Arches features some unique sandstone formations, including Delicate Arch, the most license-plate worthy view in the country. We visited Arches National Park during our Utah Mighty 5 spring break road trip. We arrived at Arches around 10am, and there was already a huge line at the fee station. I had heard about Arches’ popularity, but I had not imagined it would be this busy on a weekday. At some point I was honestly worried they were going to stop letting people in. Thankfully, the line moved quickly, and we were allowed into the park.
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Since then, the National Park Service has piloted a timed-entry system. Starting in 2023, the timed entries must be reserved online on recreation.gov and costs $2 per slot. Vehicles can enter the park any time during their 1-hour time slot and remain as long as they wish. No reservation is required for entry before 7am or after 4pm. Click here for more information.
Where is Arches and how to get there?
Arches National Park is located in Moab in southeast Utah, just 30 minutes south of I-70. Though Moab is a popular tourist destination, it’s only home to a small regional airport. The closest international airports are the following:
- SLC in Salt Lake City, UT – 4h drive
- DEN in Denver, CO – 6h drive
- LAS in Las Vegas, NV – 7h drive
If time allows, I recommend flying into Las Vegas and spending a week exploring the rest of Utah’s Mighty 5 national parks. Check out my complete itinerary: Utah Mighty 5 – One Week Itinerary.
When to visit?
Winter, Fall and spring are all great times to visit Arches National Park. These times will allow you to enjoy the park’s beauty without the crowds and scorching heat. I recommend visiting on a weekday during off season to enjoy the park without the crowds. As mentioned above, Arches is one of the most popular national parks in Utah and the Southwest. It can get crowded even in the winter. If you’re visiting during a holiday, don’t worry. We did too, and we still managed to enjoy our visit despite the crowds.
See also: 15 Best National Parks to Visit in the Winter
How long to stay?
One day is enough to hit the highlights of Arches National Park. However if you want to hike to every single arch in the park or tour Fiery Furnace, you will need 2-3 days depending on your fitness level.
How much does it cost?
Arches National Park has a an entrance fee of $30 per vehicle, $15 per person, and $25 per motorcycle. Don’t forget the $2 time slot reservation you must make on recreation.gov as well.
However, if you plan on visiting more than two national parks in the next 12 months, I highly encourage you to get an America the Beautiful Pass or National Park Pass. This pass costs only $80 per year and is valid until the end of the 12th month. For example, if you purchase a pass on April 1st of 2023, it will be valid until April 30th 2024.
This pass also allows you to visit all sites managed by the National Park Service such as national historic sites, monuments, preserves… Certain state parks such as Sedona’s Red Rock State Park even allow you to use your national park pass in place of their state park pass. It is seriously one of the best travel deals out there. We purchase a national park pass every single year and have visited almost a dozen state and national parks with it this past year.
Other passes exist for seniors, military members, those with a disability, and more. For more information on Interagency passes and where to purchase them, click here.
Where to stay?
There is no lodging in Arches National Park, only a campground at Devil’s Garden. Campsites require reservation March through October and are first-come, first-served between November and February. If you’re looking for a hotel, staying in Moab, UT is the easiest. There you’ll find tons of accommodations for different budgets. Make sure to reserve a room several weeks in advance as hotels tend to fill up quickly.
Where to eat?
There is no restaurant or convenient store in the park, but there are lots of picnic areas. I recommend packing a picnic lunch and enjoying a nice, sit-down dinner in Moab in the evening. If you are looking for a place to eat in Moab, I highly recommend the Spoke on Center for great food, great service, and an eclectic downtown setting. Give the huckleberry ice cream a try. This local and delicious specialty won’t disappoint.
What to do?
Arches is well divided into sections (Courthouse Towers, The Windows, and Devil’s Garden). Though you could easily spend 2 or 3 days exploring the park, you can hit all the highlights in just one day. Here’s how:
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Courthouse Towers
The drive up to Park Avenue from the Visitor center is quite steep, but the views are breathtaking. With the red sandstone walls to your left and La Sal Mountains to your right, you’ll see this is one of the most beautiful areas in the park. The Arches Scenic Drive continues through Courthouse Towers and along the Great Wall. There is a short 1.8 mi/ 2.9 km trail called Park Avenue Trail that takes you through Courthouse Tower. I would recommend skipping this hike if you only have one day in Arches National Park.
Petrified Dunes
As you continue up Arches National Park Road, you’ll see a pullout on your right facing the Great Wall. Make sure not to miss it as it features the best view of the Petrified Dunes in the park. I suggest photographing the Petrified Dunes in the evening for better lighting and clearer views of the La Sal mountain range.
Balanced Rock
Down the road and right before the turnout for the Windows Section is Balanced Rock, a large rock that seems to balance itself on a stack-like rock formation. There is a short 0.3 mile (0.5 km) hike that loops around the monument as well as a picnic area.
The Windows
The Windows Section is located in the center of the park and features short, easy trails accessible to hikers of all ages, making it one of the most popular areas in the park. There are two large, adjacent parking lots near the Windows trails. The parking lots were full when we pulled up, but people were being very kind and indicating emptying parking spots to new arrivees, so we didn’t have to wait long at all.
There are two trails in the Windows. The first trail is a 1 mi/ 1.6 km loop that takes you Turret Arch, the North Window and South Window. The second trail leads to Double Arch and is only 0.5 mi/ 0.8 km out and back.
Delicate Arch
After you leave the Windows, you’ll see the turnout for Delicate Arch. There are 3 ways to view Delicate Arch: the upper and lower Delicate Arch viewpoints and the Delicate Arch trail. The upper and lower viewpoints have the advantage to require a lot less walking than the actual trail, but they also offer much less dramatic views.
The 3.4 miles (5.5 km) hike up to Delicate Arch is rated as moderate. However, the incline and uneven path are no joke. Hiking this trail last after having hiked nearly 8 miles (12 km) that day was tough. There is also virtually no shade all the way to the top. We did this hike in March, and we got HOT. I do not recommend hiking up to Delicate Arch in the summer. If you do attempt this hike on a warm day, make sure to bring plenty of water and sunscreen.
PRO TRAVEL TIP
If you are visiting arches during the summer months, consider hiking up to delicate arch for sunrise. this will allow you to reach the top and enjoy the views before the sun gets too hot. this is also one of the best time to photograph the arch.
As difficult as it was to get to the top, we could not leave Arches without seeing the mythical license-plate arch. At the summit, you will definitely need to sit on a rock and catch your breath. But let’s face it, with the La Sal Mountains as a backdrop, there are worse places to kick back and relax after a long, rough hike. The view from the top was breathtaking… literally.
Fiery Furnace
Before reaching Fiery Furnace, you’ll see a pullout for Salt Valley Overlook. Enjoy the views of the multicolored dirt stretching by Fiery Furnace. The next stop is the Fiery Furnace viewpoint and trailhead. The trail into the Fiery Furnace is only accessible with a permit or on a ranger-led tour. Tours are offered from spring to fall and cost $16 per person.Reservations are required. Click here for more information on ranger-led tours of Fiery Furnace.
Devil’s Garden
Before arriving in Devil’s Garden, we made a stop at Sand Dune Arch (0.4 mi/ 0.6 km), a shaded area with deep sand perfect for families with children. To protect the fragile geological structures, keep your little ones from climbing on the arch and teach them to admire its beauty from below.
Devil’s Garden is another wildly popular area in Arches. I had only planned to hike to Landscape Arch and back (1.9 mi/ 3.1 km), but as we started the trail, we noticed a short side trail (0.5 mi/ 0.8 km) to Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch, which we decided to explore. Pine Tree Arch was both beautiful and massive. Pictures truly do not do the majesty of these arches justice. Finally, we headed back on the trail to Landscape Arch, which is rated as moderate, but by then felt rather strenuous for our tired bodies. Landscape Arch is best photographed early morning as the sun shines brightly on the structure.
In the past, it was actually possible for visitors to walk and even camp below Landscape Arch, but on September 1, 1991, a major rock fall weakened the structure, making it unsafe for visitors and campers. Today, Landscape Arch is fenced off, and boulders leftover from the rockfall still lay scattered below. Click here and skip to 1:00 to view actual footage of the rockfall of 1991.
With one more day
If you are lucky enough to have an additional day to spend in Arches, consider doing a few of the following:
- Hike to the remaining arches in Devil’s Garden:
- Broken Arch & Tapestry Arch Loop past Sand Dune Arch (1.2 mi (1.9 km)
- Skyline Arch (0.4 mi/ 0.6 km)
- All the way to Double O Arch and Dark Angel Arch (7.9 miles/ 12.7 km total)
- Hike into Fiery Furnace
- Ride ATVs through the desert of Moab
With two more days
If you have two more days in Moab, spend your third morning at Dead Horse Point State Park and Canyonlands National Park.
In the afternoon hike the 3 miles/ 4.8 km to Corona Arch, one of the largest and most impressive arches in Moab. Then drive south to Newspaper Rock, an area with a large concentration of Native American petroglyphs.
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