If you come across the nation to see Arches National Park,
be sure to save at least an entire day, preferably two, in
the spring or fall. In summer the days are very hot, always
over 90 and sometimes over 100. Winter is fine, sometimes a
dusting of snow, the main problem is the days are not long enough.
So, spring it is.
Those of us living in the state can make shorter visits especially if we are going to other places on the same trip such as the nearby Canyonlands National Park. Here's some photographs from a quick trip to hike up to Delicate Arch. The camera is a Nikon 5000 digital camera. The photographs are shrunk to 1/4 size, resulting in 640 x 480 pixel images, but very sharp as you shall see. Mid to late afternoon is the recommended time of day to see Delicate Arch, as it is then that the reddish sunlight shines upon the arch and bowl to maximum effect.
The hike to Delicate Arch is 1.5 miles each way and a vertical climb of somewhat over 400 feet. It is not difficult, but good ankle supporting shoes are a bonus as much of the trail is on solid rock and quite frequently not level. A bandana is useful to keep sand out of your face if the wind is blowing.
All photos by Michael Gordon. Copyright 2002 by Michael Gordon. Noncommercial (personal or non-profit organization) storage and reproduction is permitted.
You can also start the show from any of these photographs: