Arches National Park Travel Guide

Arches National Park is a wonderland of desert vistasshort hiking trailsstrange rock formationsand you guessed itarches. Not only will you find over 2,000 arches herebut you will also see hoodoosfins of sandstone rocksmassive mesasand balanced rocks. Here are the best things to do in Arches National Park.

The first time I visited Arches was in 1996. I was only 22 years old and it was my first visit out west. I was literally awestruck by the beauty here.

One year laterin 1997I returned with Tim…I just had to share this magical place with him. We day tripped out to Archestaking a break from skiing in Colorado. It was the last week in December and Arches NP was a very quiet spot. In factwe had Delicate Arch all to ourselves. How times have changed.

More recentlywe have visited Arches National Park in December 2018 and November 2020. We just can’t stay away. And every time we are herewe keep discovering more wonderful places to visitwhich we will share with you in this post.

I hope you enjoy this extraordinary place as much as we do.

In this guidewe will not only cover the best things to do in Archesbut also provide information about timed entry permitsthe ideal time to plan your tripwhere to stayand essential travel planning details.

Over the yearswe have helped a lot of other travelers plan their trip to Arches National Parklike Jonathanwho had this to say: “I just discovered your site while preparing for our trip this month to Arches. This is BY FAR the best site I’ve seen for great info on the parks and hiking trails in particular!”

Timed Entry Permit for Arches National Park

In order to enter Arches National Park from April 1 through July 6 and August 28 through October 31you must have a timed entry permit. These tickets are released six months in advance. 

Learn more and get your permit on the official National Park website.

1. Arches Scenic Drive

There is one road that travels through Arches National Park and that is Arches Scenic Drive. It is 19 miles in lengthfrom Highway 191 to the Devils Garden trailhead in the back of the park.

It takes about a half an hour to drive the total distancebut it will take much longer than thatas you ooh and aah at the arches and detour to various viewpoints and hiking trails.

Scenic Drive Arches National Park

Arches Scenic Drive

2. Park Avenue

This shorteasy hike wanders past massive rock formations such as the Three Gossips and the Courthouse Towers. There are no arches but it is still a wonderful walk.

Distance: 1 mile (1.6 km) one-way
Length of Time: 30 to 45 minutes

Park Avenue Arches National Park | Best things to do in Arches National Park

Park Avenue | Best Things to Do in Arches National Park

The best way to do this is as a point-to-point hike. If there is someone in your group who does not mind skipping the walkthey can drop hikers off at the trailhead and pick them up at the end point. Otherwiseyou will have to do this as a 2 mile round trip hike.

PRO TRAVEL TIP: For a mostly downhill walkstart at the Park Avenue trailhead and end at the Courthouse Towers Viewpoint. If you do it in the opposite directionit will be a mostly uphill walk with 300 feet of elevation gain.

3. La Sal Mountains Viewpoint

This is the first viewpoint you will come to as you drive into Arches NP. Againthere are no arches in view but you do get a 360° panoramic view not only of the park but also of the La Sal Mountains off in the distance.

We liked this a lot more than the nearby Courthouse Towers Viewpoint since you are higher and have a better view over the rocky landmarks at the front of the park.

Best Time for Photography: The time of day you are here makes a big impact on your photos. Here are two photostaken one day apartat different times of the day. The first photo was taken mid-afternoon. The second photo was taken the following morning about two hours after sunrise.

Driving in Arches National Park

La Sal Mountains viewpoint in the afternoon

La Sal Mountains Viewpoint things to do in Arches National Park

La Sal Mountains viewpoint in the morning

4. Balanced Rock

This famous rock formation is a must-see. You drive right past it on the main road but it is worth pulling over for a quick visit. There is a small parking lot and from here you can walk around Balanced Rock for an up-close view.

Distance: 0.3 miles (0.5 km) round trip
Length of Time: 15 minutes

Balanced Rock | Best things to do in Arches National Park

Balanced Rock

5. The Windows and Turret Arch

On this short hikeyou get to see three very cool arches: North WindowSouth Windowand Turret Arch. These arches are connected by one hiking trail.

Here are the trail stats:

Distance: 0.7 miles (1.1 km) round trip
Length of Time: 30 to 45 minutes

To hike the loop from the parking lotwalk to North Windowthen South Windowand end at Turret Arch.

