Pictures from Arches National Park

Arches National Park in Southern Utah is one of the most fascinating parks in the Southwest. Sunset and sunrise are particularly spectacular, but popular visiting times often come with long queues and waiting time at the park's entry gate. The climate is most pleasant in the early morning or in the late afternoon, which is important if you want to go for some of the longer hikes. Believe it or not, Arches National Park is open 24 hours a day!

The park is located just a couple of miles North of Moab, a popular hub for adventure travel. Moab is a world famous destination for mountain biking, hiking, climbing, touring and river rafting, so naturally the crowd here is much younger than what you see at other national parks in the Arizona-Utah border region. While most travelers who pass Moab visit the Arches National Park, many decide to skip the close-by Canyonlands National Park - a mistake in my view.