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Adventures at Arches National Park with Kids

We usually avoid National Parks in the summer due to the heat and crowds.  But, we spent this past weekend at Arches National Park for a day and a half of hike-filled adventure in the heat. Surprisingly, the heat wasn’t as intense since some hikes were between large rocks and it wasn’t as crowded as we expected. Here is our guide and some tips for visiting Arches National Park in Utah.

Arches National park road

Arches National Park is located a few miles from the town of Moab in southeastern Utah. It has one of the most breathtaking and unique park scenery we’ve ever visited. There are over 2,000 sandstone arches at the park which is the highest concentration anywhere in the world.

The arches and rock formations were formed through a combination of forces of water, ice, wind, extreme temperatures and the movement of the underground salt bed it sits on.  These gradually sculpted the landscape for thousands of years.

Arches National park Broken Arch

The park was also home to a variety of spires, pinnacles, sandstone walls or fins and giant monoliths. The 36-mile (58 km) roundtrip scenic road had plenty of viewpoints and trails to marvel at these majestic spectacles. One of the first things that greeted us were these huge red rock formations.

Arches National park landscape

You look at these rock formations long enough and they seem to morph into something familiar.  My daughter instantly thought this one area of sheep’s rock looked like a lion’s head profile.  What do you think?

Arches National park lion face in sheep rock

The high sandstone walls of the narrow canyon was called “Park Avenue” by early visitors since it reminded them of buildings lining a city street.

Arches Park Avenue

Balanced Rock was a 3,000 ton boulder that was perched 55 feet above an eroded rock pedestal – a sight that almost defied gravity.

Arches national Park balanced rock

Many of the rock formations were named by the American Indians who lived here and called it as how it looked.  It seemed like Mother Nature picked the most stable base and carefully placed this huge rock on top of it.

Arches national Park balanced rock

One of the first arches we hiked to explore was Sand Dune Arch.  Walking barefoot in the soft, red sand and climbing between huge rocks  made this easily my kids’ favorite hike.

Sand Dune Arch trail

This was the most kid-friendly hike with shaded areas, a cool breeze blowing in between the rocks and a short distance from the parking lot.  It was also the perfect spot for playing if only we had some sand toys.

Sand dune arch

Also known as “red rock wonderland”, the distinctive color around the park comes from the iron oxide.  Below is a small section of the red and white sandstone canyon of Fiery Furnace.

Arches national park fiery furnacce

Skyline Arch was one of the prominent arches seen from the road on a slanted bed of rocks. A huge boulder fell off the arch in 1940 which doubled its size. Natural elements and time are continuously sculpting the geological marvels in this park in what scientists call “erosion in action”.

Skyline arch

The scenic highway ends and loops around an area called Devil’s Garden which is a trailhead and the park’s lone campground.  A mile hike between tall sandstone fins is Landscape Arch. This is the world’s longest natural arch at 306 feet from base to base.

Part of it broke off 20 years ago and its narrowest point is now only 6 feet wide. It is precariously thin looking reminding us of its vulnerability to the forces of nature. The rangers highly recommend seeing this before natural elements take its toll and breaks.

Arches national Park Landscape Arch

The highest concentration of arches and some of the largest can be found at an area called the Windows.  Looking like a set of eyes from a distance, the appropriately named North and South Windows were quite a sight to behold.

North and South Windows Arch

The relatively easy hike led us to take a closer look at these formations like the North Window below.

North Window Arch

The window arches also made for a good backdrop for some fun pictures. My kids loved having an “eye” in the background.

North Windows arch

Turret Arch, one of the “younger” arches was also nearby. This was 100 feet wide which included a smaller arch nearby.  Scientists have speculated that in time, these may form into one large arch.

Turret arch

The appropriately named Double Arch stems from the same source and may look familiar to Indiana Jones film fans.

Double Arch

Despite the thousands of arches and rock formations in the park, there was one that everyone visits. The most famous of the arches, Delicate Arch, is Utah’s unofficial symbol. Seeing Delicate Arch has always been on my “must see” list of natural wonders. It’s mostly due to the Microsoft Windows desktop background I see every time I turn my computer on at home and all the Utah license plates I’ve seen.

Our first day included a short hike to see it from across the canyon on the Delicate Arch viewpoint trailhead. This was our view. Please excuse my kids’ hot, sweaty and “not happy to be hiking in the afternoon heat” looks.

Delicate Arch viewpoint

It was impressive but it just seemed so far away and small. We saw all these visitors enjoying the arch through a zoom lens view. The short and fairly easy viewpoint trail would be suited for those not wanting to do the long arduous trek to see the arch up close.

Delicate arch viewpoint trail

Day 2 at Arches National Park

We set out early in the morning the following day to beat the heat for the 3 mile (4.8 km) roundtrip hike to get up close and personal with the Delicate Arch. This trail started at the Wolfe Ranch area where the old log cabin built over 100 years ago still stands but has been closed to the public.

