Arches National Park: The Complete Guide to Planning Your Visit

By Jocelyn Pion · ~11 min read · Data: National Park Service

More than 2,000 sandstone arches are packed into an area you can explore in a day by car. Arches National Park is the densest collection of natural arches in the world. It sits in southeastern Utah, just outside Moab, and one road serves all of the park's main sights. Plan on a full day for the highlights, or two if you want to hike to the more remote arches and catch sunrise or sunset on the red rock. There's one thing to take care of first: during the busy season, entry requires a timed reservation. Here's everything you need to know, area by area.

Arches at a glance: Where the park is and how to get there

Arches occupies a desert plateau north of Moab, in southeastern Utah, on the broad Colorado Plateau. The park's only entrance is 5 miles north of Moab on US 191.

From Moab, drive 5 miles north on Main Street, which is US 191, then turn right at the traffic light. The entrance is clearly marked. If you're coming from Interstate 70, the east-west route across northern Utah, take Exit 182 at Crescent Junction, then head south on US 191 to Moab. The nearest convenient airport for a domestic flight is in Grand Junction, Colorado, about 1 hr 45 min away by car. Many French travelers arrive through Las Vegas, though, and include Arches in a broader American West road trip.

There's only one road inside the park, Scenic Drive, which runs about 19 miles to the end of Devils Garden. There is no shuttle and no alternate loop, so you enter and leave through the same point.

Entrance fees, passes, and reservations

Entry to Arches costs $30 per private vehicle and is valid for 7 days. The fee is $25 for motorcycles and $15 per person if you arrive on foot or by bike. If your trip includes several parks, the park's $55 annual pass quickly pays for itself, but the America the Beautiful pass, valid for one year at all national parks, is usually the better deal after three or four entries. The National Park Fees & Passes page explains entrance fees and annual passes.

Here's the important part: during the busy season, Arches uses a timed entry system. During that period, you must reserve an arrival window online in advance to enter during peak hours. Outside that window, you can still enter early in the morning or late in the day without a reservation. This timed entry permit is separate from the entrance fee. It does not replace the $30 payment; it is an additional requirement. Policies and exact dates change from year to year, so check the park's official website before setting your date. Missing your time slot can leave you waiting several hours at the entrance.

One workaround we happily use is entering before 8 a.m. or after 3 p.m. You avoid both the line and, for part of the year, the timed-entry requirement. The low-angle light is also much better for photos.

Reservations, permits, and rules to follow

Timed entry permits during the busy season

To manage visitor numbers, Arches introduced a timed entry system during the busy season, generally from May through October between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. You reserve the permit through recreation.gov, often several weeks in advance. Check the exact dates for your travel year on the official NPS website, since the windows vary each season.

The good news is that arrivals before 7 a.m. and after 5 p.m. do not require a permit. In practice, setting out at dawn to catch the morning light often solves the problem. And honestly, having Arches to yourself at 6 a.m. is well worth the early wake-up.

Fiery Furnace permits

Fiery Furnace is a maze of cliffs without marked trails, and it's easy to get lost. You have two ways to explore it: join an NPS-guided tour, which is the wiser choice for first-time visitors, or obtain a self-guided hiking permit through recreation.gov. Our Hiking guide explains the access requirements and skill levels in detail.

Rules to follow

• Cryptobiotic soil: Never walk on the dark, lumpy crust covering the ground between the rocks. A single footstep can take decades to heal.
• Trails: Stay on marked trails or bare rock. Leaving a trail is prohibited.
• Drones: Drones are prohibited throughout the park.
• Pets: Pets are allowed on roads, in parking areas, and on a few accessible trails. They are not allowed on Delicate Arch, in Fiery Furnace, or on most trails.
• Leave No Trace: Pack out all your trash, including food scraps.
• Fires: Fires are limited to designated campsites.

How to get around Arches

You visit Arches by car, period. Scenic Drive starts at the entrance and climbs in switchbacks onto the plateau, then serves each area through turnoffs and dedicated parking lots. You park, walk to the viewpoint or arch, and drive on to the next area.

