Scenic Byway double dasheddrive road line, fourF--- wheel--l (Moderate) drive road picnic area icon Drinking water Stargazing To Monticello 0.5mi Distance Hiking trail 279 191 55mi 90km 0.8km indicator (Diffcult) drinking cup,stargazing water icon telescope iconTo Canyonlands National c=E] dashed red line, hiking trail difficult) To MOAB Park–The Needles 5mi 8km 77mi 126km

Trailhead parking is limited. If parking lots are full, move on and come back later. For the best chance of fnding a spot, arrive before 9 am or after 3 pm.

Arches National Park 5 2021 Night Sky Almanac

Stargazing Tips Moon Phases Look for a high viewpoint or a wide open area to see the most stars. JANUARY 6 Full Moon • 28 New Moon Try stargazing at Panorama Point or The Windows Section. Give FEBRUARY 27 Full Moon • 11 New Moon your eyes 20-30 minutes to adjust to the darkness. Skies will be MARCH 27 Full Moon • 13 New Moon darkest when the moon is out of sight. Use a red fashlight to protect APRIL 27 Full Moon • 12 New Moon your night vision, or just cover a white fashlight with red fabric or MAY 26 Full Moon • 11 New Moon cellophane. Help other stargazers by not shining your headlights or JUNE 24 Full Moon • 10 New Moon fashlights on rock formations (prohibited). Check star charts and other JULY 24 Full Moon • 20 New Moon stargazing tips at the visitor center. AUGUST 22 Full Moon • 8 New Moon SEPTEMBER 20 Full Moon • 7 New Moon Meteor Showers OCTOBER 20 Full Moon • 6 New Moon (best viewing midnight to dawn) NOVEMBER 19 New Moon • 4 Full Moon JAN 3 Quadrantids Meteor Shower DECEMBER 19 New Moon • 4 Full Moon APR 22 Lyrids Meteor Shower AUG 8 Perseids Meteor Shower Other Dates OCT 21/22 Orionids Meteor Shower MAR 20 Spring Equinox JlllCHES NOV 17 Leonids Meteor Shower JUN 20 Summer Solstice INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY PARK DEC 13/14 Geminids Meteor Shower SEPT 22 Autumnal Equinox © TYLER NORDGREN DEC 21 Winter Solstice

Curious Behavior BY MICHAEL MATTHES A Microscopic Community

From somersaulting through the air to not as social as crows and magpies, their is a living ground- sliding in the snow, the behavior of close relatives, they are often spotted with cover that forms the foundation of the Common Raven (Corvus corax) or near their mates. high desert plant life in Arches and is curious to say the least. These bold, the surrounding area. playful passerines are one of the most “Bird brain” isn’t an insult when it comes dominates this knobby crust, but it also common wildlife sightings in the park. If to the raven; they actually have large includes , , algae, you’re a “people-watcher” then you may brains and are extremely intelligent. microfungi, and bacteria. become a “raven-watcher” by the end of your visit; these birds are remarkably like Cognitive processes such as imitation, Cyanobacteria, previously called you and me. insight, and the superb ability to solve blue-green algae, are one of the oldest NPS PHOTO / NEAL HERBERT problems truly set them apart from other known life forms. Scientists think that Like humans, ravens speak their mind. bird species. Scientists believe that ravens these organisms were among the frst organic matter that might otherwise be Their sophisticated avian vocabulary memorize locations of food sources and colonizers of Earth’s early land masses, unavailable to plants. is complex with over 30 types of calls. have observed ravens using sticks as and played an integral role in the From the low, croak-like “kraaaah” to tools to raid other ravens’ food caches. formation and stabilization of Earth’s Even though these organisms are long- the deep, nasal “brooonk,” ravens are We humans are not the only species that early soils. Extremely thick mats of these lived, they are also fragile. We can expressive communicators. Their vocal relies on retaining and recalling past organisms converted the planet’s original negatively afect the presence and health repertoire includes hunger calls, defense experience as we soar through life. carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere into one of soil crusts. Footprints or machinery calls, fight calls, alarm calls, whistles, rich in oxygen and capable of sustaining impacts are extremely harmful, especially and territorial announcements. These Ravens are opportunists and will eat life. when the crusts are dry and brittle. loud-mouthed birds also make non- just about anything they can get their Tracks in continuous strips, such as those vocal sounds like wing whistling and bill claws on. Most of their diet consists of When wet, cyanobacteria move through produced by vehicles or bicycles, create snapping. The Common Raven can also carrion, lizards, bats, insects, and seeds, the soil and bind soil particles, forming areas that are highly vulnerable to wind mimic sounds from their environment but they aren’t opposed to human food as an intricate web of fbers. The fbers and water erosion. Rainfall carries away including human speech. well. These clever scoundrels have been join loose soil particles together, and an loose material, often creating channels known to break into unsecured coolers otherwise unstable surface becomes very along these tracks, especially on slopes. Aerial acrobatics, demonstrations of and vehicles for tasty yet unhealthy resistant to both wind and water erosion. intelligence, and providing food are key human treats. In an efort to keep wildlife This soil-binding action does not require Impacted areas may never fully recover. behaviors during the courting process. wild, avoid feeding ravens by keeping living flaments. One can still fnd layers Under the best circumstances, a thin Once paired, ravens nest together for your food properly stored in a secure of abandoned sheaths, built up over long veneer of biological soil crust may return life, usually in the same location. Though location. periods of time, clinging tenaciously to in fve to seven years. Recovery usually soil particles, providing cohesion and happens slowly during up to 50 years stability in sandy soils up to 4 inches of cyanobacterial growth. Lichens and (10 cm) deep. mosses may take even longer to recover.

