The Windows Section of Arches National Park will close at 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 30, for up to five weeks of construction.
During that time, the road will be closed at the intersection of the main park road and the Windows Section road. The area will be closed to all uses.
Visitors will not be able to get to Double or Turret arches or to the North or South windows. Construction work is scheduled to begin on the Balanced Rock parking lot at a date that has not yet been determined. The National Park Service says that partial and/or full closures of the area may be necessary to ensure visitor and worker safety.
The Devils Garden Campground remains closed through Nov. 30.
The park’s visitor center hours are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and park rangers are presenting nightly evening programs there at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Evening program topic information can be obtained at the visitor center.
On Sundays through Thursdays, visitors must arrive at the park before 6:30 p.m. Visitors arriving after 6:30 p.m. on those days will not be able to travel past the visitor center. All vehicles must be out of the closure area no later than 7 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday nights. The park reopens at 7 a.m. on Mondays through Fridays, and is open weekends from 7 a.m. on Fridays until 7 p.m. on Sundays during this road construction project.
The park will be open with no road construction work on holiday weekends, as well, including Pioneer Day from 7 a.m. on Friday, July 21, to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 25.
Other areas of Arches National Park will be closed for up to four weeks once work begins in each of those areas. The park will reopen roads and trails once area construction work is completed. Given the many variables that can impact road projects of this type and scope, work dates are subject to change.
The road work includes the resurfacing, restoration and rehabilitation of approximately 23 miles of roads and pullouts in Arches National Park along the main entrance road, main park road, the campground road and other spur roads and loops. Road work is scheduled to last through November.
Limited daytime road closures may still occur even with nighttime work. Construction crews will use pilot cars and flaggers to control traffic during the day. When partial daytime road closures are in effect, crews will limit traffic delays to 30 minutes or less per work zone.
The National Park Service says that while construction crews will make every effort to minimize disruption to visitor daytime travel and activities during this project, visitors should expect frequent delays and closures.
The park will post road construction updates on its official website at www.nps.gov/arch as they become available. However, construction work schedules are subject to change.
Visitors to the Moab area can find a wide variety of spectacular scenery and hikes in other public lands around the region.
Information about these other travel and hiking options can be found on the Moab Travel Council’s website at: www.discovermoab.com/profile.htm. General information about Arches National Park can be found at www.nps.gov/arch or by calling 435-719-2299.
Road work to begin on July 30 for up to five weeks