Optional: From Turret Archit’s a quick direct walk back to the parking lot. You have the option to extend this hike via the Primitive Trail. This trail is not as well-marked as the main trailand you will need to follow the cairns (piles of rocks used as trail markers) to find your way. The primitive trail adds about 0.5 miles to the hike.

How to Get Here: From Arches Scenic Driveturn right onto The Windows Road. This road ends at a loop connecting two car parksone at the trailhead to the Windows and one at the trailhead for Double Arch. You will come to the parking lot for the Windows first. We parked here and visited the Windows and Double Arch without bothering to move our car (during crowded times it can be very difficult to find parking here).

North Window Arch | Best things to do in Arches National Park

North Window Arch

Window Arches | Best things to do in Arches National Park

North and South Window Arches | Best Things to Do in Arches National Park

Turret Arch

Turret Arch

For a cool photoyou can photograph Turret Arch through the North Window Arch.

Window and Turret things to do in Arches National Park

Photo credit: anthony heflin/shutterstock.com

The best time to do this is at sunrise and early in the morning. Sunset also worksbut the time of the year matters. If you want to take a sunset photoit’s best during the summer monthswhen the sun is located farther north in the sky. We were here in the late afternoon in Novembera terrible time to try to take this photoas both Turret Arch and the Windows are completely backlit by the setting sun. Guess we will be back to Arches one more time so I can retake this photo. 😊

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6. Double Arch

It may look small from a distance but these arches are massive. In factDouble Arch is the tallest arch in the park. It is a short walk to get here and this is one of the few places where you can climb on the rocks under the arch.

Distance: 0.5 miles (0.8 km) round trip
Length of Time: 30 minutes
How to Get Here: From the parking lot at the end of The Windows Road.

PRO TRAVEL TIP: Double Arch shares the same parking lot as North and South Windows. Plan on spend an houror a little longerto see all of the arches.

Double Arch | Best things to do in Arches National Park

Double Arch

7. Garden of Eden

This is worth the quick stop to see these knobby hoodoos and sandstone rock formations. Just before you reach the Garden of Edenthere is a pull-out for a panoramic view of the Windows and Turret Arches against the backdrop of the La Sal Mountains.

Garden of Eden things to do in Arches National Park

Garden of Eden | Best Things to Do in Arches National Park

Things to do in Arches National Park

View from the Garden of Eden

Getting Here: From The Windows Roadturn onto Garden of Eden Viewpoint Road. You can do this before or after visiting Double Archthe Windowsand Turret arches.

8. Hike to Delicate Arch

This is the main attraction in Arches National Park. People from all around the world travel to Arches to see this arch so expect big crowds and a busy trail.

To get an up close view of Delicate Archyou are going to have to do some hiking. It’s a 3-mile round trip hike over slickrock and sandy trails. From the car park you will walk uphill most of the way to get to the arch.

Delicate Arch Hiking Stats

Distance: 3 miles (4.8 km) round trip
Elevation Gain: 480 feet gain on the hike from the parking lot to Delicate Arch
Length of Time: 1.5 to 3 hours
How to Get Here: Park in the Wolfe Ranch parking lot on Delicate Arch Road.

There is one short section of trail with a drop-off on one side. This is located just before you get to Delicate Arch. Kids can do this hike but you will need to keep an eye on themespecially as you walk this short section.

Delicate Arch Trail things to do in Arches National Park
Delicate Arch in December | Best things to do in Arches National Park

Delicate Arch at sunrise in December

Delicate Arch | Best things to do in Arches National Park

Delicate Arch in the late afternoon in November

The best time for photography is at sunrisein the late afternoonand at sunset. For most of the morning and middaythe sun will be behind the archmaking it backlit and difficult to photograph. Later in the daythe sun illuminates the front of the archmaking it more suitable for photography. We got lucky. We were here in the morningbut cloudy skies toned down the harshness of the sunlight.

The best time to avoid the crowds is during the early morning hours. This is also one of the worst times for photography. So you will have to decide if you want fewer crowds (go first thing in the morning) or better lighting conditions (late afternoon and sunset).

Before you goread our detailed guide on Delicate Arch. It includes a very cool but easy-to-miss viewpoint to get a unique view of Delicate Arch.

9. Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint

To get a view of Delicate Arch without going on a strenuous hikevisit Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint. You will still have to do some walkingbut it is shorter and easier than the walk to Delicate Arch. If you want a close-up view of Delicate Arch from this anglemake sure you pack a zoom lens.

Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint

Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint

There is a second viewpointLower Delicate Arch Viewpointwhich you can visit from the same car parkwith even less walking. Howeveryou are so far away from the arch that it is hardly worth the effort.

