Alcove Arch

 

Alcove Arch, Arches National Park, Moab, 2023

Over Thanksgiving break in 2023, we hiked through the snow to Christmas Tree Arch and Ribbon Arch.  I knew that Alcove Arch was in the area, but I hadn't seen photos of it and really studied its location.  Little did I know that I was viewing it the whole time I was at Ribbon Arch!  After we finished our Ribbon Arch hike and returned to the car, I googled Alcove Arch and saw photos of it, as well as its location, and realized that I had taken a bunch of photos of it without realizing it!  If I'd realized it was there, I would have hiked over to it and taken a lot more photos.  I guess that will have to wait for my next trip!

To visit Alcove and Ribbon arches, park in the Windows section of Arches National Park and hike between the canyon walls (between Double Arch and the North Window).  There is a primitive trail, but there was snow on the ground so we just had to guess our way - we only saw a few cairns that guided us along the route to Ribbon Arch.  Go around the fin that houses Little Duck Window, and up that canyon is Christmas Tree Arch (at the very end - you can't see it until you're there).  Then go around the next fin and you'll see Ribbon Arch up in the cliffs.  Alcove Arch is below it and to the right and you might not even be able to tell that it's an arch - we couldn't tell when we were there.  Altogether, the hike was under 3 miles round-trip, including hiking the primitive trail through the North Window at the end.  On our hike we got to see Double Arch, Little Duck Window, Christmas Tree Arch, Ribbon Arch, Alcove Arch (without realizing it!), North Window, South Window, Biceps Arch, and Seagull Arch.

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You can see Ribbon Arch above it in the cliffs, 2023

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Ribbon and Alcove Arches, 2023