Arches National Park hosts one millionth vistor

Arches National Park reached a milestone last Saturday when Victoria Carlson of Santa Fe, New Mexico arrived at the entrance. Ms. Carlson found herself greeted with unusual fanfare by the park rangers at the gate, who were eager to welcome their one millionth visitor.

Located in eastern Utah, Arches National Park is home to more than 2000 natural sandstone archways, including the most famous of them all, Delicate Arch. While touring the spectacular landscape by car is fantastic, the park is also home to miles of trails, which deliver great hikes ranging in length from a couple of hours to a full day.

As an artist seeking inspiration, Carlson says that she has visited Arches on several occasions in the past. On November 20th she was returning once again to soak up even more of the natural beauty, which is so prominently on display there, when she helped the National Park Service reach this major milestone. In recognition of the one millionth visitor, Carlson was given an America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, a coffee table book about the park, and an Arches National Park t-shirt and ball cap.

Arches National Park was first established as a National Monument back in 1929 and remains an amazing destination for outdoor enthusiasts. In the past, it has averaged about 750,000 visitors per year, but like many U.S. national parks, it has continued to see increased traffic in recent years.

[Photo credit: Palacemusic via WikiMedia]