Alcove Arch
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| 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 |
Some of my favorite arches to visit in Moab outside of Arches National Park:
Jeep Arch (my very favorite)
Arches Inside Arches National Park
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.
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