Distance: 0.6 miles (0.9 km) round trip
Length of Time: 15 to 30 minutes
How to Get Here: Drive past the Wolfe Ranch parking lot on Delicate Arch Road for one mile until you get to the large parking lot for Delicate Arch Viewpoint.

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10. Fiery Furnace

Named for the reddish glow it gets at sunsetthe Fiery Furnace is one of the neatest non-arch spots in Arches National Park.

There are three ways to experience the Fiery Furnace: by viewpointby a guided ranger hikeor on your own with a backcountry permit.

The easiest way to see the Fiery Furnace is to park your car in the parking lot and walk the very short distance to an overlook. Here’s the view.

Fiery Furnace | Best things to do in Arches National Park

Fiery Furnace | Best Things to Do in Arches National Park

The best way to experience the Fiery Furnace is by a ranger-guided hike. This 2 mile strenuous hike takes you through a maze of canyons formed by sandstone fins. Spots fill up fast so if this sounds like something you would like to domake your reservation in advance. Visit the National Park website for full details. 

11. Devils Garden and Landscape Arch

The Devils Garden Trail is the best hike to do in Arches National Park.

What makes it so great? Not only can you visit the amazing Landscape Archbut you can also see seven more arches and some of the best landscapes in the park.

On the way to Landscape Archvisit Pine Tree Arch and Tunnel Arch. Once you see Landscape Archyou can turn around and hike back to your car. Orkeep going. The hiking gets to be more funand more challengingas you walk on massive sandstone fins and enjoy views across the park. Visit Navajo ArchPartition Arch, and Double O Archan arch that looks strangely similar to Double Arch.

Retrace your steps to the car park or practice your route finding skills on the primitive trail (and get to see the 6th archPrivate Arch).

Whether you hike just a short section of the Devils Garden Trail or the entire loopyou are in for a treat.

Devils Garden Trail Stats

Round trip to Landscape Arch: 1.6 miles (2.6 km)
Round trip to Double O Arch: 4.2 miles (6.7 km)
To Double O Arch and back via the primitive trail: 5.9 miles (9.5 km)
Pine Tree and Tunnels arches add 0.5 miles (0.8 km)
Navajo and Partition arches add 0.8 miles (1.3 km)

Allow an hour for the hike to Landscape Arch and add more time if you choose to go farther.

Pinetree Arch | Best things to do in Arches National Park

Pinetree Arch

Landscape Arch

Landscape Arch | Best Things to Do in Arches National Park

Devils Garden Hike

Hiking to Double O Arch

How to Get Here: The Arches Scenic Drive ends at a large car park. This is the access point for the Devils Garden trailhead. There are restrooms here.

Want to learn more about this hike? We have an entire article about hiking the Devils Garden Trailwith mapstips and tricksand more photos ↓

12. Skyline Arch

Distance: 0.2 miles (0.3 km) one-way
Length of Time: 10 to 15 minutes

This arch is quick and easy to visit. From the small car park on Scenic Drive Roadit’s a short walk to the viewpoint for Skyline Arch.

Skyline Arch

Skyline Arch

13. Sand Dune Arch

Distance: 0.4 miles (0.3 km) round-trip
Time: 15 minutes

This is such a cool arch! It’s tucked away between fins of sandstone rock so it’s a much different experience than many other arches in this park.

To get hereit’s a shorteasy walk on a sandy trail that leads in between the tall walls of sandstone. Since it is mostly in the shadethis is a cooler spot to visit during the hotsummer months. Kids will love this short hike.

Sand Dune Arch Hike

Sand Dune Arch is located in between these fins of sandstone rock.

Sand Dune Arch

Sand Dune Arch | Best Things to Do in Arches National Park

14. Broken Arch

Distance: 1.2 miles (2 km) round-trip
Time: 30 to 45 minutes

Broken Arch shares the same trailhead as Sand Dune Arch and these two arches can easily be combined into one hike. Here are the stats if you hike to both arches ↓

Distance (Broken Arch + Sand Dune Arch): 1.8 miles round trip
Time: 1 to 1.5 hours

The walk to Broken Arch is flat and fast but there is no shade at all along the trail. You can see the arch from the parking lot but if you don’t mind the walkthis is another arch that it worth the close-up experience. You can hike through the archsee it from the opposite sideand even continue the hikeif you want to. The trail continues to Tapestry Arch and the Devils Garden campground.

