Sometimes seeing a national park means prioritizing sites rather than just driving from Point A to Point B. And that’s certainly true for Arches National Park. Rangers at visitor centers know how to deal with us tourists and amateur photographers, so we make it a point to begin at the beginning by grabbing a map and some good advice first thing.
Exploring Arches is fairly easy with the National Park Service map — just follow the red line from Park Avenue to Balanced Rock to Fiery Furnace Viewpoint, all the way to Devils Garden Campground with a detour for Lower Delicate Arch. But here’s what the ranger recommended — and we took to heart: Save Double Arch for sundown. It meant going past the Windows Section and on to Delicate Arch, then return to catch Double Arch at the end of the day when Ol’ Sol turns on the rays for a spectacular red rock display.
Double Arch offers a short trail from the parking lot to the site with mostly loose sands to contend with. Pretty easy for any walker. And being among the non-climbers has its own reward — we found a flat rock on the trail to sit on, so we could watch the show from below.
Even before sundown, showy, brilliant reds light up the towering rocks in a way that no fiddling with your camera or Photoshop can duplicate. But the show begins in earnest right when the sun starts to dip. (Remember to ask the rangers for sundown times the day you arrive.)
You may be content to enjoy the view from inside the arch. But if you continue past the comfort of the rock’s “cradle,” you’ll be rewarded with wide-open views and late afternoon changes on the other side of Double Arch.
Of course, anywhere in Arches is a good place to be when the sun goes down. And the walk back to the parking lot offers faraway vistas with the ruddy beauty of late afternoon.
Since you can’t be in all places in Arches National Park at once, you may not catch every formation lit in the optimal late-day light. But you may be able to enjoy the rocks silhouetted by nature’s back lighting.
When in Utah, travel at sundown!
Rusha & Bert
For more information:
Arches National Park, Utah: https://www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm
And for more posts on the national parks in Utah, check out We Saw Utah! on our homepage.
sunnydaysinseattle
Spectacular! We would love to see the double arches or any of the arches at sun down, but we were told that due to road closure, we must exit the park by 7PM ;(
Oh, the Places We See
So sorry you experienced trouble seeing the arches at sundown. But you are indeed correct about closing time. The Arches National Park website says that roads will close at 7 on Sunday through Thursday nights until November 30. (Click here for report: https://www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm) Other times that the park is at its best for picture-taking is early morning. They open at 7:00 a.m. Hope you get to the see Arches no matter what time of day. It’s one gorgeous national park!
declutteringmylifeweb
80,000 year old tree colony https://declutteringmylifeweb.wordpress.com/2017/07/17/80000-year-old-tree-colony-in-utah-a-new-timescale-is-needed/
Oh, the Places We See
Thanks for sharing this link about a fascinating sight.
declutteringmylifeweb
I hope I can see Pando one day. I live in Eastern Europe, rather far from there.
Amy
Great photo of the Arch National Park! I love this park… 🙂
Oh, the Places We See
We loved this one, too, Amy. In fact, it would be in the top 5 of the Utah parks for us. Thanks for taking a look at it.
tappjeanne
love the way you capture the light, Rusha
Oh, the Places We See
Thanks, but I don’t have a special technique. Trusting the Lord, I suppose!
ralietravels
We usually stop to see a ranger to ask about wheelchair accessible and easy trails etc. but this is good advice. We will expand our inquires.
Oh, the Places We See
I would imagine each ranger has a fave spot for sundown, but really any spot is gorgeous at that time of day. Enjoy the parks. And thank the rangers. They do an incredible job!
Green Global Trek
Thanks for sharing this beautiful national park at sundown. Your photos are quite magnificent and I can only imagine how wondrous it must have been to be there in person! I have never been to Itah and this post definitely makes a case for going!!
Peta
Oh, the Places We See
If you come to America, you’ve got to see some of our national parks. The ones in Utah are unique for their red rocks and fascinating land formations. But all have their beauty. We live near the Great Smoky Mountains national park, the most visited one in the U.S. And if you get there early morning, you’ll feel that you’ve made it to heaven!
orangewayfarer
So the partner got a chance to stay in Utah on work assignment but refused for more lucrative NYC. I am regretting the decision now. So beautiful, this!
Oh, the Places We See
It really is a great spot in the U.S. We would love a return trip. And if I get back, I’m going to see parts of it at daybreak. Can only imagine the beauty!
Jodi
beautiful!
Oh, the Places We See
Thanks, Jodi, for taking a look. Lots of watercolor possibilities for you at these parks!
dawnkinster
Oh my, how beautiful. LOVE Arches…though haven’t been there since I was a kid. It still looks wonderful…and the late sun, spectacular! Good advice from the Ranger!
Oh, the Places We See
Thanks for the compliments. We were indeed fortunate to be able to stay a little later and see the sundown show. But I wouldn’t want to be there after dark!
Judy @ NewEnglandGardenAndThread
Thank heavens for our national parks system. Gorgeous territory posted here. 🙂
Oh, the Places We See
You’re so right, Judy. Our national parks are treasures indeed!
egodiary.com
Looks amazing! I haven’t been to Utah, but my husband traveled a few times there with work. And last time, they also visited Brice Canion. These red shades remind me of that landscape, which I only saw in pictures unfortunately 🙂
Oh, the Places We See
Please see if there’s time to go to Utah — it’s one of the prettiest states in terms of natural beauty. And Bryce Canyon is also a favorite spot. Hope to do a post on it, too.
egodiary.com
Yes please! I would love to see more of it, in pictures for now:)
HesterLeyNel
Amazing captures. I love the play of light caused by the setting sun.
Oh, the Places We See
It really grabbed my attention, too, Hester. In fact, as the shadows shift, I just snap more pictures. It’s fun being a sun chaser!
Pit
Thanks for the fantastic pictures.
The title of your post made me think of something else, though:
Let’s save all National Parks, Monuments and public lands from the greedy business interests and their willing collaborators in the present administration.
Oh, the Places We See
Maybe Save Our Parks is a good slogan, after all. I really would hate to lose the reserved land here to development or anything else. Thanks for taking a look.
Pit
We cannot repeat that slogan often enough!
Parul Thakur
That’s so gorgeous. You are right that timing is so important while checking out places like these. Beautiful shots too.
Oh, the Places We See
Timing is everything in photography, I suppose. And one thing I haven’t done is show up at daybreak for those precious early-morning minutes. Gotta do that!