Arches Preview + Permit Pickup!

 

WanderWest Day 15 – Arches Preview + Permit Pickup! 

After nearly two full weeks of constant go-go-go, today was a real pause… and we soaked it up! Everyone slept in, but Maddie took the crown — we had to wake her up at 10:15, and honestly, none of us were in a rush. Our cozy Airbnb, just 9 miles outside of Arches National Park in Moab, UT, made for the perfect desert home base.

Today was all about getting our bearings and scoping out the magic of Arches before our big hike tomorrow. We kicked things off at Park Avenue Viewpoint and Trail, where we hiked about a mile into the canyon to get up close to the stunning rock formations. It did not disappoint! 

Next stop: Balanced Rock. We were absolutely awestruck—and maybe a little anxious. It looked like one good gust of wind could send that thing tumbling!  Don’t miss the pics.

 

 

Can you find us in the arch!? 

Extreme Close up!

Then we made our way to the Windows Section, hiking through North Window, South Window, and Turret Arch. The heat was climbing and the girls were getting a little hangry, but they powered through like champs! We skipped Double Arch and refueled with sandwiches on the way to our final stop: Delicate Arch Viewpoint.


It was 100°, and a 3-mile roundtrip hike wasn’t in the cards today, so we chose the shorter .5-mile trek to the lower viewpoint. Totally worth it for the iconic view! 

 

With about 3 miles under our belts total and temps still blazing, the girls were ready to call it—pool time was calling! 💦 Before heading back, we picked up our Fiery Furnace permit from the visitor center for tomorrow’s adventure.


Dinner was “whatever’s in the fridge,” eaten in blessed air conditioning. Now we’re all winding down, both anxious and excited for tomorrow’s real Arches challenge. Let’s do this! 

📸🔗For all our pics from today, Click Here!  

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