Tower Arch

Tower Arch, Arches National Park, Moab, 2023

Tower Arch is in the Klondike Bluffs section of Arches National Park.  Take the first left turn after passing the parking area for Sand Dune Arch.  This is the Salt Valley Road and is not marked with a sign, so use your park map to make sure you don't miss it.  It is a dirt road, but your car will make it fine without four wheel drive.  Park in the parking area for Tower Arch (there are signs).  The beginning of the hike is a little bit scary for heights, but I am very afraid of heights and I made it both up and down just fine.  The trail is very sandy, so be prepared to finish with your shoes all full of sand!  It's called Tower Arch because of the tower behind the arch that looks like it's on top of the arch.  One of the highlights of the hike is seeing the Marching Men along the trail.  The hike is about 3 miles round trip.  There is another arch next door to Tower Arch -- Parallel Arch.  You can view it from the trail before you reach Tower Arch, and you can climb underneath both of these arches.

Marching Men along the trail to Tower Arch, my sons Cameron and Micah in 1999

me under Tower Arch, 1999

These photos were taken on our most recent trip to Tower Arch, in November of 2023:

The sign at the beginning of the hike

our family at the beginning of the Tower Arch hike, in the parking area

Hiking the Tower Arch trail, 2023

The trail is very easy to follow, with plenty of cairns along the way.  There is some climbing involved, though.  And definitely some spots where heights might make you nervous.  But I am afraid of heights, and I handled it OK each time we've hiked it.

small arch viewed along the trail- I haven't been able to discover the name of it

 

The Marching Men

this sandy hill will fill your shoes with sand, especially on the way down!

this is the view that greets you from the trail as Tower Arch comes into view -- this is right after you've spotted Parallel Arch on the right (not in this photo)

2023, under Tower Arch

2023, me and two of my daughters-in-laws, Ellie and Maddi, under Tower Arch

My son James joined us under Tower Arch

And my son Teancum joined us under Tower Arch

Now it's a party under Tower Arch!

The trail to Tower Arch, which also passes by Parallel Arch - this was my round trip distance

cairns big and small mark the entire path

This little spot to climb is right beside Tower Arch and Parallel Arch

Tower Arch, 2023 - my daughter Lizzie out in front of it

a view up at the tower from inside Tower Arch

The view from inside Tower Arch

Inside Tower Arch, this is off to the left

inside looking out

outside looking in

this is under the arch - there is a little bit of rock scrambling to get underneath the arch

Jamey and Ellie being silly in the sand near the arch

The Marching Men, 2023, vantage point on the hike back from Tower Arch

2023, the Marching Men

view down to the parking lot 

climbing back down at the end of the hike