People

Today people visit Arches for the views and trails. Those who came before sought many other things: wealth, adventure, solitude, or a home. Learn more about a handful of characters in the human story of Arches.

 

Native Americans
Countless generations of Indigenous people crossed these sandstone landscapes.

 

Traders & Settlers
Others came in pursuit of pelts, ore, scientific knowledge, and good grazing lands.

 

Park Founders
How a local newspaper editor and a local doctor teamed up to create one of the country's most popular national parks.

 

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
Like many NPS units, Arches benefitted from the hard work of the Civilian Conservation Corps.

 

Edward Abbey
This author gave a voice to the desert, though not all agree with what he said.

 

Arch Hunters
Who mapped most of the park's namesake features?