Sand Dune Arch, picnic, secret back road for Arches National Park

We had an afternoon timed-entry ticket for Arches National Park, so went there a second time, this time going to the visitor center:

Arches sign

Some animal sculptures outside:

Sculptures

Relief map:

Relief map

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Visitor center

Visitor center

Rocks:

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Tree

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Lizard

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

A short hike to Sand Dune Arch, nestled amongst rock fins:

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Arch:

Arch

Arch

Arch

Jenn & David

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Rocks

Tree

Skyline Arch:

Skyline Arch

We stopped in a nice picnic area:

Picnic area

And had a picnic dinner at a very secluded table:

Picnic dinner

Picnic dinner

Rocks

Rocks

On a whim, we decided to head down a dirt road (I had previously checked it on the map):

Dirt road

Dirt road

Dirt road

It led to the Tower Arch trailhead:

Rocks

Rocks

Jenn

We then continued along the road, leaving the park via the “secret” back entrance to the park:

Dirt road

Salt Valley Road, via public BLM land; you could avoid the timed entry requirement by coming in this way, though it is several miles of rough dirt road, so not for the faint of heart or non-4WD vehicles:

Dirt road

Dirt road

Dirt road

Dirt road

Back to the highway:

Dirt road