La Ventana Arch

El Malpais National Conservation Area

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I find myself rushing north and passing areas that look like they really ought to be explored, but it's already a bit hot out here. Still, I can do some quick sightseeing for a particularly fun feature along the way. The stop has bathrooms, picnic tables, interpretive signs along a paved path, and very little shade. Oh, and the cholla are in bloom. It's been a while since I was trying to get through the dense stands of teddy bear cholla of the Gila Bend Mountains, for instance, so I can stand to see cholla again, especially in bloom. The ones here aren't plastered with flowers like some, but there's still a pretty bloom or two. Meanwhile, high up in the rocks, is the whole point of it all: a massive natural arch.

La Ventana Arch as it appears from near the parking lot. It is visible from the road, so can get a lot of viewers.

One cholla flower out on this plant, but there's two more getting ready.

The prickly pears are at it too.

A little way past the picnic areas, the path stops being paved. The sign at the start actually says the path to the arch is steep and rocky, but it is barely either. It does go uphill and a rock or two can be found. It stops far underneath the arch with fences around a standing area and "closed area" signs about it all. Little paths break off for further adventures before the end. I gather some of those adventures include getting up behind the arch. Not for me as it is quickly getting very hot.

Closer to La Ventana Arch.

La Ventana Arch from the end of the sanctioned trail.

Then it is back and an attempt to capture a little bit of the character of the area. The sandstone cliffs are only one side of the valley. The other side is lava flow. It is quite an odd little canyon that the road has been put through.

Sandstone cliffs continue north and south. These are the south ones.

The sandstone drops off to lava flow on the far side. The signs absolutely assure me that this is a canyon although it seems to be missing one side.

©2019 Valerie Norton
Written 14 Jul 2019