59 Parks: Arches

Arches National Park is located in the Moab area in Utah. I've now been to this park twice, both were very different experiences.

In 2017, (clear sky photos below) it was a summer weekend visit- the park was very crowded. We (my brother and I) hiked up to the Delicate Arch area, but didn't fully enjoy it because the overwhelming amount of people and the heat. We spent more time walking around some of the (hilariously shaped) rock formations early in the park.

In 2020, (photos below with more cloud coverage) it was a different story. The cool early November weather, and the ongoing pandemic meant it was far less crowded, and more enjoyable to walk around. During this visit with my best friend, we drove all the way to the end of the park, and I have to say, that it's absolutely silly not to drive all the way back. (granted, it's certainly a lot easier to do when the park isn't over crowded to begin with)

By driving all the way through the park, you can see a lot more arches from your car, and the cluster of rocks further back into the park are impressive as well.