Arches National Park - Beware The Fiery Furnace!
Written: Jun 20 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: So much to do, so little time!
Cons: HOT, HOT, HOT - go before May!
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| rachelscloset's Full Review: Arches National Park |
Moab, Utah, is a tremendous place to take a family for vacation. There are a variety of outdoor activities including the famous mountain biking, four wheeling, rock climbing, hiking, and white water rafting. One of the most spectacular things about Moab is its untouched beauty as well as its proximity to several State and National Parks. One of these parks being the subject of this article, Arches National Park.
Arches is located a few miles outside of Moab. It is one of the most visited National Parks in the Utah area. Upon arriving at the park, you can expect to find several cars and motor homes waiting for entrance. My advice, get there early. Not only to beat the traffic, but most importantly, to beat the heat.
The park itself offers 48 miles of drivable road, as well as over 2000 sandstone arches. Also offered are several miles of hiking trails that allow visitors to get a closer look at some of the arches. You can hike back and see Delicate Arch – a huge arch which a lot of the park rangers believe will fall any day. One word of caution – do not stray from the trails. The ground is covered in crypto biotic soil, a soil that is alive with lichen, algae and fungi, important to plant growth in this desert area.
One of the most educational and interesting hikes you can take in Arches is the ranger led hike of Fiery Furnace. The Fiery Furnace looks like a maze of sandstone rock canyons one could easily get lost in. Arches offers two tours of Fiery Furnace daily, and park information suggests you sign up a day or two early for the hike. I did this hike while 5 months pregnant. This is not a difficult hike and will take you off the beaten path to see some incredible sights. Another word of caution, bring water, head covering and suntan lotion!
The beauty of Moab and Arches is that it has not yet been run over by tourism. You can still see untouched acres of desert and wild life as well as old Indian petroglyphs on canyon walls. If you want an inexpensive yet rich and filling family vacation, I recommend Moab and Arches, you just can’t go wrong.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
rachelscloset
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Member: Marjie Shulsinger
Location: shulsinger@attbi.com
Reviews written: 46
Trusted by: 53 members
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