Trek Double Arch and Windows in Arches National Park
Located in the Windows area of Arches National Park, Double Arch and North and South Window are three spectacular rock formations that you must add to your bucket list. Double Arch is the tallest arch in the park at a massive 112 feet. While the entire Windows section is considered to be the highlight of the park. This area contains many impressive arches including the aforementioned Double Arch and Windows, and Turret Arch.
The Windows section of Arches National Park is one of the most popular locations in the park because it’s concentrated with so many amazing structures. Double Arch is the more elaborate of the structures, as it consists of two arches that share the same foundation, creating a truly unique arch. If you’re brave enough (and wear the proper shoes), you can scale the windows in Double Arch for some cool views and creative photos.
Working your way up from Double Arch, you’ll hit the North Window first. This 93-foot-wide and 51-foot high structure is one of the most iconic photos in the Windows section. You’ll find many photographs of this view on televisions and other forms of advertisement. It’s a truly amazing window to the park that — especially during sunset — is breathtaking.
Next stop is the South Window which measures out at a cool 105-feet wide and 65-feet high. Combined, these two windows create what’s known as “The Spectacles” because, when viewed from the back side, they look like a pair of glasses.
Just a short walk up is your next stop — Turret Arch. This is the smallest of the three arches but because of it’s unique shape it makes for some pretty amazing photos. If you’re up for it, you can climb a portion of the arch to capture some great views of the park.
Continue back on Primitive trail as it wraps you around the backside of the Windows. Here you’ll get your view of “The Spectacles” in addition to views of Elephant Butte, the Parade of Elephants and the Garden of Eden. As you continue on the trail it will get a little rocky and you’ll start to get a little “off road” vibe as you explore the rest of the trail. On our way back we ran into a lady painting the landscape which was a very impressive.
In all, in just a fairly short amount of time, you can scale Double Arch, explore both the North and South Windows, climb into Turret Arch and see incredible views within an hour of time. Primitive Trail is short but it works great for those hiking with kids or people who are interested in photography or art — like our friend — and don’t want to spend an entire day on one hike.
Quick note: There are two parking lots. One is up near the Windows and the other is located down in front of Double Arch. The parking lot at the Windows fills up faster, but that’s not necessary a bad thing. We parked at Double Arch and to add a few more steps to our hike we walked back up towards the Windows parking lot. It’s not a suggestion, but a silver lining if you can’t find a spot.
Cost of Adventure
- Per vehicle: $30 (for 7 days)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Total distance: 1-1.5 miles
- Calories burned: 100-300
- Time suggested: 1 hour
- Family friendly: YES
- Park size: 257,640 acres
Challenge Yourself
The arches here on Windows Trail create some fun opportunities to get up close and personal with gigantic structures that dinosaurs probably played in.
Your challenge here is to explore Double Arch, North Window, South Window and Turret Arch to complete the quad exploration.
Find Great Photo Ops
One of the prettiest one-mile loops you may ever find, the Windows section at Arches National Park offers a powerful punch of jaw-dropping structures, amazing landscapes and stunning views. Take every corner of this hike as an opportunity to capture the next great photo. Good luck. You won’t need to try very hard.