Vascular plants can’t utilize nitrogen as it Help us protect park soils during your occurs in the atmosphere. Cyanobacteria visit. Please walk on trails, rock, or in convert atmospheric nitrogen to a sandy washes (where water fows when it form plants can use. This is especially rains), and keep your vehicles and bikes important in desert ecosystems, where on designated roads. nitrogen levels in the soil are low, which often limits plant productivity. Soil crusts also trap and store water, nutrients, and NPS PHOTO / ANDREW KUHN

6 Arches National Park Why So Many Arches?

Arches National Park has the densest concentration of natural stone arches in the world. There are over 2,000 documented arches in the park, ranging from sliver-thin cracks to spans greater than 300 feet (97 m). Why are there so many arches in this place? How do they form? And what is an arch, anyway? Make sure your rocks don’t rock and roll. Luckily, earthquakes are rare in this area, otherwise these massive outdoor rock First, you need the right kinds of rock. sculptures would splinter and collapse. The fact that over 2,000 still stand tells us this Sandstone is made of grains of sand cemented together by minerals, but not all area has been rather geologically stable for at least 50,000 years. sandstone is the same. The was once a massive desert, full of shifting dunes of fne-grained sand. They formed a hard rock that is very porous (full Lastly, pick the right time to visit. (You did.) of tiny spaces), while The Carmel Formation, made of sand and clays, is softer and The rock layers visible in the park today were once buried by over a mile of other rock resists water. that had to erode frst to expose what lay beneath. Visitors millions of years ago might have seen a wide fat plain dotted with vegetation. Imagine a visit far into the future, Crack it into parallel lines. when these layers have fully worn away. What new rock shapes might you discover Deep beneath the surface lies a thick layer of salts. Squeezed by rock above and then? below, the salt bulged upward, creating long domes. The rock layers covering these 1.6 domes were forced to crack, like the surface of freshly-baked bread, into a series of Descriptions of the dominant layers

