Monday, January 16, 2023

Longbow Arch

When we visited Moab in December 2022, I googled arches outside of Arches National Park and found an article that listed Longbow Arch as a great hike, and I was very surprised.  I had never heard of Longbow Arch, despite living in Moab for 2 1/2 years and hiking a few times a week, plus visiting countless times since then!  I was even more surprised when I read that Longbow Arch trail is along Potash Road, which I have driven countless times!  And it's near the hike for Corona Arch, which I had hiked countless times!  Of course I wanted to go see Longbow Arch!  The hike is about 3 miles round trip, and it is kind of hard for someone who is afraid of heights like me.  But I made it there, and then my husband suggested we go back on the Poison Spider jeep trail to avoid the scary heights parts, which worked out just great for me!  First along the trail you run into the Dinosaur Tracks, and then the petroglyphs.  Then you can follow the green-paint-marked trail to the arch.  There is one part where some hand/foot holds have been placed in the rock to make it possible to scale the rock.  It is a little difficult for someone with short legs like me, but I made it (and luckily didn't have to climb back down it on the way back, since we took the jeep trail). I figured out why I'd never heard of or known about Longbow Arch!  They decided in 2017 to make a trail to it, and the trail wasn't completed until a couple years later.  I'm so grateful that they made a trail to the arch, because even if I had known Longbow Arch was there, I wouldn't have been able to find it without their trail!  I don't know that I'll hike this one again because of the heights, but it was definitely worth going to once, and you should hike to it if you've never been there!
Dinosaur Tracks on the trail to Longbow Arch

the dinosaur tracks

hiking the trail to Longbow Arch

They installed these hand/foot holds in the rock on the trail to Longbow Arch to make it easier to climb this rock ledge

Underneath Longbow Arch

this opening is along the trail to Longbow Arch.  We are at the bottom of the opening

under the arch

the opening in the rock along the trail to Longbow Arch, Jamey and Ellie are at the top of the opening

under the arch


this cute little frozen puddle was along the trail to the arch

the green paint marks the trail to the arch and is very easy to follow

there's the arch off in the distance

Longbow Arch

arriving at Longbow Arch

underneath Longbow Arch

the side of Longbow Arch

Jamey, Ellie, and me underneath Longbow Arch




my husband James under Longbow Arch

Jamey and Ellie taking a rest under Longbow Arch

the view from the Longbow Arch trail at the beginning of our hike.  Cars in the parking lot below, Potash Road in view, and the river in the background



hiking to Longbow Arch, the little opening along the way

petroglyphs on the trail to Longbow Arch









 

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