Broken Arch Hike
Broken Arch

Broken Arch

15. Tapestry Arch

Distance: 0.3 miles
Time: 30 minutes
Where: There is a very small parking lot in Devils Garden Campground at the trailhead. There are restrooms here if you need one.

If you want to escape the crowds and visit another archput Tapestry Arch on your list. This arch is tucked away behind Devils Garden campgroundso very few people venture out this way.

Tapestry Arch

Sand Dune ArchBroken Arch & Tapestry Arch Loop

You can combine all three arches into one loop. Starting at the Sand Dune Arch parking lot on Scenic Drive Roadhike to Sand Dune Arch and continue onto Broken Arch. Hike through Broken Arch to Tapestry Arch. The trail will pass through Devils Garden campground and then loop back to your starting point. This hike is 2.8 miles and takes between 1 to 2 hours.

16. Tower Arch

This recommendation is a bit off of the beaten pathbut if you like the idea of visiting a secluded arch that is located in a less visited part of the parkTower Arch is worth adding to your to do list.

There are several ways to get here and all of them require at least a short drive on a roughgravel road. From Klondike Bluffsit is a 2.5 mile moderate round trip hike to get to the arch. If you have a 4×4you can drive to the west side of the arch and then hike 0.3 miles to the arch. 

If you don’t have a 4WD vehicleyou can join one of these tours which takes you to Tower Arch and several more off-the-beaten path locations in Arches National Park. 

We just listed a lot of things to do in Arches National Park. Unless you move very quicklyyou won’t be able to do everything we list in just one day. To help narrow things downhere are our top 10 things to do in Arches National Park:

1. Drive Scenic Drive Road
2. Hike to Delicate Arch (sunset is ideal)
3. Hike the Devils Garden Trail
4. See Balanced Rock
5. Visit Windows and Turret Arches
6. Visit Double Arch
7. Panoramic View from the Garden of Eden
8. Hike Park Avenue
9. Take a ranger guided tour of the Fiery Furnace
10. Visit Sand Dune Arch

Arches National Park

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To visit the highlights of Arches National Parkplan on spending one day here. Get an early start (no later than 8 am but earlier is better) and pack a picnic lunch so that you can spend all day in the park. We recommend starting in the “back” of the parkat Devils Gardenand visiting the sights along Scenic Drive as you head back towards the park entrance. Learn more in our One Day in Arches Itinerary.

With two days in Arches National Park, you can visit the sights listed above at a slower paceso it doesn’t feel like a race.

Can You Visit Arches & Canyonlands on the Same Day?

If you are very limited in timeit is possible to visit both Arches and Canyonlands (Island in the Sky) in one daybut I don’t recommend it. There is a lot to see and do in both of these parks and it’s best to spend at least one day in each of them.

With that being saidif you only have one day in Moabit is possible to see the highlights of both parks. We have a detailed One Day in Arches and Canyonlands itinerary that lays out exactly how to do this. It is a very busylong daybut you will get to experience the best of both parks.

Arches + Canyonlands

The Ultimate Arches and Canyonlands One Day Itinerary

Best way to visit Arches and Canyonlands in one day.

The spring and fall months are the best times to visit. Weather conditions are pleasant and you can avoid the big crowds that flood the park in the summer. During the summer monthsexpect soaring temperatureslarge crowdsand difficulty finding parking at many viewpoints. During the winter monthsit is much less crowdedbut temperatures get below freezing and snow is likely.

The graphs below depict the average monthly temperatures and precipitation for the nearby town of Moabwhich will help you plan your trip.

38°F 20°F
Jan
47°F 25°F
Feb
58°F 34°F
Mar
68°F 41°F
Apr
77°F 50°F
May
92°F 62°F
Jun
97°F 69°F
Jul
93°F 65°F
Aug
85°F 56°F
Sep
69°F 42°F
Oct
53°F 29°F
Nov
40°F 20°F
Dec
Average High/Low Temperatures – Moab
0.3in
Jan
0.4in
Feb
0.6in
Mar
0.3in
Apr
0.5in
May
0.4in
Jun
0.5in
Jul
0.8in
Aug
0.5in
Sep
0.8in
Oct
0.4in
Nov
0.4in
Dec
Average Precipitation – Moab

The National Park website has a great graph showing the busiest times to visit Arches NPas well as tips on how to avoid the crowds.

