Jeep Trail to Tower Arch

Friday, September 18, 2015

Tower Arch, Arches National Park, Moab, Utah.

In an area of the Arches National Park is Klondike Bluffs and an arch called Tower Arch.  You can drive to a parking area and hike about 3.5 miles to the arch, or you can take a Jeep trail and hike .3 miles.  While we enjoy hiking, opportunities to take actual Jeep trails are not as frequent, so we had to Jeep it.

 The Towers Arch is nearly as far as the Devil's Garden, then you turn off on a road that is only open when dry.  The signs warn that the road is impassable when wet.  Seven miles of washboard gravel.

 We drive past an area called Marching Men.

 And we have arrived at the 4x4 parking area.  New question.
Which is the tower?  The large one behind the arch or the short one in front?  Does it matter?

 Tic decides he needs to get closer and there IS a trail.

And you can see inside better from this viewpoint.

 Looking back from the arch.

 Dusty is standing on the fin near the larger Cedar tree

 Can you see her now?

Tic took this pic to show Dusty that the trail was well marked, look in the tree.

 Driving into the Tower Arch on the Jeep Trail, we had no idea what to expect.  So we took a few photos of the trail on the way out.

 Yes, that's right, that's the way out, same path we took in.

 Isn't this more fun than a barrel of monkeys?

Yikes!  This is long and steep!

Short video of part of the way up the trail.

We made it!

That pretty well sums it up.  But I have to also say that our Jeep is not a Rubicon, is totally stock, no lift kit, and still has the original tires with about 60K miles on them.  The tires are not smooth yet, but we will be replacing them soon. When the Jeep carries the logo, Trail Ready, it is!