Day 4: Arches and Colorado River

Day 4 (May 30, 2022) We got up early this morning as we had a 7:00 am reservation to enter Arches National Park. Our plan was to get some hiking in before the day got too hot. This time of year can be hit or miss when it comes to temperatures. We got lucky that the storm blew through and cooled it down. It was still in the 50’s in the park which sounds cold, but with the sun out in a desert environment, it actually is an ideal time to hike. We started with a short hike to the Delicate Arch overlook. The hike to the arch itself we were saving for another day. This iconic arch is frequently on posters associated with Arches. 

Next, we stopped by Wolf Ranch, a historic early settler homestead. This is also the starting point for the Delicate Arch hike, but just took a short walk to look at the homestead and some nearby petroglyphs. Both are worth seeing if you’re interested. 

Next, we stopped by the Fiery Furnace overlook. This is an area that would be awesome to explore, but you’re not allowed without a permit or a ranger as it is easy to get lost amongst the formations. In fact, to discourage visitors from trying to sneak in, trespassers face a $500 fine and sixth months of jail time. As all of the permits and ranger tours were booked, we decided against risking jail time, and took a few pictures from the overlook. It’s an amazingly beautiful part of the park. 

Our next stop was the coolest hike of the day, both literally and figuratively. It is a hike to see two arches. The first is the Sand Dune Arch. This is the part of the hike that both Jenny and I enjoyed the most as you’re hiking between sandstone walls that kept the temperature remarkably cool. We called it Fiery Furnace Lite as it provided a little bit of canyon exploration without the need for a specialized permit. 

The appropriately named Sand Dune Arch is also neat to see and is a short hike from the parking area. 

The hike continued across a wide open stretch of desert to Broken Arch. I would not recommend doing this hike in the middle of a hot day. Otherwise, this arch is quite picturesque and worth a visit. You can actually continue through the arch and complete a loop, but as it involved a bit of rock scrambling, we turned around and returned the way we came. 

Our final stop in the park was at Devil’s Garden which is at the end of the park road. This area gets quite crowded, and we had to hunt for a parking spot for a while, but it is definitely worth exploring despite the crowds. If you’re willing to rock scramble and hike a fair distance, you can see a number of different arches and some interesting terrain and rock formations. After an already lengthy day, we settled for exploring the first three arches, Tunnel Arch…

Pine Tree Arch…

And our personal favorite Landscape Arch…

This last arch is definitely worth checking out as you can see it from several different angles along the trail. There’s even a view point near the bottom of the arch. 

The rest of the scenery is also quite spectacular…

Later on this same day, we had booked a dinner and night cruise on the Colorado River. This is an interesting experience. The food was surprisingly good, nothing spectacular but tasty, and it is all you can eat. The river cruise itself includes a “light show” which is a little cheesy and touristy, but it was neat to drift on the river in the darkness. It was a surreal experience. Our guide was also quite amusing and pointed out rock formations that resembled different animals, people, and famous icons, including Winnie the Pooh” and “E.T.”  Our one disappointment was that it was a cloudy night, and it kept us from seeing the starry night sky. It would have been a perfect night for it was the new moon. Overall, I recommend the experience. 

Oh, and I forgot to mention one last surprise, Jenny spotted a beaver on the river bank. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the best picture, but here it is…