Utah - Day 12: Corona and Bowtie Arches
On Wednesday, May 12, 2021, I left Zion Park Motel in Springdale around 8:00am and arrived in Moab by 1:30pm. Since I couldn’t check into my hotel until 3:00pm, I decided to make the most of the afternoon by hiking the Corona and Bowtie Arches trail.
The trail begins by crossing railroad tracks and following an old road that climbs to a gap in the slickrock bench above. Following cairns, I proceeded up the wash for about 100 yards until the trail veered left. Along the way, two safety cables provided security, particularly in slightly exposed sections, aiding in traversing the terrain safely while enjoying views of Corona Arch in the distance. After ascending steps carved in sandstone with the assistance of the second safety cable, I continued east, climbed a short ladder over the ledge, and followed cairns to reach the top of a large bench.
Bowtie Arch, a pothole-style arch located high on the cliff above the trail appears first.
A little bit further down the path is Corona Arch, a massive natural sandstone arch spanning 140 feet across and rising 105 feet high, with a graceful curve that frames the red rock canyon beyond.
The hike is rated moderate, mainly because of the ladder and short cable-assisted sections. Otherwise, it’s mostly a steady walk across slickrock and sand. One thing to note is that the trail is largely exposed with very little shade, so it’s best to go early or bring plenty of water and sun protection, if you are going to go in the middle of the day, like I did.
The almost 3-mile hike took about 1 hour 45 minutes to complete. Afterwards, I drove to Adventure Inn, my base for Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. I chose it for its convenient location on Moab’s main road, U.S. Route 191, just five miles from Arches and 32 miles from Canyonlands, with a couple of gas stations nearby. I also found it to be fairly affordable, costing $393.96 for 3 nights in May 2021.
After a busy day, I called it an early night in anticipation of the next day's adventure: night sky and sunrise photos and a full day of hiking at Arches National Park!
