Where to Stay at Arches National Park: In the Park, Nearby Towns & Campgrounds

By Jocelyn Pion · Data: National Park Service · ← Complete guide Arches

The quick answer: nearly everyone stays in Moab, the gateway town 5 miles from the park entrance (a 10-minute drive on US 191), where you'll find a wide range of lodging at every price point. The only option "inside the park" is Devils Garden Campground, open year-round but typically booked months ahead. Plan on at least 2 nights to see the park's highlights; the suggested itineraries break down each day.

Where to stay: towns, lodges and campgrounds (4)

All Gateway townsLodgesCampgrounds

• Gateway town Moab entrance Arches main entrance (US-191, 5 miles north) · hotels, supermarket, gas station Directions ↗
• Gateway town Green River entrance Arches main entrance (via I-70 + US-191, 53 miles) · hotels, gas station, restaurants Directions ↗
• Gateway town Monticello entrance Arches main entrance (US-191, 53 miles north) · hotels, supermarket, gas station Directions ↗
• Campground Devils Garden Campground recreation.gov · 51 sites Directions ↗

Show interactive map Base map © OpenStreetMap · © CARTO

⚠ Gateway town & Lodge data is undergoing editorial review.

Staying in the Park or Outside It?

This is the first question everyone asks when planning an Arches trip, and the answer comes down to two simple things: how you feel about camping and when you're booking.

Arches has no lodge or hotel within its boundaries. Unlike some of the larger American national parks, the NPS has no hotel concession here. Staying "in" the park means camping, and that takes planning. For everything else, you'll need to leave the park.

The good news is that Moab is just 5 miles from the entrance. It's a 10-minute drive, tops. You won't miss anything by staying in town. You'll gain comfort, more restaurant choices, and flexibility.

Choose camping in the park if: you're an experienced camper, you want to hike at sunrise before the crowds arrive, and you've booked several months ahead.

Stay in Moab if: it's your first visit, you're traveling with family, you didn't plan far enough ahead to reserve a campsite, or you'd rather have a bed and shower after a long day on the trail. That's what most visitors do, and it works perfectly well.

Staying at Arches: Devils Garden Campground

Arches has no lodge. The only way to spend the night inside the park is to camp.

Devils Garden Campground

Located 18 miles from the entrance (about 30 minutes from the Visitor Center), Devils Garden is the park's only campground. It has about 50 sites for tents and RVs, with no electrical hookups.

Here's what to know before you book:

• Reservations: required from March through October on recreation.gov. Friday and Saturday spots disappear within minutes of opening, which is generally 6 months ahead. Set an alarm. From November through February, a handful of sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Logistics: the campground sits a few hundred yards from the Devils Garden trailhead, the starting point for Landscape Arch and several major arches. You can hit the trail at dawn, before the first shuttle buses arrive.
• Amenities: restrooms, drinking water, and picnic tables. No showers and no electrical hookups.
• Plan ahead: you're 18 miles from Moab. Bringing meals and supplies saves you a 37-mile round trip for water or a sandwich at the end of the day.

For booking strategies, park rules, and alternatives, see Arches campgrounds and the RV guide.

Where to Stay Around Arches: Gateway Towns

Moab: The Essential Base

Distance: 5 miles south of the entrance, 10 minutes on US 191.

Moab has most of the area's lodging within a few miles: affordable roadside motels, boutique hotels overlooking the sandstone cliffs, campgrounds with hot showers, glamping yurts and safari tents, and cabin and whole-house rentals. The town also has everything you need to prepare for or recover from a day of hiking: grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants (from post-trail pizza to organic brunch), bike and outdoor-gear rentals.

Here are a few area-by-area pointers:

• Center Street / Main Street: the tourist hub, with shops within walking distance. Convenient, but lively in the evening.
• Kane Creek Boulevard: runs along the Colorado River, with a quieter setting and a few lodges and campgrounds overlooking the river.

Watch out: from April through October, Moab is nearly sold out every weekend. Booking 2 to 3 months ahead is essential for peak-season stays.

Hotels and lodges around Arches are organized by price range and neighborhood.

Green River: The Budget Option to the North

Distance: 47 miles north of the park entrance, about 50 minutes.

Green River is a small stopover town along Interstate 70. Lodging is limited to a few motels and a hostel. Prices are significantly lower than in Moab, which can look appealing at first. But the 50-minute drive each way, twice a day, gets tiring quickly, especially if you're returning at dusk after 8 hours of hiking.

Best for: travelers on a very tight budget who can't find a room in Moab and don't mind driving farther.

Monticello: Quiet and Off the Beaten Path to the South

Distance: 50 miles south of Moab, or about 1.5 hours from the park.

Monticello is a small town of 2,000 people without Moab's tourist traffic. It has a few reasonably priced family-run motels and bed-and-breakfasts, along with a very different atmosphere. It works better as a base for travelers combining Arches with the Needles district of Canyonlands to the south.

Best for: road-trippers following a Utah-Arizona route who want a quiet stop along the way.

When to Book Your Arches Lodging

Arches is one of the most visited national parks in the United States, with several million visitors a year concentrated over 7 to 8 months. The direct impact on lodging is that last-minute booking is not realistic from March through October.

Keep these rules in mind:

• Devils Garden Campground (peak season): log on to recreation.gov exactly 6 months before your departure date. Saturday spots disappear within seconds. Set an alarm the day before.
• Moab hotels (spring and fall): book 2 to 3 months ahead for weekends. On weekdays, you usually have more leeway, sometimes until 4 to 6 weeks out.
• Summer (June-August): temperatures regularly top 100°F, which puts some visitors off, but Moab is still in high demand. Use the same booking timeline as peak season.
• Winter (November-February): availability is often immediate, and rates drop 30% to 50%. The park stays open, temperatures are cool (highs from 32°F to 50°F), and visitation drops sharply.

One thing to note: in some years, the NPS activates a timed entry reservation system between April and October. This required entry time can affect your lodging plans, especially if you want to enter early in the morning. The Arches guide has current alerts and exact details.

To choose the season that fits your expectations for weather and crowds, when to visit Arches compares the seasons and visitation month by month.

Lodging Budget: How Much Does It Cost to Stay at Arches?

Here are typical one-night price ranges during peak season (spring and fall):

These rates don't include taxes. Moab sometimes adds a resort tax. Winter discounts of 30% to 50% are common at in-town lodging. You'll also need to add the park entrance fee (about $30 per vehicle); the National Parks Entrance Fees & Passes page explains entrance fees and passes.

Our Recommendation by Traveler Profile

First visit, mid-range budget: a well-located hotel in Moab ($100 to $180 per night), on Main Street or Kane Creek Boulevard. It's a 10-minute drive to the park entrance, with every convenience in town at night. Book as soon as your dates are set.

Family with kids: Moab, without a doubt. Kids come back worn out after a day in the park. Having a pool, grocery store, and restaurant just steps away really changes their energy level for the next day. Visiting Arches with kids has more advice for families.

Nature immersion / sunrise photography: Devils Garden Campground. Being there before sunrise to photograph the arches without crowds is an experience in itself. I camped there in April, and the desert's silence at 5 a.m., before the first hiker, was worth every second I spent watching the spots open on recreation.gov.

Tight budget: Devils Garden Campground (~$25 per night) if you booked early enough. Otherwise, try a Moab motel in the $90 to $120 range. Green River is a last resort if Moab is full.

Utah multi-park road trip: base yourself in Moab for Arches and Canyonlands (at least 2 nights in each), then head south to Bryce Canyon and Zion. Our complete Arches guide and Itinerary & Length page offer coherent plans based on how many days you have.

Frequently Asked Questions