Well, we did it! My husband and I visited each and every official stop at Arches National Park! That was my goal for our visit during our Southwest National Parks Road Trip but I honestly didn’t think we would be able to do it. So I can say, with confidence, that I have put together the ultimate Arches National Park guide!

So, do you plan on visiting this gorgeous place anytime soon? Or maybe you’re just curious what this national park has to offer? Look no further! I totally have got you covered.

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The Basics

Let’s start with the basics, of course! Arches National Park is a breathtaking geologic wonderland located just to the north of Moab, Utah. As a geologist myself, this truly is an amazing place to visit! Arches National Park contains over 2,000 natural stone arches created by erosion over long periods of time. The landscape itself is surrounded by beautiful red and orange rock formations, petrified dunes, salt domes, and mountain ranges in the distance.

Related: An Ultimate Guide to Planning the Perfect Utah Road Trip

Hiking in Arches National Park — View from Double Arch

Entrance Fees:

To get into the park, entrance fees range. Overall, it is usually just $25 per vehicle (including all it’s occupants, up to 15 people) but the best deal, in my opinion, is opting for an $80 America the Beautiful Pass, which allows entry to any national park for an entire year (you make up your money in just four visits)!

Weather:

As for the weather, it ranges in the 40’s and 50’s in the winter and can reach the 100’s in the summer. Be sure to always check the current and forecasted weather conditions before you leave to be prepared!

Hours:

What about hours? When is this great park open? The great thing about this park is that it is open 24 hours a day! So you don’t need to worry about scheduling when to arrive or leave.

Staying at Arches:

If you’re planning a multi-day stay here, there are some great options! Inside the park, there are 50 campsites to choose from and reservations can be made up to six months in advance. There are also countless options in Moab, UT for campsites, RV parks, and hotels.

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Tips for Arches National Park

During our road trip to Arches National Park, we learned a few things. Let me share my knowledge and help you with your next visit to this great place!

No matter what time of year, wear sunscreen! This is an incredibly sunny place, even in the winter! My favorite for hiking is Banana Boat Sport (body) and Neutrogena (face).
I’ve already mentioned this, but I can’t stress enough how amazing the America the Beautiful National Park Service year pass is. We made our money back in the first week of using it and haven’t paid an entrance fee since!
Whenever you are hiking, always be sure to pack the ten hiking essentials with you to ensure a comfortable and safe journey!
Speaking of packing, be sure to check out my ultimate road trip packing list if you’ll be on the road for a while!
Be sure to plan your visits to the most popular destinations during non-peak hours. This would be before 9 am and after 4 pm in most cases. Visiting the park in the early spring or late fall will help you avoid the crowds too! Popular destinations: delicate arch, devil’s garden, double arch, and the windows for sure!
Wear proper footwear on the trails. If you’re hiking longer trails, get some hiking boots (and break them in) beforehand! There are not a lot of paved trails here so be prepared for that.
Always know the weather forecast before you head out! Check it each day, forecasts can change quickly!
My new current road trip and camping obsessions are packable down blankets. They are perfect for the car and in the tent! Lightweight, comfy, warm, and more useful than I ever thought! Whoever invented these are pure genius.
If you’re in the park and ever have questions, don’t be shy! Head down to the visitor center (near the entrance). The park rangers are always willing to help you!
Be sure to snag a map at the entrance. This outlines everything you need to know while in the park including bathroom locations, trailheads, parking areas, and much more!

Best Hiking Trails at Arches National Park

Yes! Let’s get into the good stuff! Hiking is what I came to Arches for and perhaps you did too! If not, maybe I’ll give you some inspiration to take a nice walk and check out some great features of this great park! Here is the full list of hikes in Arches National Park.

Delicate Arch

Delicate Arch is the hike to do at Arches National Park. It is the most popular, and in my opinion, the most gorgeous trail there is! This is a moderate 2.9-mile hike with 600 ft elevation gain. It is an out and back trail leading to the most iconic arch in the park.

Tips for Delicate Arch

There are some tips to keep in mind while exploring this trail. First, there are two trails that claim to view Delicate Arch. The first is called (Upper/Lower) Delicate Arch Viewpoint. This is not the trail you want. This is a short trail that leads you to an area where you can barely see the arch itself. Instead, you want to start at the Wolfe Ranch trailhead. Here is the National Park information on this hike, you will see what I mean on the map.

The first half mile of this trail includes the Petroglyph Trail, a short and informational area that brings you to some preserved petroglyphs!

The midsection of the hike is on top of a large slab of sandstone. Because it is a full piece of rock, the trail can be difficult to follow. In this area, be sure to follow the cairns and signs the park rangers have put out to help you navigate this area!

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Double Arch

My second favorite hike in Arches National Park is Double Arch. This is an easy 0.5-mile hike with 32 feet elevation gain that just sings the Indiana Jones theme song.

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At the end of the trail, you can climb into Double Arch for a nice view of the area!

Devil’s Garden Loop

Devil’s Garden Loop is another popular and beautiful trail. It is a moderate 7.5-mile hike with 1,069 ft elevation gain. This trail is so popular because it features 7 gorgeous arches and sits next door to the campground.

Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock is a short and sweet little trail near the main road. It is an incredibly easy 0.3-mile hike with only 45 ft elevation gain that forms a loop around the balanced rock formation. This hike is perfect for the family or a tiny pitstop along your adventure.

Park Avenue

The Park Avenue Trail is incredibly interesting and unique. It is a moderate 1.8-mile out and back hike with 298 ft elevation gain. This hike features giant, towering rock formations that resemble skyscrapers. Honestly, it reminds me of Disney’s Hollywood Studios Park at Disneyworld! Okay, just slightly, but it is a pretty cool area!

The Windows

Another short and sweet hike is The Windows Trail. This is an easy 1.2-mile loop trail with only 190 ft elevation gain. The trailhead is next to the Double Arch trailhead, you could just use the same parking area for both hikes!

Skyline Arch

Another tiny hike with a great reward, Skyline Arch, is a beautiful arch just next door to the amphitheater and campground. This is a 0.4-mile out and back hike with access from the main road.

There are a few other hikes that are in Arches National Park but the ones above are my absolute favorites!

Arches National Park Viewpoints

Because many of the beautiful features and views are so close to the road, countless areas do not need a full hike to reach the destination. Many great views can be seen by the roadside viewpoints on your way to the hikes!

Moab Fault Viewpoint

Being a geologist, of course this one was my favorite viewpoint out of all of them. This viewpoint is not labeled on the main map but there is a sign and a little car pull-out area about 0.25 miles from the entrance station (just above the entrance station).

La Sal Mountains Viewpoint

Just passed the Park Avenue Trailhead is the La Sal Mountains Viewpoint. It creates a small loop to allow more parking and has a larger observation area to look over the park and the mountain range.

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Courthouse Towers Viewpoint

A quick stop and small parking area to look over the backside of the Park Avenue rock formations as well as The Organ, Three Gossips, Sheep Rock, and Tower of Babel.

Petrified Dunes Viewpoint

Another small car pull-out that looks over the VERY interesting petrified dunes. In fact, I have only seen dunes in cross-section form, never like this! Pretty cool!!

Parde of Elephants

Another favorite of mine, this INCREDIBLY CUTE rock formation is just outside of Double Arch.

Garden of Eden

A popular rock climbing area and unique rock formation.

Panorama Point

This area is one of the best viewpoints in the park, allowing you to see nearly 360 views!

Upper/Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint

Like I said above, it is more worth it to actually hike to Delicate Arch, but if that is not an option for you, this is an easy stroll to the arch viewpoint.

Salt Valley Overlook

Another geologically interesting viewpoint, overlooking the salt valley.

Fiery Furnace Viewpoint

This viewpoint observes the beautiful Fiery Furnace formation. There is also a hike associated with Fiery Furnace that is not as widely known that takes you through Fiery Furnace and to Surprise Arch. It is a moderate 2.5-mile loop hike with 620 ft elevation gain.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Arches National Park is one of the most beautiful places to adventure in Utah!” quote=”Arches National Park is one of the most beautiful places to adventure in Utah!” theme=”style2″]

Other Activities in Arches National Park

Arches National Park is not just for hiking or driving around and looking at rocks (although, I can’t seem to get enough of both of them). Many people visit Arches for various other activities! So, what else can you do?

Auto Tours: This entails driving around in your car and looking at rocks, kinda what we already covered. However, it should be mentioned that some of the roads (to the less popular areas) require four-wheel drive.
Backpacking: There are a few areas where backpacking is required in order to complete the entire hike. If you’re into backpacking it is absolutely an option! Permits are required and only available first-come-first-served.
Biking: Bicycling is a popular activity in Arches National Park. Bikes are only allowed on the roads and there are no bike lanes.
Camping: Like I’ve already said, camping is available inside the park and is definitely popular!
Canyoneering: This is a thing? I just call it hiking and rock climbing… but the National Park Sevice has a hole page dedicated to it! And man is it detailed! Must be a huge separate thing. Who knew? If you are as out of the loop as I am (which is surprising since I am a rock climber, hiker, and geologist…), canyoneering is “an adventure sport using climbing equipment for repels and other technical descends into canyons (NPS, 2018).” But not rock climbing…
Commercial Tours: There are a few companies that will take groups out of full Arches National Park tours.
Horseback Riding: Riding horses is permitted in Arches National Park. Their explanation is to accommodate those who prefer riding horses as their form of transportation, which I love! Haha. If you’re a horseback rider, make sure to check their regulations before heading to Arches. Man, that would be fun! I’m jealous if you fit this category!
Photography: Check out the NPS webpage, they have the best times to photograph each destination!
Ranger-Led Programs: There are actually some pretty great programs the Rangers have put together for groups here!
Rock Climbing: We are pretty lucky to be able to have the opportunity to climb in this park! If you’re a climber, check the regulations and have fun! I hope this continues!
Stargazing: The final, and surprisingly popular activity at arches is stargazing! There is a reason it is open 24 hours a day!
Tunnel Arch

Well, there you have it! I hope you found at least something useful from this post and are now interested in exploring this beauty! Arches is one of many beautiful national parks in Utah including Zion National Park! Have fun on your future adventure!

The Ultimate Arches National Park Guide