For spring break of 2019 we headed out to Moab, UT to see the sister parks, Arches and Canyonlands. We didn't feel like taking the camping gear this time around so we just grabbed a room in one of the hotels. We knew that Arches was the go to park for everyone and that we had to get there early, so our goal was to be in the park by 8:00. We headed straight for delicate arch and when we got there the parking lot was already half full. We hit the trail at 8:45 on a beautiful mostly cloudy day. They say the hike is 3 miles roundtrip, but when you are on that sandstone incline with zero shade (even on a cloudy day) it feels like 10 miles. Let alone doing that with a 40 lbs. kid on you back - Melanie is Superwoman. It took us an hour to get to the arch and the kids did really, really good on the hike. They all took turns carrying the camelbak, and were careful to stay away from the edge of the cliffs. They had lots of fun climbing the rocks and playing in the little washes and 'caves' they found. Delicate Arch is awesome, but be prepared to wait in line if you want your picture underneath it. We beat the crowds, as the parking lot was completely full when we got back, but we still had to wait.
We got the kids setup with their Junior Ranger books and headed to the Windows Section of the park. We climbed up to Double Arch and got caught in a little rainstorm, but it was fun because it didn't last long and we were protected from getting wet under the arch. If your kids like to climb rocks, and what kid doesn't, this is a great hike for them. Balanced Rock is another good place to let the kids run around and climb.
We headed out to Devil's Garden to checkout some more of the arches but the kids fell asleep on the way and we had to head back to the Visitor's Center before it closed to get the Junior Ranger badges so we didn't get to do any hikes there.
Overall Arches is a really fun park with plenty of hiking opportunities for any age range. The landscape and rock formations are amazing.
This park rates at 4 out of 5 stars based on our standard criteria.
Rating Criteria: Fun, Scenic, Ease of Travel, Wildlife, Crowds
