Near to Windows Loop Trail there are more amazing formations:

 

Double Arch (top left);

Cove of Caves (top right); and

Parade of Elephants (left).

 

Our next objective is to tackle the Devil's Garden Trail, which is located in the most northerly part of Arches National Park. This is a round trip of 4.2-miles, the longest maintained trail in the park, which passes the greatest concentration of significant natural arches in the world.

Skyline Arch

A large boulder suddenly fell out of Skyline Arch in 1940, roughly doubling the size of the opening. The arch now has a span of 71-feet and a height of 33½-feet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The staggeringly slim Landscape Arch (right) is the longest arch in the park and is thought to be the fifth longest in the world, after four in China - the span is 290-feet and the thinnest section is only 11-feet thick.

The trail between Landscape Arch and Double O Arch (left) is more difficult, winding along the tops of narrow tops of exposed sandstone fins (above left), and up and down steep crevices. A notice warns that the trail is not suitable for hikers with acrophobia, or when a lightning storm is near. This section of the trail also passes Wall Arch (above right).

In contrast to the walk to Delicate Arch, there are few other people attempting this fairly strenuous trail in the hot sunshine. It is a long, sometimes difficult walk, with parts of the trail easy, but others tricky. But our efforts are well worthwhile - Double O Arch is a wonderful spectacle, especially viewed from the far side, a view that David achieves by climbing through the lower of the two arches.

 

We are very tired after this last walk, and back in Moab, we call at the City Market to select our evening meal from the salad bar, and then return to our room to eat our very large salads.

 

 

This morning we take advantage of the continuing good weather by eating our breakfast beside the hotel's swimming pool. We depart from the hotel at 9:20am, and initially drive back to Arches National Park to purchase two wall posters. We then drive towards our stop for tonight: the Best Western Gateway Inn at Blanding.

Between Moab and Blanding we make two stops: first at Wilson Arch (a huge arch at the side of the road) and then at Newspaper Rock (where the rock is covered with ancient petroglyphs). Our room at the Best Western is not ready, but we are able to book-in and leave our cases before continuing to Natural Bridges National Monument.

We arrive at Natural Bridges National Monument at 1pm, having driven a total of 148-miles today. After watching an interesting 10-minute video at the park's Visitor Centre, we have a picnic lunch of muffins and fruit at a nearby shady bench. There is a slight breeze here, which provides some relief from the 90-degree temperature. The sun beams down from a sky enhanced by some very light, wispy clouds as we start a drive through the park. The park's nine-mile loop road provides access to the three natural bridges for which the national monument is named. Each bridge is best viewed from a short trail, each of which we accomplish, plus a fourth that gives an overview of ruined dwellings that were occupied up to 1300 AD (right).

Sipapu Bridge (above and right),

a view of which is accessed by a ladder (below), has a span of 268-feet.