Читать книгу 50 Best Short Hikes in Utah's National Parks - Greg Witt - Страница 21

3 Windows Loop

Trailhead Location: Windows Parking Area

Trail Use: Walking, hiking

Distance & Configuration: 1.0-mile loop

Elevation Range: 5,185' at trailhead to 5,325' within the arch

Facilities: Pit toilets at trailhead; no water

Highlights: An action-packed hike to three of the park’s most impressive arches

DESCRIPTION

The Windows section of Arches National Park features a high concentration of many large and exceptionally photogenic arches. This short loop takes you past three favorites—North Window, South Window, and Turret Arch. The two Windows arches are part of the same sandstone fin, while Turret Arch is a separate castle-shaped fin with the turretlike tower rising on the south side of the fin.

When viewed together, the two windows take on the appearance of spectacles, and with not too much imagination the large bulbous rock between the two arches becomes the nose of some horrific monster.

North and South Windows

The immensity of these arches provides an inviting natural playground, and while the area beneath the North Window has been closed to public access, there is plenty of slickrock play area under the South Window and Turret Arch.

Unusual Turret Arch is one of a few arches that are significantly taller than they are wide. It takes a bit of scrambling to climb within the opening of the arch, but it’s good fun and gives you access to some chutes and steep slickrock slopes to play on.

The Windows and Double Arch to the north share the same loop parking area, and because od their popularity, space in the large parking lot is often filled to overflowing. If you yearn to get off the beaten path, consider the primitive loop departing from the south end of the Windows Loop; it provides some solace, along with a particularly advantageous view of the North Window.

ROUTE

The wide and well-compacted route leads from the south side of the parking area across a flat stretch of blackbrush before arriving at a fork, with the Windows to the left and Turret Arch to the right. Taking the route to the left and tackling the trail in a clockwise direction leads up a stairway crafted in sandstone blocks in the direction of the Windows.

Arriving first at the larger North Window, you’ll gaze through an arch that is 51 feet high and 93 feet wide. Because the base of the North Window sits almost level with the desert floor, it nicely frames a vista of distant mesas and cliffs to the southeast. Although direct access to the North Window has been closed to protect the surrounding landscape from damage, you’ll still have fine views of the arch as you continue on toward the South Window. This section of trail also affords dramatic views of Turret Arch to the west.

A short spur leads up to the base of the South Window, which is higher above the desert floor than the North Window. This positioning invites us to climb up to the base of the opening to see what view awaits. Again, the scenery stretches across the desert mesas, and the large area beneath the arch is a popular photo stop.

Continuing on the clockwise loop, you’ll descend westward in the direction of Turret Arch. Turret Arch is set within a staunch fin that is more than 100 feet wide. The opening to the arch is 64 feet high and 39 feet wide, making it the smallest of the three arches. By scrambling up inside the arch, you can capture a photo of the Windows framed by Turret Arch.

Completing the loop, you’ll return to the parking area in a couple of minutes. But for an alternate, slightly longer return, consider the primitive loop trail, which starts at the South Window viewpoint and makes a counterclockwise loop behind the Windows, offering a rare view of Turret Arch framed by the North Window.

TO THE TRAILHEAD

GPS Coordinates: N38º 41.227' W109º 33.197'

From the Arches National Park entrance station, continue on Arches Scenic Drive (the main park road) for 8.9 miles to the road signed for the Windows section. Turn right and follow The Windows Road for 2.6 miles to the loop parking area at the end of the road.

HOW DO THE ARCHES FORM?

Turret Arch

Arches form in a variety of ways. The ones in Arches National Park got their start some 300 million years ago, when a thick salt bed was deposited over the area. Residue from marine sediments was deposited on top of this salt bed, and eventually it compressed and hardened to rock. The weight of the rock put strain on the salt bed, causing it to become unstable and reposition itself, which in turn caused the overlaying rock to settle, forming domes and cavities. Over time, wind and water have created openings in the rock, which are now delicate and beautiful arches.