National Park Service Visitor Guide U.S. Department of the Interior Fall 2015 Arches Visitor Guide Bring this paper to the visitor center desk for travel tips, or turn to page 4. Have a Safe Visit Celebrating a Centennial The sun is intense, and shade is minimal in the high desert. Wear sunscreen and a ARCHES NATIONAL PARK WELCOMES A GLOBAL COMMUN - scapes and ity of over one million visitors each year. They come to experi- cultural heritage. hat to protect your skin. Every year, rang- ers respond to dozens of search and rescue ence balanced rocks, towering fins and spires, and the world’s incidents in the park. For your own safety, largest concentration of natural sandstone arches. This land- One hundred years please keep the following in mind through- scape inspires awe at first glance but those who take the time to from now, what chal- out your visit: look more deeply receive the greatest reward. During your visit, lenges will national pause and smell the fleeting bloom of a desert flower, feel the parks face? How will climate change, invasive species, and air, twisting trunks of ancient junipers, gaze into potholes teeming light, and sound pollution affect these wild and inspiring plac- with life, and listen for raven-call echoing through the rocks. es? Remember, you have the power to help ensure their vitality. The park’s 76,519 acres abound with surreal geologic wonders During your visit, join a ranger hike, consult a field guide, at- that represent millions of years of earth’s history exposed by tend a night sky program, and talk with rangers at the visitor the tireless hands of water, ice, and wind. Erosional features center. Most importantly, leave no trace, stay on trails, and that color the land paint rocky portraits of the ancient sand respect wildlife. When you learn more about national parks Drink water: at least 1 gallon (4 L) per day. dunes, tidal flats, rivers, and lakes from which they originated. and care for them, you help secure their legacy for the health of Water is available at the visitor center and at This is a place of enduring life and raw beauty, a window from the natural world and the human spirit. Devils Garden. which to contemplate the past and a shared future. As you view the Milky Way sweep over Turret Arch or contem- Arches is one of more than 400 sites managed by the National plate the ultimate fate of Balanced Rock, remember that Arch- Park Service, a federal agency established by Congress in 1916 to es, and all national parks, are places of connection to this pre- care for America’s great scenic and historic places. In 2016, the cious earth we call home. For one hundred years, people have National Park Service celebrates one hundred years of preserv- been traveling to national parks to come home to nature. Here’s ing America’s shared future by protecting her treasured land- to one hundred more. Stay on the trail. Cairns (small rock piles) mark routes. Follow them, and don’t build your own. Rocks fall. People fall. Watch your step. Find Your Park Protect Your Park Don’t Leave Your Mark Sandstone is slippery when wet or icy. Stay on Trails Graffiti: A Growing Problem As we prepare for the National Park Service’s Centennial in 2016, we want to help you find This land is every bit as fragile as it is beautiful. Even though graffiti is prohibited by law, rangers your park! A park can be a place, an experience, If you step off the trail, you can easily injure the and volunteer groups spend hundreds of hours or a state of mind. soil’s living surface. When biological soil crust every year removing it at Arches National Park. is damaged, it can take centuries (literally) to You can find yours at FindYourPark.com, and recover. Protect your park: don’t leave your mark. If you share your photos or stories with the hashtag discover graffiti in the park, please let us know. #FindYourPark. Help us protect park soils during your visit. Otherwise, make memories, take pictures, but Please walk on trails, rock or in sandy washes leave no visible trace of your visit. When thunder roars, go indoors. There is no safe place outside. Get up, get out there, and find your park! Visit (where water flows when it rains), and keep all Seek shelter in a safe building or vehicle. FindYourPark.com to find places, share stories, or vehicles and bikes on designated roads. In winter, avoid snow or icy trails. find out how to get involved. Park Information National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior i HOURS OF OPERATION D FOUR-WHEEL-DRIVE ROUTES The park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The visitor center is open Arches has a limited number of four-wheel-drive roads. ATVs/OHVs daily from 9 am to 4 