Balanced Rock Loop

Elephant Butte sits at 5653 ft. and is the highest point in Arches National Park. It requires two rappels using a 60m rope. In addition to this, it requires some short sections of low fifth class scrambling that can be difficult on wet rock. The approach starts at Garden of Eden trailhead. Go past Owl Rock aiming for a canyon weakness in the walls ahead on the left that has a small talus ...

Owl Rock is a fun, 100' single pitch spire right in the middle of Arches National Park. The approach is minimal, just a few minutes walk from the parking lot, and there's plenty of room at the base to set up for a nice day under the sun. It's a popular spot, so in case there's a short line, bring some snacks and drinks and lizard on the warm rocks until you're up. There's also a decent amount o...

The hike to Double Arch is a relatively flat and easy hike of 0.5 miles roundtrip. You can add this to the rest of the quick spots you may want to visit on your visit to Arches.This arch is created by two arches that shares the same stone as the foundation for their outer legs. This arch was formed by downward water erosion as opposed to the more common side-to-side erosion. The good news is t...

To get to the trailhead: After entering the park, keep driving along the main road until you see signs for The Windows Area (just past the Balanced Rock and a little over 9 miles from the Visitor Center).  Follow this road until it ends in a parking lot and you see the arches to your right. The trailhead is obvious and you can decide to either go left or right to begin the hike.  I decided to ...

Arches National Park is a must see for all photographers, but especially for astrophotography. Many of the most common places to shoot are balanced rock, and Delicate Arch and there's a good reason, these are beautiful places. North Window Arch is much less common, and even on a moonless night, you might get the spot to yourself - I did! The north window arch in Arches National Park is reall...

Arches National Park is an incredible place with a variety of places to explore. One of the great places to explore is the Fiery Furnace. The Fiery Furnace requires a permit, which can be obtained at the Visitor Center after watching a short video. For the most part, they are making sure you are capable of simple navigation and inform you to avoid the microbial crust. Once you have obtained the...