Wolfe Ranch house

Part of this hike, which took the longest, was an upward climb on a wide, unshaded slickrock. We could barely make out the people crossing the slickrock from the start of the trail. Yes, we had to make it over that mountain shown below.

Delicate arch trail slickrock

Before seeing the popular attraction though, everyone must also walk through a scary ledge hugging a steep cliff with no guard rails. This was not for those who have a fear of heights.

Delicate Arch ledge

Walking around the ridge and seeing this natural wonder in person was absolutely worth the hike for me.  The image embedded in my mind didn’t compare to seeing it in person. It was stunning and spectacular and deserves every superlative that’s been used to describe it.

Delicate Arch

Surrounded by an amphitheater of red rocks, there was nothing delicate about this free-standing arch at 65 feet (20 m) tall. I didn’t expect it to be this imposing, huge and yet, smooth looking. It has also been called “Old Maid’s Bloomers” and “Cowboy Chaps” which many think is more appropriate.

Delicate arch

The amphitheater was a slope where walking sideways carefully was the norm to move around. I made the mistake of looking down a few times and my heart skipped a beat after seeing the distance of the canyon drop-off below. As a paranoid mother of an overly active boy, being here was also a bit nerve-wracking.  But, we also found small, shaded corners to fully enjoy the panoramic views.

Delicate arch ampitheater

My husband and daughter decided to venture further under the arch for that memorable photo. Having people under it really puts into perspective the massiveness of this arch.

delicate arch pose

Arches National Park’s’ amazing natural wonders provided the perfect place for a variety of hiking levels.  We saw parents hiking with kids of all ages including babies(one family even had a stroller), and elderly people with canes towards Delicate Arch.

Though, I’m not sure how well that family with a stroller did on the mountain and ledge.  We loved that there were so many easy hikes for the whole family to do and it offered a lot for the kids(more on a later post).

Delicate arch

Our kids made it through the hikes with minimal complaints. It’s surprising how much of a motivating factor gelato can be for kids. Despite the sweltering conditions, it was a fun-filled weekend of exploring and learning that we all would gladly do over again – except the summer. So many arches…so little time.

*Have you visited and explored Arches National Park?

Arches National Park

51 thoughts on “Adventures at Arches National Park with Kids”

  1. What an incredible park – and your photos are gorgeous! The kids did amazing to hike in the summer heat like that (and they look great too!). I agree with your kids – looking at the rock formations is a bit like looking at clouds and imagining what the shapes resemble.

    1. Thank you Lisa! Between the Junior ranger acitvities and looking at all the rocks and making rock gardens, I’m glad the complaints about heat and exhaustion were minimal and they were entertained. They surprised us! It was exactly like looking at clouds and a wonderful way to use their imagination.

    1. We loved the hikes despite the heat. We’d love to return during the winter to see these red rocks with a dust of snow. Thanks for stopping by Margaret!

  2. I think the sheep’s rock looks like the sphinx in profile! You did a great job of
    capturing the beauty of the park. I wish we had more parks like this nearby.

    1. Thanks Jessica! It does look a bit sphinx like too. I’m gonna have to tell my daughter this too :) This part of Utah has some of the best and scenic National Parks in the country.

  3. I haven’t been to Arches in years! Thanks for the reminder of just how beautiful it is. Your pictures are amazing! Glad your kids were such troopers.

    1. Thank you Debi! The delicate Arch was their longest hike ever and we’re so glad they made it through too. Now, we can take them on more hikes knowing they survived that one in the heat. Hope you get to go back to Arches NP with your boys.

  4. Having people in the picture really does help emphasize just how huge these structures are. I think I would also be nervous on those narrow ledges with kids, so it’s good to know it’s not impossible.

    1. These pictures can’t really show how huge these rocks were. They were like city skyscrapers. It still amazws me how some people with mobility issues were able to walk on the slickrock and the ledge. I was very nervous watching my son moving around. It was times like those I wish I had a leash on him :)

    1. Thanks Jackie! Accomodation prices were actually pretty decent considering it was summer. I’m sure you’d get a better deal during the winter but Moab had a lot of choices.

  5. Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista

    I’ve not been to Arches yet but it is definitely on the list! I am amazed at how big everything is and love the red color of the Utah desert. Wonderful pictures.

  6. So happy to hear about your Arches trip, Mary! This is my favorite national park and I can’t get enough of the beautiful scenery there. One could really take weeks to fully explore and do all of the available hikes! I am so impressed with your kids for doing the Delicate Arch hike…that’s a tough one. LOVE all of your pictures and can’t wait to hear more about your trip!

