Camille's Arches: Uranium Arch

Monday, January 23, 2023

Uranium Arch

Uranium Arch, just north of Moab, Utah off highway 191

I have only been to Uranium Arch twice. The first time was in 1999 after we bought our suburban and could finally go on the many four wheel drive trails in and around Moab. The second time was in 2023 over Thanksgiving break. We went there on our way in to Moab. There are a few ways to get to Uranium Arch, but all require four wheel drive. We went the shorter way, which means pulling off highway 191 less than a mile before you reach the turn for highway 313 (leading to Canyonlands). The 4wd road was a lot rougher than we remembered, so we ended up leaving our suburban when we were still 2 miles out from the arch, and just hiking the rest of the way. The hike wasn't bad, but since there are multiple roads leading to Uranium Arch, we ended up taking the wrong road back and having to hike cross-country to our car when we saw it off in the distance after we had passed the 2 mile mark of our trek back. Next time we go, we will turn on highway 313 and come in on 7 mile rim road and just walk the last half mile, because I think the rest of the road would be more mild than the way we went. I don't remember the road being as rough when we went in 1999, or maybe our old beat-up suburban could just handle more than our new suburban.

Uranium Arch is one of my favorite arches. It is one that is pretty easy to get on top of and underneath. My daughter Lizzie did a cartwheel on top of it while we watched from below. There were several other groups of people there when we went in 2023, but we had the arch all to ourselves in 1999. The round trip including hiking and driving on the 4 wheel drive trail took us about 2 1/2 hours total. It is definitely worth the trip! If you don't have a 4wd car you will not be able to make it. And the hike would be pretty long if you hiked the entire thing. If you're able to rent a jeep, this arch should be at the top of your list when visiting Moab!

The google maps location of Uranium Arch: Uranium Arch

starting the 2 mile trek from where we parked our suburban to Uranium Arch

we had great views of the Monitor and Merrimack off in the distance

There were plenty of signs along the way

We got passed by several vehicles that were better equipped than we were for the road

There were several signs directing us to the arch

There is our first glimpse of the arch

My husband James on top of the arch

My daughter Lizzie under the arch

Me under one of my favorite arches

View from underneath the arch

cave under the arch

view of the arch from inside the cave

Uranium Arch

Lizzie climbing onto the arch

Lizzie on top of Uranium Arch

Lizzie doing a cartwheel on the arch

Me and Lizzie on top of Uranium Arch

I was pretty scared by myself on top of the arch - I am so afraid of heights!

Me and Lizzie on the arch

We turned on this road for 7 mile rim. Next time we go, we're going to try going straight and see if that road is a little bit milder, because I'm pretty sure it joins up with the other road, since we ended up following a different road on our way back by mistake.

Where we parked we were exactly 2 miles from the arch

Lizzie's view from on top of the arch

On top of Uranium Arch

the opening between the arch and the cave

scenic view from on top of the arch

This was our hike back to the car, since we ended up taking the wrong road back, and saw our car off in the distance, so hiked cross-country back to it.

1999, James with my sons Ethan and Ian under Uranium Arch

1999 - it doesn't seem like the arch has changed much in the past 24 years

1999 James and my boys under Uranium Arch

1999, my husband James and our boys at Uranium Arch

1999 - looks like my son Micah is digging in the sand under the arch

Some of my favorite arches to visit in Moab outside of Arches National Park:

Jeep Arch (my very favorite)

Arches Inside Arches National Park

Eye of the Whale Arch

Where to stay in Moab

Moab is a tourist town, so it is full of hotels! We almost always stay at the Aarchway Inn because it is affordable and clean, has a great breakfast, is relatively close to everything we want to do, and it has some rooms with 3 queen beds to accommodate bigger families. Their website is here: Aarchway Inn There are also a lot of Airbnb's and campgrounds in the Moab area. I recommend visiting Moab during the off-season (October through March) because there are fewer crowds and the weather is cooler. But keep in mind that some of the restaurants don't stay open year-round. In fact, we went to Moab for Thanksgiving in 2022 and almost no restaurants were open on Thanksgiving day. Normally there are a lot of great restaurants to choose from. Some of my favorites include the Sunset Grill, Pasta Jay's, and the Moab Brewery. Actually, I don't think I've eaten anywhere in Moab that I didn't like.

