The Windows Trail

The Windows Trail is a one-mile loop from the upper Windows Section lot, visiting North Window, South Window and Turret Arch before returning behind the Windows on the primitive trail. Allow about an hour for the walk, and longer if you stop at each opening. The complete circuit is the best way to see the three named arches and get a different angle on the Windows on your way back. If the rough return is not for you, retrace the main route instead; that out-and-back skips the primitive section, and its distance depends on where you turn.

North Window is visible from the parking area, but the trail gets more involved after the easy start. The first 300 feet are flat and hard-packed, with firm bedrock; after that, the path climbs toward the arches over sloping ground and rock steps. The park describes the walk as easy, which fits its short distance, but the steps make the full route a poor choice for anyone who needs a smooth, barrier-free surface. The first short section may be accessible; do not assume the rest of the loop is.

The openings are close together, but the route is not just a quick look from the lot. Walk up to the bases of North and South Windows, then continue to Turret Arch before taking the primitive return. The arches sit high in broad sandstone walls and fins, with views out across the surrounding rock country. The complete loop gives a fresh perspective after the main arch stops; the same-way return is simpler, but retraces the approach.

The back side is the roughest part of the circuit: uneven stone, steps both up and down, and ledges, with fewer trail markers than the main path. Watch for the marked route at junctions, especially if you are used to following a clear gravel track. This section is short, but it is the part that makes the walk a loop rather than a straightforward arch visit. There is no drinking water along the route.

“Windows” is a visual name for especially large openings high in a sandstone wall or fin, often framing a view; it is not a separate technical type of arch. The surrounding Entrada sandstone breaks along cracks, and water and freeze-thaw weathering gradually widen those openings. Look at the rock between North and South Windows as well as through them: the arch and the remaining fin are part of the same changing landform.

Turret Arch is the photo stop worth taking a moment over. From there, frame the North and South Windows with Elephant Butte and the La Sal Mountains beyond. The route also gives you a view back toward the Windows from the primitive side, so the formations do not look the same on the return as they did on the way in.

The Windows Section is about 12 miles from the park entrance. Use its upper parking area for the one-mile loop; a separate connector across from the trailhead descends to the lower Double Arch lot and adds walking. Toilets are available near the upper trailhead year-round, but there is no drinking water at the lot or on the trail. Pets are not allowed; service animals are permitted.