The park's weak spot is parking. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., March through October, the parking lots at Delicate Arch, The Windows Section, and Devils Garden fill completely. You may have to circle or wait for a space to open. The rule is simple: the earlier you arrive, the easier things are. No shuttle serves the inside of the park, unlike nearby Zion National Park. Our Getting Around page breaks down the best order for your visit to limit backtracking.

How much time do you need to visit Arches?

A full day is enough to see the highlights of Arches: Scenic Drive, The Windows Section, Balanced Rock, and a hike to Delicate Arch or through Devils Garden. Most visitors choose this format, often as part of an American West road trip.

Two days change the experience. You can spread out the hikes, save energy for Devils Garden Trail, and, most importantly, enjoy two golden-hour moments: sunrise over The Windows Section and sunset at Delicate Arch, when the rock glows. If you're traveling in summer, this split is almost essential. Once temperatures rise above 100 °F, hiking in the middle of the day becomes a serious challenge. Our detailed, hour-by-hour plans are on the Itinerary & Timing page.

What to see and do in Arches

Everything unfolds along Scenic Drive, from south, where the entrance is, to north, at the end of the park. Here's the route, area by area.

The best hikes in Arches

Three hikes sum up the park: Windows Loop, which is easy and spectacular; the hike to Delicate Arch, which is moderate and essential; and the trail in Devils Garden to Landscape Arch, which is easy, or the full loop, which is difficult. None requires technical gear, but there is almost no shade. Our complete comparison, with advice on timing and how much water to carry, is in our Hiking guide.

Wildlife and plants to look for

Arches' desert may look empty at midday, but it comes alive at sunrise and sunset. You may spot collared lizards, desert bighorn sheep on the cliffs, jackrabbits, and, with patience at dawn, foxes or coyotes. The ground itself is alive. Cryptobiotic soil, the black, bumpy surface along the trails, is a fragile ecosystem that takes decades to form. The rule is simple and non-negotiable: never walk on it, and stay on trails and rock surfaces. Our Wildlife page covers the species and the best times to look for them.

When to visit Arches

Spring, from April through May, and fall, from mid-September through October, are ideal. Highs usually range from 59 to 81 °F during the day, and nights stay cool, between 32 and 50 °F. Summer can be brutal, with temperatures regularly topping 100 °F and making hiking exhausting. Winter is cold and quiet, with highs from 32 to 50 °F and nights dropping as low as 0 °F, but snow on the red sandstone creates rare scenery and nearly empty trails. Watch for the Colorado Plateau's wide temperature swings. The difference between morning and afternoon can exceed 36 °F. Dress in layers. Our When to Visit page has a month-by-month breakdown, and our Weather page has detailed forecasts and climate data.

Where to stay near Arches

There are no hotels in the park. The obvious base is Moab, 5 miles away. The small town has motels, chain hotels, restaurants, and outdoor gear rentals. Inside the park, Devils Garden Campground is the only place to sleep beneath the arches. It's in high demand and reservations open months ahead. Nearby, campgrounds around Moab and RV areas round out the options. We compare them all in detail on our dedicated pages.

Around Arches: Things to do nearby

Arches' biggest advantage is its location. Canyonlands National Park, just as spectacular and much wilder, is less than an hour away and pairs perfectly with an Arches visit based in Moab. The town itself is a hub for mountain biking and rafting on the Colorado River. Farther out, Utah's Mighty Five route connects Arches with Canyonlands, Capitol Reef National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Zion National Park. To build that itinerary, our Regions and Road Trips pages provide the essentials for traveling through Utah and linking up the parks of the American West.

Our take: Is Arches worth the trip?

Yes, without hesitation, for one simple reason: nowhere else will you see such a high concentration of natural arches that are this easy to reach. The park offers an unbeatable effort-to-scenery ratio, with wonders visible from the road and others that reward an hour or two of hiking. Its drawback is the flip side of its appeal: popularity. Crowds and timed entry require some advance planning, and summer heat can ruin a poorly timed visit. Our advice fits in one line: come in spring or fall, enter early, and pair it with Canyonlands. Under those conditions, Arches is one of the American West's easiest major highlights to experience. Before you zip up your suitcase, remember the desert basics, including plenty of water, heat protection, and cryptobiotic soil awareness. One last look at the park's Map will help you avoid surprises.

Frequently asked questions