    1. Thanks Andi! This park has just jumped up among our favorites. That hike was hard and they kept themselves busy along the way. I was even more surprised with how people were dressed for the Delicate Arch hike.

    1. The park really does need to be seen in person to fully appreciate all the rock formations. Yes, they will..including ones where their parents made them hike in the hot summer sun for 3 miles.

  7. We were just there in June- and LOVED it. Such a fun national park. We loved taking pictures near all the different arches. Good to hear you all enjoyed it so much!

  8. Arches is one National Park we still haven’t seen. Your photographs are stunning and some are views I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. My family would love it, though I don’t think we’d be quite as brave as you to go in the summer.

    1. Thanks Sonja! We learned our lesson and experienced the summer heat. We’ll definitely return during cooler weather. Moab had so much to offer for the whole family. I’m sure your kids would enjoy all the activities and parks around here.

    1. Thanks Tracy! This was such a special park and we loved that it was so kid-friendly even the hikes. Who knew rocks can have endless possibilities to fascinate the kids.

  9. I just got to drive through parts of Arches National Park on our way back to Salt Lake City from the 4 corners area when I was in Americorps…I can’t wait to visit the park with my family and spend more time there! Incredible photos!

    1. Thanks Kate! We spent a day and half here and we still want to go back and do more. There were many areas we bypassed due to lack of time and the heat. This area has so much to offer including another national park – Canyonlands. We’d love to do the 4 corners area too next time. I hope you get to come back and visit this area with your family soon.

  10. I think our family trips to the Moab area – Arches included are some of the most memorable vacations ever. I don’t think I would ever tire of the Arches but if given the choice I would choose the spring or fall to visit. I highly recommend reading Edward Abbey’s book now that you’ve been there – Desert Solitaire.

    1. Thanks for the book recommendation, Leigh. I will look for it in the library. I’m sure this trip was certainly memorable for my kids. We really do need to go back in the Spring.

    1. It was an incredible place to visit! Many of the National parks we’ve visited usually have lodging within the park which range from hotels to campsites. Most of them are usually near small towns with plenty of lodging varieties too. Arches NP was near Moab which had a lot of hotel chains. We’ve never camped at the National Parks (I’m not a camping person) but have stayed at some very nice hotels near them.

    1. Thanks Cathy! My kids were totally impressed too and I’m glad it made such an impact on them and hopefully, will be a memorable trip for a long time.

  11. Shing @ Blog Me Travel

    Wow – I am embarrassed to admit that I had never heard of Arches National Park, until now! So thank you for showing me somewhere new in the world – another must see destination added to my ever growing list! The thing I like most about your blog is that it incorporates your whole family, I don’t have children myself, but I’m sure many who do are very inspired by your blog because travelling with children often seems too difficult to set time and money aside for – but you prove otherwise.

    1. Thanks for the kind words, Shing! You live in the UK so understandable that you haven’t heard of Arches but sadder because I know many Americans who haven’t heard of it. :) It really is a very unique and beautiful park. One of the reasons I started this blog was hoping to inspire some families to get out there with their kids even if it’s just to their nearby state or National Park.

  12. This looks like a wonderful place to spend a day! Nature’s playground, it seems. It has worked so hard to create these masterpieces for us to enjoy! And your daughters imagination is very correct, the shape does indeed resembles lion head or a sheep! Have a wonderful day Mary
    :)
    PS – The comment you left on my Hibiya Garden post got deleted by mistake, accept my apologies.

    1. Thanks Arti! That is a great way of putting it – “nature’s playground”. No worries – I’ll be leaving more comments on your Tokyo posts :)

  13. Love the photos! We are taking three kids this June and doing Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce and Zion. We have a Chariot hiking stroller to let the kids ride in (its actually pulled, not pushed) but I was wondering if many of the trails you went on are wide enough for the stroller in tow. Thanks!

    1. Thanks Luke! Sorry it took me awhile to get back to you. What an exciting trip! We love the Utah parks. We didn’t hike in Zion but saw some people with strollers going towards the Riverwalk/Temple of Sinawava – it’s paved and by the river. We did a short walk leading to the Navajo Loop in Bryce. There was a pretty steep area there and I wouldn’t feel comfortable with any stroller. Check in at the Visitor’s center and they should be able to recommend short hikes for you.

      Arches – Sand Dune Arch was pretty wide but you’ll be walking on red sand and is not paved. The Windows area is probably doable with a stroller too but there are inclines and stairways. The Delicate Arch viewpoint trailhead is also doable with a stroller. We did the 3 mile RT Delicate Arch trail and this included going up a slickrock with some narrow areas to navigate through including a ledge. Even though we saw a family with a stroller, I’m not sure your wide one would fit in some areas. Sorry, we didn’t do a hike in Canyonlands but there are plenty of overlooks. Hope this helps!

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