Y in Arches National Park: more-or-less parallel lines. La Sal Mountains Greyish rock is the youngest in the park. Next, add the right amount of rain. Fossilized sea shells indicate deposition in a Green River FM marine environment. Visible in SE Salt Valley. On average, the park receives 8-10 inches (18-23 cm) of a year. That TERTIAR might not sound like much, but it’s enough to keep the engines of erosion working 24 Wasatch/Claron FM 66 Dakota Sandstone hours a day, 365 days a year. Deposited at the edge of an ancient sea. Mesa Verde Group Brownish-black cliffs and ridges can be seen when approaching Delicate Arch Viewpoint Rainwater soaks into the porous Entrada Sandstone easily, but gets trapped by the parking lot. Carmel. It can slowly dissolves the calcite bonding the sand together—in other words, Mancos Shale Morrison Formation rotting rock from the inside out. In winter, water trapped in cracks expands when it Contains petrifed wood and dinosaur bones. freezes, then contracts, prying the rock apart. Dakota Sandstone Forms ledgy slopes in the Wolfe Ranch area. CRETACEOUS CRETACEOUS Cedar Mtn/Burro Cyn FM If the park received too much precipitation, the sandstone could erode so quickly Curtis Formation 144 Whitish sandstone marked by joints paralleling that arches might not have time to form. If it never rained here, the engines of erosion Salt Valley. Deposited as beach dunes, the would stop. Moab Member is found in parts of the Fiery Morrison Formation Furnace and on the top of Delicate Arch.

Let the water do its work. Entrada Sandstone The major arch-forming rock, it dominates the As erosion happens, a variety of shapes begin to appear. Rock walls erode into fns, Summerville Formation park, especially at Courthouse Towers, Fiery then holes form. To be one of the park’s ofcial stone arches, a hole must have an Furnace, and Devils Garden. This cliff-forming Curtis Formation rock formed in a coastal dune environment. opening of at least three feet (1 m) in any one direction. There is no requirement for width; many arches in the park are so skinny you have to place your cheek against the Entrada Sandstone Carmel Formation Mudstones, siltstones, sandstones. Dark, rock to see any light through them. reddish-brown layer formed in a tidal fat

San Rafael Group Carmel Formation environment. Softer than the layers above and Is a window a special kind of arch? Not really. “Windows” are arches that are JURASSIC below it, it erodes more rapidly, an important factor in arch formation. Seen around Court- particularly large, are located on a high wall or fn, or “frame” a particularly scenic house Towers, and forms the pedestal of view beyond. Balanced Rock. Navajo Sandstone What about bridges? A natural bridge spans a waterway—or somewhere water once Formed in a desert environment. The thin, slanting layers within it are due to the deposi- ran. Very few bridges exist at Arches, but Natural Bridges National Monument, just Wingate Sandstone tion of wind-blown sand. This deposition is referred to as "cross-bedding." Petrifed Dunes

two hours south of here, has three tremendous examples of this feature. All of them Group are excellent examples of Navajo Sandstone. are visible from a paved road or by hiking trail. 208

Traces of the Past BY ALICE DE ANGUERA

For most of Arches National Park’s long history, red rock arches didn’t exist. Salty Sandstone, and the tan Navajo Sandstone, inland seas, braided river systems, coastal plains, and sand dunes fll the chapters in show diagonal lines called cross-bedding. our geologic history book. How do we know? Geologists, like detectives, use clues These are the inner structure of ancient such as fossils, ripple marks, and cross-bedding to understand the story of each sand dunes frozen in time. Amazingly, geologic layer. geologists can fgure out ancient wind direction by studying cross-bedding. Visit NPS PHOTO / A. DE ANGUERA Marine fossils in the 300-million-year-old Honaker Trail Formation are remnants of Petrifed Dunes Viewpoint for a taste of the Cross-bedding—evidence of ancient dunes— an ancient sea. Cheerio-like discs of crinoid stems, lacy branches of bryozoans, and largest dune feld in the history of near The Windows. clam-like brachiopods tell the story of a warm, shallow sea teeming with life. Crinoids North America. are animals that look like underwater fowers with feathery arms for collecting food. Trilobites, an early ancestor of the crab, crawled or swam among the corals. While To see some local fossils and other geologic clues, visit the Arches Visitor Center crinoids, bryozoans, and brachiopods still exist, other animals, such as horn corals display. Rangers can ofer suggestions about where to view fossils in the and trilobites, have been extinct for millions of years. Moab area. Remember, it is illegal to collect fossils or make plaster casts of them; leave them for future visitors and scientists to enjoy and study. This landscape has many Fossils are not the only clues to the stories written in the rocks. Ripple marks reveal stories to tell, from marine wonderland to dusty desert. The next time you’re out on evidence of past running or lapping water. Both the main arch-forming layer, Entrada the trail, bring your curiosity and discover a page or two for yourself.

