Arches with Kids: What to Do and How to Plan Your Visit

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

Is Arches good for kids? Absolutely. Kids as young as 4 or 5 can handle the shortest trails, and even babies can enjoy the park from the car. Arches National Park in southeastern Utah packs more than 2,000 natural arches into a compact area crossed by a main road about 19 miles long. The result is striking scenery without hours of hiking. The one real drawback is the summer heat, which regularly tops 100°F in July and August and calls for careful planning with kids.

Our complete Arches guide covers the park as a whole. This page focuses on everything that changes when you arrive as a family of four with Peppa Pig backpacks and little legs.

Why visit Arches with kids

Arches works remarkably well with kids for three practical reasons.

The visual impact is immediate. Red sandstone arches against a Utah-blue sky get an instinctive reaction, even from a 5-year-old who couldn't care less about geological explanations. On a visit in April, I watched a 6-year-old stand speechless in front of Double Arch for a good minute. Few parks deliver that kind of reaction so quickly.

The park is compact and easy to navigate. You can reach all the iconic arches from the same main road. When kids tire quickly, you can adjust your plans on the fly without crossing the park from one end to the other.

Moab is right next door. The town, 5 miles from the entrance, has lodging, restaurants, and grocery stores. You don't need to be completely self-sufficient to enjoy the park.

Is Arches good for kids? How old should they be

Arches works for kids of any age as long as you adjust the itinerary.

Ages 0–3. A drive through the park with scenic stops works very well. The walk around Balanced Rock, which is 0.3 miles and flat, is manageable with an all-terrain stroller. Avoid slickrock trails with a toddler who walks independently.

Ages 4–7. This is the ideal age for the arches. Kids can walk the short trails to Double Arch and The Windows Section, get involved with the Junior Ranger booklet, and retain a vivid memory of the trip.

Ages 8–12. The hike to Delicate Arch becomes doable and memorable. Kids in this age group also enjoy learning about the geology of the Colorado Plateau.

Teens. Add Arches to a broader itinerary with Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point, or outdoor activities in Moab such as biking and canyoneering. On its own, the park may feel like a quick visit to a teen used to screens.

Accessibility. The Visitor Center and several overlooks are wheelchair accessible. For trail-by-trail details, see the trail-by-trail accessibility information for Arches.

When to visit with kids (the easiest season for families)

Spring, from April through May, and fall, from mid-September through October, are the two ideal windows. Daytime temperatures range from 59°F to 81°F, nights stay cool at 32°F to 50°F, and the late-afternoon light on the red arches is especially beautiful.

Summer, from June through August, is not recommended with young kids unless you plan outings before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m. Once temperatures climb above 95°F on trails with no shade, hiking becomes risky even for well-equipped adults.

Winter, from November through March, is possible with the right gear. Nighttime temperatures drop below freezing, and some trails may be icy. In return, the park is nearly empty, which is appealing if you like having the arches to yourself.

For month-by-month details on crowds, snow, and specific weather conditions, see our guide to the seasons at Arches and the Arches weather forecast.

How many days to plan for a family visit

Plan on at least 2 full days. One day is enough to see the major arches from the road and make two or three stops, but it leaves no room for surprises such as a tired child, a full parking lot, or a picnic break that runs long.

With two days, you can alternate an active morning with a longer hike and a relaxed afternoon exploring overlooks by car or working on the Junior Ranger booklet on the way back. A third day gives you time to explore Devils Garden in the north of the park or take a break in Moab.

For structured itineraries from Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, or Denver, see our family Arches itineraries.

What to do at Arches with kids: our picks

We've chosen the experiences that genuinely work with kids, leaving out trails that wear everyone out before noon.

The Windows Section (North and South Windows)

This is the park's best payoff for families. Two large arches are accessible from the same parking lot on an easy 30-minute round-trip walk. You can walk underneath them, which reliably produces a chorus of excitement from the kids.

Double Arch

Just 0.3 miles from The Windows parking lot, Double Arch is a unique formation: two arches sharing the same sandstone abutment. Short, flat, and spectacular. Kids can sit beneath the double opening and watch the sky.

Balanced Rock

A 130-foot rock balanced on a narrow pedestal. The photo stop takes 10 minutes, and the walk around it takes 20. Perfect for toddlers who walk independently.

Landscape Arch

Reached from the Devils Garden parking lot by a flat 1.9-mile round-trip trail, Landscape Arch is one of the world's longest natural arches, spanning about 290 feet from one abutment to the other. In 1991, a slab of rock broke away in front of witnesses, making for a story curious kids find fascinating.

Delicate Arch (around age 8 and up)

Utah's most photographed arch. The 3-mile round-trip hike gains 480 feet, crosses exposed slickrock, and requires stamina. The final viewpoint is worth the effort. If your kids aren't ready for the climb, two overlooks from another parking area offer distant views of Delicate Arch.

For an overview of the available activities, our What to Do at Arches guide covers the options.

Easy family hikes (short, little elevation gain, stroller-friendly)

Slickrock. Smooth sandstone slabs become very slippery in the rain. Don't let kids run across these surfaces. Hold toddlers' hands near drop-offs.

Strollers. Balanced Rock and the first few hundred yards of The Windows Section work with an all-terrain stroller. The Landscape Arch trail starts on packed gravel, then shifts to uneven sandstone that is much less stroller-friendly.

