Date: Nov. 4th, 2016
Distance: 7+ miles (lollipop route)
This trail, with side trips, visits 8 arches and a sandstone tower, and intimates Colorado Plateau’s very best landscape and rock formations.
It starts with a broad smooth path welcoming all comers.
At 1 mile, the iconic Landscape Arch appears.
Landscape side by side with Partition, above. Close up of Landscape, below.
The path becomes a maintained hiking trail from this point. I visited the Partition Arch,
And Navajo Arch via spur trails.
The main trail grows wilder by the yard leading hikers up an exposed rock ridge.
Fellow hikers somehow got onto a different ridge.
The view from the ridge
At 3 mile, Double O Arches is in sight.
After a long and pleasant chat with a French couple who are spending 6 months exploring North America, I moved forward from this lovely spot.
Dark Angel Tower from a distance. It’s not very impressive from this distance (150ft tall), but I was not inclined to make the 2 miles RT side trip.
The trails continues with relentless views,
and its smooth-rock surface provides significant thrill.
Below, looking back at the giant rock face I just traversed.
The trail rejoins the main path at Landscape Arch, and one last spur trail leads to another 2 arches.
Pine Tree Arch above, Tunnel Arch below
The photos below are not part of this trail, but they are prominent Arches National Park features.
Balanced Rock above, The Window below
Delicate Arch, featured on Utah’s license plate, from a distance
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