Timed Entry Permit: In order to enter Arches National Park from April 1 through July 6 and August 28 through October 31you must have a timed entry permit. These tickets are released six months in advance. 

Getting to Arches National Park: Arches National Park is located in southeastern Utah. The closest city is Moabjust a 10-minute drive from the park.

Entrance Fees: It costs $30 per vehicle to enter the park and this is good for seven days. For $55 you can purchase a Southeast Utah parks passwhich also gets you into Canyonlands National Park. You can also purchase an annual National Parks pass (called the America the Beautiful Pass) for $80. With this pass you can visit over 2,000 federal recreation sites. This is worth it if you also plan to visit more of Utah’s Mighty 5including Capitol ReefZionBryce Canyonor any other US National Park within the year.

Leave No Trace. Please practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace: plan aheadstay on the trailspack out what you bring to the hiking trailsproperly dispose of wasteleave areas as you found themminimize campfire impactsbe considerate of other visitorsand do not approach or feed wildlife.

There are no restaurants in the park. If you plan to stay all day you will need to pack a picnic lunch. Howeverthere are restrooms at many of the main viewpoints and trailheads inside of the park.

Cellular Service. We had spotty cellular service in the parkeven as far back as Devils Garden. Even soI wouldn’t depend on using your phone to textcheck emailsor send photos.

Planning a trip to Utah’s Mighty 5? Learn how to plan a road trip through all five national parks (ZionBryce CanyonCanyonlandsArchesand Capitol Reef) with details on the best things to dowhere to stayand more ↓

There is no lodging inside of Arches National Park. The only campground is the Devils Garden Campground but sites tend to be reserved well in advance. Click here to learn more.

The best place to stay is in Moab. This small town has many hotels and restaurantsas well as gas stations and grocery stores.

On our most recent visits to Moabwe have stayed in the Hoodoo Moab (a beautifulupscale hotel in the city center) and 57 Robber’s Roost (apartments with a full kitchengreat for families and small groups).

For more recommendationsfrom campgroundslodges with a viewglamping resortsand popular hotel brandstake a look at our guide Where to Stay in Moab ↓

How much time do you need in Arches National Park?

With one busy day you can see the highlights of Arches National Park. Get an early start (no later than 8 am) and pack a picnic lunchso you can spend all day in the park. We recommend starting in the “back” of the parkat Devils Gardenand visiting the sights along Scenic Drive as you head back towards the park entrance. Learn more in our Arches One Day Itinerary.

Which is betterArches or Canyonlands?

The answer depends on what kind of experience you want to have. If you want to see some of the most iconic arches and rock formations in the USAgo to Arches National Park. This park is small and easy to visit. With many short hiking trails to choose from and unique places to photographArches is a great park for familiesphotographersand hikers.

Canyonlands is one of the most underrated parks in the USA. The Island in the Sky district is easy to visitwith its overlooks and hiking trails. But the real beauty and adventure of Canyonlands lies beyond the Island in the Sky mesa. Go hiking in the Needlesdrive the White Rim Road, go rafting on the Colorado Riverand explore the Maze in a 4×4.

What else can I do near Arches National Park?

If your visit to Arches National Park is part of a bigger road tripthere are a lot of cool places to visit near Moab. The Island in the Sky is a district of Canyonlands National Park that is a 45-minute drive from Moab. South of Moab is the Needles district of Canyonlands National Parkwhere zebra-striped spires create one of the most unique hiking destinations in Utah. To the west of Moab is Little Wild Horse slot canyon (a very cool hike!) and Goblin Valley State Park (hike among short hoodoos that are called goblins). And right next door to Island in the Sky is the jaw-dropping Dead Horse Point State Park.

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If you have any questions about the best things to do in Arches National Parkor if you want to share your experiencelet us know in the comment section below.

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK: Take a look at our Arches National Park Travel Guide for important travel planning tipssample itinerariesadvice on when to gowhere to stayand more. If you are short on timecheck out our One Day in Arches National Park to learn the best way to spend your time here.

Arches National Park Travel Guide
Best hikesbest viewsand the best things to do in Arches National ParkUtah.
Arches NP Best Hikes Best Views

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Julie

About Julie

Julie is the main author for Earth Trekkers. Hikerfoodiewine aficionadophotographerand triathleteshe loves discovering new places and turning those experiences into practical travel advice. Her work has been featured by National GeographicOutsideand Matador Network. Julie’s mission is simple: to make travel planning easier and inspire you to visit new destinations with confidence.

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