Arches National Park is an amazing place to climb. The area has everything - serious multipitch towers, easy one pitch towers, and hard cracks on long buttresses. Best of all, routes in Arches are usually only a few hundred feet from the road so the approaches are casual.
Most of the routes here are on Entrada sandstone, which is much softer than the Wingate found at Indian Creek. It often fractures vertically so there are a lot of splitters, but they are much sandier than in other parts of the desert. On aid routes, avoid nailing whenever possible as the incredibly soft stone doesn't hold up well to abuse.
This area sees a lot of tourists, and since most of the routes are very near the road climbers must maintain as low a profile as possible. As always in the desert, approach climbs via washes to avoid trampling cryptobiotic soil. Some areas are closed seasonally for nesting, so check in at the visitors center before climbing. Finally, this is a national park, so be prepared for the entrance fee.
Water is available at the visitors center. Moab is only a few miles south, and there is lots of camping on BLM land along River Road or near Moab. There is a national park campground in Arches, but I've never stayed there so I can't vouch for it.
Getting There
From Moab, drive north along US 191 to the turn off for Arches National Park. Arches is only a few miles out of town. All climbs are accessed from this entrance - pick up a map at the visitors center. The map has most of the formations marked on it.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Arches:
This route is pretty darn good, especially if you like off-widths.Approach up talus and across a ledge system from the right of the formation. Head around the base to the left - this is the first crack system in a dihedral you come to. The first pitch of the route basically starts at fingers and works its way to fists - the crux being getting over the obvious bulge. Belay at fixed anchors 2/3 the way up the tower. The last third of the tower ...[more]Browse More Classics in UT
I find this a scary place to climb, due to the sandy rock. I've never seen very many climbers in the Park. When you do see climbers, they are usually on the Three Penguins, Heart of the Desert, or Owl Rock. I find it more relaxing to wander around and marvel at all the arches.
Actually, after living in town and visiting Arches many times, I would disagree. At least with the number of climbers seen in the park... as to your judgement of the rock, of course that's subjective. There are often climbers in Arches that may not be visible from the road, so sure you'll see someone on the the Penguins, the Gossips or the Owl because they are right next to the road. The Tower of Babel get's frequent ascents and a new 4 pitch free tower route of almost all good rock was recently completed near Owl Rock. I'll be posting info on this soon I hope. I also recommend Chinese Eyes (5.9+) as a great one pitch crack intro to Arches. There are numerous moderate to easy towers easily protectable with maybe an occasional runout, but hey, that's climbing. Tonka Tower, Bubo, Off-Balanced Rock, Bullwinkle, etc.
the northeast arete of Argon tower is an excelant climb that is a little stiff.weird and possibly dangerous first entry pitch.the best part is the exposed tips layback on the second(real) pitch after the off-width pitch.
Has anyone done the aid route about 50 feet right of Heart of the Desert? I and a friend, Baker Bent, did it in the spring of '94, there was no evidence anyone had done it before (we drilled the baby angle anchors). There were some significant sections of very thin pins, a few beaks, and a hook move, and since then I believe park policy has changed so that all aid must be hammerless. It's a great line, really splitter cracks up to about finger size(we aided, but sections would certainly go free) and some spicy thin sections. Unfortunately, we stopped after the third pitch, as I had to be back at work, or something lame like that. At any rate, I think it might go clean with some thin cam hooks and some of the smaller micro cams/tiny wires, but would certainly have some pucker-factor. It awaits a full ascent, to my knowlege. I told Crusher about it a few years ago, but I didn't detect much interest from him at the time. Anyone done it, or care to? I'd love to hear, as i always wondered what's become of it.
Inside Arches what are some good bouldering routes? thanks. FYI - I'm not really an anoymous coward, I just signed up and my name won't be in the database until tomorrow :)
By Andrew Gram Administrator From: Denver, CO Sep 28, 2004
There really aren't any inside the park, and if you explore keep in mind that chalk is a no no in the park. There are some decent boulders along 191 near Arches, and lots of good bouldering at Big Bend along River Road.
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