At Arches National Park near Moab, Utah, boomer travelers will discover 2,000 sandstone arches — the world’s largest concentration of nature’s bridge-building handiwork. Paved roads lead to parking areas where 10-minute walks end at stone formations or arches with names like Balancing Rock, North and South Window or Skyline Arch.
Visited at sunrise or sunset, the arches strike the perfect pose as photographers capture their form in dramatic lighting. It’s one of Utah’s best parks for exploring sandstone arches.
Hikers looking for more of a work-out will enjoy the 3-mile round trip trek up the sloping slick rock to Delicate Arch. Alan counts stumbling down the dark trail at Delicate Arch, after a sunset photo shoot, as one of his boomer favorites. For a more moderate option choose the path to Landscape Arch, located at Devils Garden trailhead. The two-plus-mile round trip walk provides plenty of scenery including the park’s longest arch at 360 ft. Adding the Primitive Loop extends the Devils Garden trip into a 7-mile strenuous jaunt. Want even more adventure? Join a ranger-led hike through the labyrinth of canyons and stone fins at Fiery Furnace.
Alan and I visited Arches National Park while attending an October photo workshop led by Jim Altengarten of Exposure 36 Photography. I’ll never forget the smell of bacon frying that wafted from Devils Garden campground as I scampered over rocks to photograph the back side of Skyline Arch in the morning light.
For a monumental view, stroll down the pathway that’s aptly named — Park Avenue. Walking between stone formations resembling skyscrapers, all that’s missing are New York’s busy street corners.
With trails for bicyclists and off-road vehicles, active boomers will find plenty of adventure at Arches National Park. For accommodations, Moab offers many choices or park your RV at Devils Garden campground. Of course you can always pitch a tent. A luxury stay at Sorrel River Ranch Resort and Spa is another option. But, wherever you stay, don’t forget to stop by Jailhouse Café in Moab for breakfast. You won’t regret it.