pm, with extended hours mid-March through October. are prohibited. Check at the visitor center for current road condi- Arches National Park protects extraor- The visitor center is closed December 25. tions, especially after recent rain. The Bureau of Land Management dinary examples of geologic features in- (BLM) maintains many popular 4WD routes outside the park. cluding arches, natural bridges, windows, " RANGER PROGRAMS spires, balanced rocks, as well as other fea- Rangers lead Guided Walks most days, spring ` TRAVELING WITH PETS tures of geologic, historic, and scientific in- through fall, at various locations in the park. Activities with pets are limited at Arches. Pets are prohibited on hiking trails, terest, and provides opportunities to expe- Routes follow easy or moderate trails up to one at overlooks, or anywhere in the backcountry, even in carriers. You may have rience these resources and their associated mile in length. Check at the visitor center for your pet in the developed campground and may walk your pet along paved values in their majestic natural settings. times and locations. roads. Your pet must be leashed at all times when outside a vehicle. For your pets’ safety, do not leave them in vehicles when temperatures are above Arches National Park Fiery Furnace Walks are offered daily, spring 65°F (18°C) as they can die of heat exhaustion. PO Box 907 through fall. These moderately strenuous, three- Moab, UT 84532 hour hikes wind through terrain that requires Outside the national parks, these public lands offer great hiking opportuni- E-mail [email protected] scrambling up and through narrow cracks and ties and do allow pets on trails: Phone 435-719-2299 along narrow ledges above drop-offs. Children • Bureau of Land Management (BLM): 435-259-2100 under 5 are not permitted. Make reservations at www.recreation.gov, or • Manti-La Sal National Forest: 435-259-7155 Arches Visitor Guide Published By inquire at the visitor center for available tickets. Walks may fill weeks in • Dead Horse Point State Park: 435-259-2614 Canyonlands Natural History Association, advance. If you have a reservation, you must check in at the visitor center at Inquire with these public lands for any restrictions. a not-for-profit organization that assists least one hour before your hike. the National Park Service in its educational, É KENNELS OUTSIDE THE PARK interpretive, and scientific programs. For Rangers may present Evening Programs, spring through fall, at the Devils There are two kennels with boarding services in Moab: more information, see page 8. Garden Campground amphitheater. Check at the visitor center for times and Karen’s Canine Campground Moab Veterinary Clinic topics. 2781 S. Roberts Rd. 4575 Spanish Valley Drive The National Park Service cares for the spe- 435-259-7922 435-259-8710 cial places saved by the American people so − CAMPING that all may experience our heritage. You may only camp in the campground or with a backcountry permit. â CLIMBING AND CANYONEERING Devils Garden Campground has 50 sites and is 18 miles from the park It is your responsibility to know and follow all climbing & canyoneering entrance. The campground is usually full daily between March and October. regulations, route closures, and group size limits. Obtain day-use permits Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Water and flush toilets are avail- and route information at the kiosk located in the visitor center plaza or on able in several locations. Wood gathering and ground fires are prohibited. the park website. Climbing of any type is prohibited on all arches and Park Fees You can purchase wood from the campground hosts March through Octo- prominent features. Slacklining is always prohibited. Travel only on des- ber. Generator use is allowed 8-10 am and 4-8 pm. Quiet hours are between ignated trails, rock or sandy washes to protect soil crust and practice Leave Arches National Park charges fees for park 10 pm and 6 am. Groups of 11 or more can use the group tent sites Juniper No Trace ethics. Most routes require advanced skills; assess your abilities and entrance, camping, and some permits. Basin and Canyon Wren. No RVs or trailers are permitted in group sites. risks appropriately. Plan well and be prepared for self-rescue. Eighty percent of the fees collected at Arch- es are returned to the park to address prior- CAMPING RESERVATIONS ity needs in maintenance, infrastructure, You can reserve sites at Devils Garden Campground between March 1 = EMERGENCY! resource management, and visitor services. and October 31. November through February, campsites are first-come, Any number of emergencies can occur while you are visiting the park: hik- first-served.