What to do in Moab

Obviously, with approximately 4,000 arches in the area, the first activity I would recommend in Moab is arch hunting! We lived in Moab for 2 1/2 years and went hiking at least 3 times a week, and still didn't see everything there is to see there! And we've been back to visit countless times. I plan to retire there someday so I can go arch hunting every day. The most obvious suggestions would be to visit the 2 national parks in/near Moab:

Arches National Park

Arches National Park houses over 2,000 arches, although only a few dozen of them are marked so that tourists can find them. It is by far the most amazing national park I have ever visited (and I live a few hours from Yellowstone). It is very tourist friendly, although sometimes short on parking at the more popular sites. If you only have time for one hike while you're in Arches National Park, I very highly recommend visiting the most famous arch in the world, Delicate Arch. It is a 3 mile round-trip hike. Arches National Park's official website is here: Arches National Park and if you'd like to make a reservation for the Fiery Furnace, that official site is here: Fiery Furnace Reservation You can't hike the fiery furnace without a guide unless you've already hiked it before and are comfortable enough not to get lost. Tickets for a Fiery Furnace reservation only open up 4 days before the current date. In other words, you won't know until a few days before your anticipated hiking date whether you can get in or not. Don't worry, though, if you don't get into the Fiery Furnace on your visit, there is still lots and lots of things to do in Arches National Park! Some arches are right next to the road and you can just pull over and walk to them. Some arches require strenuous hikes to reach them. And some hikes offer several arches depending on how far you want to hike. I'd personally recommend the Devil's Garden primitive loop if you really love to hike. And take a little detour to visit Black Arch during your hike. If you have a four-wheel drive car, you can visit Eye of the Whale Arch and you could drive the Klondike Bluffs Trail to enter the park from Highway 191 much earlier than the regular Arches National Park entrance.

Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands actually has 3 different sections, and the one closest to Moab is Island in the Sky. If you are feeling especially adventurous, you could drive the Shafer Trail from the Potash Road all the way up to the top of Island in the Sky. We have done it twice, once in a mini-van and once in a 15 passenger van, and both times we swore we'd never do it again. But it definitely is an amazing experience! I don't recommend driving it in a large vehicle like we did, because sometimes the road is only wide enough for one car, and there are people driving down from the top as well. But if you want the thrill of driving on a cliff edge from ground level all the way up to the top of Canyonlands, this is the way to go! Don't miss Musselman Arch on your way up! Once you're in Canyonlands you can do a short hike to Mesa Arch, and view the Washerwoman Arch from there. Here is the official website of the park: Canyonlands National Park

Dead Horse Point

When you drive to visit Canyonlands National Park, do not miss Dead Horse Point! It is a state park, not a national park, but it is well worth the extra money to take in this great view! Here is the official website of this state park: Dead Horse Point The google maps location of Dead Horse Point is here: Dead Horse Point

Off-Roading

There is a lot more to see in the Moab area if you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Behind-the-Rocks has some amazing arches, but requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle. There are many other jeep trails in Moab. Jeeps drive the Moab Rim, although you can hike it as well. You can rent a jeep in Moab rather than bringing your own four-wheel-drive vehicle.

River Rafting

We have also been rafting a few times on the Colorado River, which was a lot of fun! There are a variety of companies in Moab that offer river raft trips. The company that we rafted with offered lunch halfway through the trip. We also got out of the raft and floated for a while.

Canyonlands by Night

This is somewhat expensive, and fills up early, so keep that in mind! It is amazing, though. I have experienced it twice. Dinner is served before the boat leaves, and as you float up the Colorado River in the dark, lights are shined on the cliffs on either side of the river while a story is told. Their official website is here: Canyonlands by Night

Biking

Like off-roading, there are also many bike trails that you can enjoy if you're a mountain biker. Porcupine Rim, Slick Rock Trail, Lion's Park, Moab Rim, etc. You can bring your own bike, or rent a bike at one of the many companies in Moab. Be very careful when biking in Moab, though, because when we lived in Moab we would hear all the time about bikers falling to their deaths on the bike trails -- especially the Portal Trail. Our neighbor was part of Search & Rescue and had to help rescue people quite often. Choose a bike trail based on your experience.

Eating & Shopping

If you'd like a souvenir from Moab -- especially a shirt or hat, etc., simply walk down Main Street. There are lots of t-shirt shops and souvenir shops on Moab's Main Street and these are frequented by tourists year-round. There are also a lot of great places to eat in Moab. You will not find a limited amount of options to choose from (unless it's Thanksgiving Day).

Enhance your experience in Moab with these resources:

These guides might enhance your visit to Moab, whether you're hiking, biking, off-roading, rafting, or just sight-seeing. Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn on qualifying purchases. This is at no additional cost to you.

Moab Day Hikes Map

Moab Greater Region Map

Easy Day Hikes Moab

Moab Day Hikes Map

Moab and Arches National Park Best Hikes

Moab Travel Guide

ATV Trails Guide Moab

Guide to Moab Utah Backroads and 4-Wheel Drive Trails

Utah Trails Moab Region: Backroads and 4-Wheel Drive Trails

Mountain Biking Moab

Canyonlands River Guide