Arches National Park

America offers one of the most diverse geographic topography in the world, from endless waterfronts on the east and west coasts, to the sawtooth peaks of the Sierra Nevada range, to enchanting colors of the southwest. The Arches National Park is a visual treasure of Utah's high deserts. As the names eludes, the Park is full of naturally formed rock arches and monoliths, impressing anyone that lays their eyes on them. The Park is relatively small compared to the giants like Death Valley and Yellowstone, but does not disappoint. The best time to visit is outside the summer season, fall and spring being the best, mainly due to the hot summer conditions. The park has one entry point with $20 per car entry fee, and of course they honor the NPS annual pass. Once past the gate, the visitor center is on your right, a great resource for discovering the must see attractions. The road climbs up the side of the mountain immediately rewarding with spectacular monoliths. The road continues with several offshoots to must see Arches, most accessible with a short stroll from the parking lot. If hiking is your thing, head directly to the Devil's Garden, where a seven mile loop trail offers several arches and a decent workout. My favorite of all were the Double O arches, roughly halfway through the hike. The crowds can be dense but thin out with increased mileage, so the Double O arches were the least crowded, with only a handful of visitors when we arrived. For photographers alike, the obvious time to visit is at sunrise or sunset, when the landscape colors are vibrant and shadows stretch for miles.