Windows Section | Moab

The Windows Section of Arches National Park, located just north of Moab, Utah, is one of the park’s most visually dramatic and easily accessible areas-a compact landscape filled with massive arches, soaring red sandstone formations, and sweeping desert panoramas. Often called the “heart of Arches,” this area showcases some of the park’s most photogenic and approachable natural wonders, all clustered within a few miles of each other.

Setting and Atmosphere

Set against the rugged desert backdrop of southeastern Utah, the Windows Section unfolds like a natural amphitheater of stone and light. Towering rock walls rise from a landscape of red earth and sparse vegetation, while colossal openings in the sandstone-formed over millions of years by erosion-frame the distant La Sal Mountains and the wide open sky.

The area is especially captivating during sunrise and sunset, when the arches blaze in hues of amber, crimson, and gold, and the shadows carve soft patterns across the terrain. The soundscape is simple but immersive: wind echoing through stone corridors, the crunch of sand underfoot, and the occasional call of a raven circling overhead.

Main Attractions and Landmarks

The Windows Section features several of the park’s most famous formations, all connected by short, well-marked trails:

North Window and South Window: Known together as the “Spectacles,” these two large arches sit side by side in the same sandstone fin, resembling a pair of giant stone eyes looking out over the desert. Visitors can hike directly beneath them, where the scale of the arches becomes truly impressive.

Turret Arch: A striking formation with both a large central opening and a smaller window above, Turret Arch resembles a stone castle tower, especially at sunrise when the first light spills through the openings.

Double Arch: Located across the parking area, this pair of intertwined arches creates one of the most dramatic natural frames in the park. The larger opening is 112 feet high, and both can be explored closely from the same trailhead.

Together, these arches provide one of the richest concentrations of natural rock formations in Arches National Park, ideal for short hikes and photography.

Hiking and Exploration

Several easy, interconnected trails weave through the Windows Section, allowing visitors to experience multiple arches in a single outing:

Windows Loop Trail: A 1-mile (1.6 km) round-trip trail that leads to the North and South Windows, with a connecting “primitive loop” offering quieter, less-traveled views from behind the arches.

Turret Arch Trail: A short 0.5-mile (0.8 km) side path leading to Turret Arch, often combined with the Windows Loop for a complete experience.

Double Arch Trail: An easy 0.25-mile (0.4 km) walk across sandy terrain to the base of Double Arch, where visitors can stand beneath the immense openings or climb partway into the bowl-shaped base.

The trails are generally gentle, with compacted dirt or slickrock sections. The combination of short distances and monumental scenery makes this area accessible to most visitors.

Scenic and Photographic Highlights

Photographers and nature enthusiasts consider the Windows Section one of the park’s most rewarding areas:

Sunrise: Best light for the Windows and Turret Arch, with the La Sal Mountains glowing pink in the distance.

Sunset: The Double Arch and surrounding fins catch the warmest evening colors.

Night: With minimal light pollution, the Windows become stunning silhouettes beneath a canopy of stars-popular for astrophotography and night sky viewing.

Flora, Fauna, and Desert Life

The terrain around the Windows Section is dotted with juniper trees, blackbrush, yucca, and Indian ricegrass, thriving in sandy soil and harsh desert conditions. Desert cottontails, lizards, and ravens are frequent sights, and the occasional peregrine falcon can sometimes be spotted soaring above the cliffs. The area’s biological soil crust-dark, textured patches of living organisms-helps stabilize the sand and should never be disturbed.

Facilities and Accessibility

Location: About 12 miles from the Arches National Park entrance, accessible via a paved spur road from the main Scenic Drive.

Parking: Large paved lot serving all main trailheads in the section.

Amenities: Restrooms, interpretive signs, and shaded picnic areas near the trailheads.

Accessibility: The trails to the main arches are short and moderately easy, though sandy stretches may challenge wheelchairs or strollers.

Best Seasons: Spring and autumn for mild temperatures; early morning or late afternoon in summer to avoid heat.

Visitor Experience

Visitors often describe the Windows Section as an open-air gallery of natural architecture-a place where immense rock formations feel both grand and intimate. Each arch frames the landscape differently: the North Window captures the far-off mountains, Turret Arch glows from within, and Double Arch offers a sense of immersive scale few other formations can match.

The area invites slow exploration-time to linger under the arches, to trace the sandstone’s smooth textures, or simply to sit and watch how light changes the rock’s color and depth.

Closing Impression

The Windows Section embodies the essence of Arches National Park: accessible, awe-inspiring, and endlessly photogenic. It’s a landscape of stone and silence, where visitors can walk among ancient formations shaped by time and weather into monumental works of art. Whether seen in the golden calm of dawn or beneath the stars of a desert night, this part of the park leaves an enduring impression of balance, beauty, and the quiet power of nature’s design.