Arches National Park 7 Where Does My Money Go? FINDVOUR

In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA), which replaced the PARK Recreational Fee Demonstration The area surrounding Arches National Program. The law allows us to use 80 Park is a treasure trove of recreational percent of fees collected at Arches opportunities. During your visit, con- National Park for repair, maintenance, sider exploring these other parks and and facility enhancement to support public lands. visitor enjoyment, visitor access, and health and safety.

Your fees also support visitor information and education, visitor services staf, and informational signs; habitat restoration for wildlife observation or photography; and law enforcement services related to public recreation.

Canyonlands National Park Fees for ranger-guided Fiery Furnace nps.gov/canyonlandsnp walks also remain in the park and go • Island in the Sky: 28 miles (45 km) directly to supporting the program. • The Needles: 79 miles (127 km) • The Maze: 133 miles (214 km) Your user fees funded these Canyonlands invites you to explore a improvements at Arches: wilderness of canyons and fantastically • Rehabilitating park trails formed carved by the Colorado • Upgrading roadside toilets River and its tributaries. Rivers divide the • Picnic and stargazing area at park into four districts: Island in the Sky, Panorama Point The Needles, The Maze, and the • Enhancing trailheads and pullouts rivers themselves. • Staf to assist with trafc and parking Your fees support (clockwise from top left) new toilet facilities, a stargazing area at Panorama Point, improved picnic areas, and staff support for parking and traffc congestion. NPS PHOTOS

Friends of Arches and Canyonlands Parks

The Friends of Arches and Canyonlands Parks: Bates Wilson Legacy Fund provides Hovenweep National Monument direct support to Arches and Canyonlands national parks and Natural Bridges and nps.gov/hovenweep Hovenweep national monuments in order to enhance existing projects in these spectacular 125 miles (201 km) areas, and to conserve the land and its cultural treasures for present and future generations Hovenweep includes six prehistoric vil- to enjoy. lages built between A.D. 1200 and 1300. Friends of Arches and Explore a variety of structures, including This mission honors the legendary work of Superintendent Bates Wilson, who came to Canyonlands Parks multistory towers perched on canyon Arches in 1949, inspiring and leading the effort that resulted in the establishment of rims and balanced on boulders. Canyonlands National Park in 1964. He is regarded by many as the Please visit www.foacp.org to learn more and make “Father of Canyonlands.” your donation. Thanks!

Bates Wilson frmly believed that: • The park visitor must have a great experience; • Exploratory and educational opportunities must abound; • Preservation is our obligation to future generations; • Youth indeed are the future: Bates enhanced the lives of countless young people as they explored and learned to appreciate the parks with him. NPS PHOTOS

Natural Bridges National Monument Canyonlands Natural History Association (CNHA) is the offcial nonproft partner of nps.gov/naturalbridges the National Park Service, Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management in southeast 124 miles (200 km) Utah. Since 1967, CNHA has donated over $12 million to these federal partners. Natural History Association Three majestic natural bridges invite Partners in Public Land Education you to ponder the power of water in a CNHA sells hundreds of items about Arches National Park and the rest of Utah’s landscape usually defned by its absence. canyon country. Your purchase supports public education and research at the park. View them from an overlook, or hit the trails and experience their grandeur Visit CNHA’s outlets at Arches Visitor Center and from below. Moab Information Center (corner of Center & Main streets in Moab).

Other nearby public lands:

Colorado National Monument Canyonlands Natural History Association 435-259-6003 Manti- www.cnha.org Dead Horse Point State Park facebook.com/moabcnha Bureau of Land Management twitter.com/CNHA1 For more area information visit: www.discovermoab.com

8 Arches National Park