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Arches at Home Scavenger Hunt

A wall of orange colored rock with a natural stone opening at the top. At the base are green shrubs, and behind is blue sky.
Skyline Arch

NPS/Neal Herbert

National parks and the outdoors are places where people can have a sense of peace. Even when you can't get to a national park, there are still plenty of ways to experience what makes them peaceful.

We invite you to participate in a virtual scavenger hunt challenge. Complete the activities and use the hashtag #ParkAtHome on any social media platform for others to see.

Ready to hunt?

Question 1:
Arches National Park is known for...well, its arches! Arches occur in nature and in man made items all the time. Find an arch in your house and take a photo of it. Arches in the park have names that can be silly, descriptive, or historical.

What did you name the arch you found?

A close up view of tan, black, and white bumpy soil. Nestled within is a small green plant.
Biological Soil Crust

NPS/Neal Herbert

Question 2:
Go on a walk around your neighborhood and find a texture unique to your area. On our walk we found the bumpy, crunchy, and always intriguing biological soil crust. This soil, made up of living organisms like blue-green algae, lichen, moss, microfungi, and bacteria makes it so life can survive in the harsh desert.

What textures did you find?
A close up of small white and yellow flowers on a shrub branch
Cliffrose

NPS/Marty Tow

Question 3:
One of our favorite smells is that of cliffrose in the spring. The sweet aroma wafts through the air, alerting you to the plant before you can even see it.

What is one smell where you live that you love?
A park ranger in uniform stands inside an orange colored natural stone opening. The sky behind is white.
Ranger in an arch

NPS/Kristin Vinduska

Question 4:
Find a space in your home or neighborhood where you are the most comfortable. For park rangers that may be inside of an arch, or in between some rock walls.

What do you think about while here?
A yellow, orange, pink, and blue colored sunset behind black silhouettes of rock pillars.
Sunset with rock silhouettes

NPS/Jacob W. Frank

Question 5:
The towering rock monoliths, arches, and fins at Arches National Park are spectacular any time of the day (though sunrise and sunset are particularly nice).

What is one sight at your house or in your neighborhood that you want everyone to see?

Share What You Found!

  • Share with friends and family.
  • Take pictures and share on social media.
  • Tag us (@archesnps) Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and use the hashtag #ParkAtHome.
Find more Arches National Park related activities on the Arches' Park Fun page.

Arches National Park

Last updated: January 2, 2021