Utah Day 3: Delicate Arch, The Windows, Corona Arch

Under a starry sky, we started the 3-mile hike to Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, the largest free-standing arch in the world. There’s no trail across the bare rock, and it was an adventure locating the cairn-markers with our headlamps. The arch sits on a steep “bowl” that drops into a void. We sat on the rim and watched the light play across the red rocks on the horizon until we got too cold and headed back to the car. An unforgettable morning.

After Delicate Arch, we drove a short way down the main park road and stopped at the Windows Section, which has a high concentration of arches in two square miles. We took the primitive trail that circles behind North and South Window. From this perspective, the arches reminded us of unblinking eyes.

Like its name implies, Double Arch is two arches joined at one end. This formation is known as a pothole arch, which starts as a small depression near the edge of a cliff. Over time, water erodes away the stone until the arches remain. We laid on our backs and looked up at the spectacle. Whatever their geologic burdens had been, the arches outlasted them all.

After lunch, we continued this amazing day with a hike to Corona Arch, a 105-foot arch that is on land managed by the BLM. This 3-mile hike has spectacular canyon walls, perilous drop-offs and a few metal ladders to help you along the way. We ate our apples under the arch while curious chipmunks approached us from all directions.