The Arches hiking guide covers every trail, along with current conditions and water sources.

The Junior Ranger Program

The Junior Ranger Program is one of the NPS's best ideas for families, and Arches takes part fully. The idea is simple: kids pick up an activity booklet at the Visitor Center for free, complete it during their visit with observations and questions about geology, wildlife, and conservation, then bring it back to a ranger for review.

The oath ceremony, during which the child "swears to protect the national parks," is taken very seriously by the rangers and creates a lasting memory. The child leaves with an official NPS badge, proudly pinned up in the car for the rest of the road trip.

Practical tips:

• Pick up the booklet as soon as you arrive at the Visitor Center, before starting your visit.
• Some activities take place on specific trails. Check which ones ahead of time so you can make the most of your day's itinerary.
• An age-appropriate version for 3- and 4-year-olds, called Little Ranger, is available while supplies last.

Safety with kids

Arches has no thermal areas and no especially aggressive wildlife, but two risks are serious and very real: heat and terrain.

Heat and dehydration. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 100°F. The NPS recommendation is 1 liter of water per person per hour when hiking in hot weather. For kids, bring a water bottle that each child can identify and take shade breaks every 30 minutes. There are almost no water sources in the park outside the Visitor Center, so fill up before you leave.

Sun exposure. Use at least SPF 50 sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, and a UPF shirt for younger kids. The park sits between 3,900 and 5,600 feet in elevation, which intensifies the sun's effects even when the heat doesn't make it obvious.

Slickrock. Exposed sandstone slabs become extremely slippery in the rain. Don't let kids run across these surfaces, and hold toddlers' hands near drop-offs or elevated areas.

Stay on marked trails. The park's biological soil crust, also called cryptobiotic soil, looks like ordinary dirt but takes decades to recover. Damaging it is an offense punishable by a fine.

Timing. From April through October, the NPS recommends entering the park before 8 a.m. or after 3 p.m. to avoid congestion in the parking lots. With kids, a 7:30 a.m. departure is a real constraint, but it ensures available parking and manageable heat for the first few hours.

Where to stay with your family (in or around the park)

In the park. Devils Garden Campground, with 51 reservable sites on recreation.gov and 10 first-come, first-served sites, is the only campground inside Arches. Staying in the park lets you enjoy sunrise over the arches before the crowds arrive. Bring gear suited to cool nights, even in summer, because nighttime temperatures drop sharply on the Colorado Plateau.

Around the park. Moab, 5 miles away, has most of the family-friendly lodging: motels, lodges with pools, and a few glamping options. After a hot day in the park, a late-afternoon swim can take kids from exhausted to excited in five minutes flat.

To compare options by budget and distance, see our Where to Stay guide, along with our Hotels & Lodges, Camping, and RV Camping pages.

Meals and breaks with kids

The park has no restaurant or snack bar. Vending machines are available at the Visitor Center, and that's it. The golden rule is to bring a picnic.

Where to eat? The picnic areas at Balanced Rock and Devils Garden have tables, with some shade. Avoid eating in full sun between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in summer. Appetites fade, and kids can overheat quickly without realizing it.

Restocking in Moab. Several grocery stores and a supermarket make it easy to stock up the day before. The town also has a good selection of family-friendly restaurants, including pizza places, burger joints, and taco spots. Our Where to Eat page lists tried-and-tested options with practical details such as patios, kids' menus, and accommodations for common allergies.

Family budget

Entrance fees:

• Private vehicle: $30 (valid for 7 days)
• Motorcycle: $25
• Person entering on foot or by bicycle: $15
• Children under 15: free

America the Beautiful Pass. This annual pass costs $80 at the standard rate and covers admission to all NPS, Forest Service, and BLM sites in the United States. It pays for itself once you've visited two national parks on the same road trip. You can buy it at the Arches entrance or online before you leave. Our National Park Fees & Passes page explains entrance fees and pass options for different types of trips.

Every Kid Outdoors. Children enrolled in 4th grade in the United States qualify for a free pass to federal lands through this program. Check eligibility on the NPS website if your child may qualify.

Places to combine with Arches when traveling with kids

Arches fits naturally into a family Utah road trip. Nearby parks offer complementary experiences without taking you far out of the way.

Canyonlands National Park is about 19 miles southwest of Moab. The Island in the Sky District has drive-up overlooks of the Colorado River that work for all ages. Allow an additional half day for the round trip.

Dead Horse Point State Park is 25 miles from Moab. Its overlook above a bend in the Colorado River rivals some of the vistas in the Grand Canyon. It's accessible by car and works for all ages.

Moab and the surrounding area. The Moab paleontology museum, the dinosaur tracks at Copper Ridge 16 miles north, and boat trips on the Colorado River are all popular with families and curious kids.

To plan a multi-park Utah road trip, our Road Trip guides and Region fact sheets provide useful planning information.

Arches with kids: is it worth it?

Without a doubt. Arches is one of the most accessible parks in the American West for families: the iconic trails are short, the visual impact is immediate, and the Junior Ranger Program turns a visit into an active mission. The only real challenge is the summer heat. Visit in spring or fall, start early, stay hydrated, and you'll come home with one of your family's best road-trip memories.

Frequently asked questions