Double Arch was actually formed differently, and was created by pooling water on the top of the rock eroding its way down into the rock. It’s amazing to think that all this was caused naturally. Getting closer to the Double arch made me realize just how enormous it was (34m). I was a little concerned we might bump into a rattlesnake, but the path was easily wide enough to skirt around any suspicious looking bushes. The approach to double arch is a nice, gentle sandy path. When you’ve had 4 hours sleep, that extra 100m feels like a marathon!
LANDSCAPE ARCH SUNRISE WINDOWS
Top tip: there are parking spaces on the other side of the parking loop, so move your car closer once you get back from the Windows section.
Once we felt like we’d got the most out of the Windows section of Arches National Park, we decided to walk around the parking lot and walk to the Double Arch. Turret Arch has its name because of the large turret you can see rising out of the side of it. The archway looks tiny from the North Window, but it quickly grows to become enormous as you approach it. Not something that’s conventionally photographed in the morning, so it was absolutely empty and worth the quick walk to check out while the crowds were busy elsewhere. It’s hard to believe that these things have been here for many thousands of years and I wondered how many thousands of people had been here for sunrises before us. It’s astonishing how big these things really are (not like the tiny arch in Valley of Fire that made us chuckle). They’re arches (rather than bridges), because they’ve been weathered by the blowing sand (generally) and not by a river. I should probably mention these incredible arches more than just in passing. It’s only the people there to actually appreciate the sunrise with their own eyes that stay longer. Lots of photographers took their shots and left well before the sun actually came up and they missed the best bit!Īlso, wait a few minutes after the sun comes up because people clear out almost immediately afterwards. My advice is to wait until the sun actually rises so that you get that beautiful orange glow on the rocks. Still loads of people running around, and it was just great to watch the colours in the clouds. Shot two was really just a bit of fun with my 14mm lens.
LANDSCAPE ARCH SUNRISE FULL
It was also full of people, so it’s something I think I’d like to try again in Winter with fewer people. Another reminder to look up occasionally. You’ll also miss the brilliant sunrise, and yes, I was very nearly in danger of missing it as I was so focused on taking my picture. Shot number one involves a little scrambling, so isn’t recommended for everyone. Shoot sunrise through the North Window.Point back through the north window towards Turret Arch.I had 2 shots that I really wanted to get at the windows (as well as actually enjoy the sunrise), and those were: I’m told that sunset is significantly worse, so a few people might be the best that you can expect. Don’t go expecting to have the place to yourself – even at sunrise. So, first piece of advice for Arches is to expect crowds. By the time we arrived at around 5.45, there were plenty of photographers lined up in the North Window, and someone had kindly placed a camera doing a timelapse in the centre of the arch. Sure enough, our unexpected convoy of cars all ended up at the same place as us the Windows. It’s kind of like the popular sunrise spots in Banff if someone’s up at 5am, you can almost guarantee they’re heading to the same place as you. The thing about Arches is that if you’re getting up for sunrise and you don’t really want to hike, there are only a couple of spots you can realistically hit. Much to our surprise, the roads were already starting to fill with cars.
My advice pay the money for an air-conditioned hotel room or don’t go in the middle of summer.įor sunrise at around 6am, we were up at 4.45am and left by 5am. The temperature at night was consistently above 35 degrees ( >95 degrees F), and if you’re camping, that basically guarantees you a sweaty night with zero sleep. The only other option would be camping or staying in an RV, but I can promise you that in mid-July that would not have been fun. Robin and I were staying in Moab for the two days we were in the area, and it was absolutely perfect for getting to Arches (approx 30 minutes).
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