15+ Best Things To Do In Arches National Park: A Complete Guide
As you’re planning your trip to Utah, you 1000% want to put Arches National Park on the list of places to see. It’s an iconic destination with more arches than you knew existed. Hence the name. It’s also pretty easy and simple to tackle.
The national park has one way in and one way out (which also makes it feel congested at peak times). Still, for those looking to check off the best things to do in Arches National Park, you don’t have to drive too much to see the sights.
Inside, we’ll dive into all the things to do in Arches, where to stay, when to visit, and so much more. Let’s explore, shall we!?
Best Things to Do in Arches National Park
1. Walk through Park Avenue
I did this when I was five and had to reenact it with my dad 28 years later. It’s a beautiful place – probably a perfect sunrise or sunset spot – and it’s too hard a walk. If you’ve been driving for a while and this is your first spot in Arches, it’s a good place to start off your trip!
2. See Double Arch
One of the more impressive arch formations in the park. This one is in the same parking area as Windows and Turrett Arch. So you can knock out three in one fell swoop. The hike out to Double Arch is less than a half a mile – all flat.
Then, if you want to, you can explore higher up on the rock.
Explore Tours Around Arches
Arches National Park Backcountry Tour
3-Hours Sunset Arches National Park Tour
Private Guided Hike in Arches National Park
Sunset in Canyon Country Airplane Tour – 60 mins
3. Walk between the North & South Windows and Turret Arch
This is a fun meander. I finally nailed a photo I’ve been wanting for years. If you hike through North Window and go clockwise, you’ll come to a viewpoint where you can see Turret Arch through the eye of North Window.
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4. Take a guided tour of Fiery Furnace
This is a permit-only hike. You can either go ranger guided or, during the winter months, get an individual permit. You can learn more about the Fiery Furnace trip here.
I’ve always wanted to go and do this, but the first time in 2020, they weren’t offering winter trips. I thought that was the case in 2025, but I was wrong and could have gotten a permit. It’s hands down one of the best things to do in Arches.
Permits cost $10 per person and have to be reserved in advance.
5. Watch Sunrise or Sunset at Delicate Arch
Delicate Arch is a CLASSIC! It is (was?) the license plate for the state of Utah and offers terrific views of the La Sal Mountains as well. The hike up here isn’t too bad, but be prepared for plenty of people.
If you want to avoid the crowds, aim to be up there before sunrise. Or, visit in December or January. Whenever you visit, just know you’re seeing of the best views in Arches.
6. Check out Sandstone and Broken Arch
Sandstone Arch is unique as it’s inside a large slot canyon of sorts. You can get cool photos hiking up behind it and shooting back down/inside. It was iced over in 2020, so I decided not to break any limbs and try that shot.
I wouldn’t say this is in the top tier of best things to do in Arches, but it’s a nice stroll.
7. Hike out to Double-O Arch
One of my favorite hikes in Arches is the one I mention below. This trail hits a few other arches as well, making for a big bang-for-your-buck trail. It was snowy when I went, but if you go in drier conditions, go to the backside of the Double-O arch. The view looks pretty cool from that angle.
8. See the Balanced Rock
The aptly named viewpoint looks like a rock is balancing on a rock pillar. This is viewable from the road, but there’s also a pull-off to get out and walk near it.
9. Watch Sunset at La Sal Mountains Viewpoint
This is a magical place to watch the sunset. On my trip, the sky absolutely erupted above the snow-capped La Sal Mountains. It made for a perfect and easy place to watch the sunset. It’s also near the front of the park, so that you can get back to Moab in less than 25 minutes.
It’s easily one of the best things to do in Arches.
10. Visit the Arches National Park Visitor Center
This is the place to ask questions, get park information, fill up on water, and more! Don’t be shy. The staff is there to help!
11. Drive the Arches National Park Road
The 18-mile one-way drive (36 miles total) gives you access to everything on this list. Dozens and dozens and dozens of arches, plenty of impressive rock formations, and enough views to last you all weekend.
12. Visit Courthouse Towers
There’s a small parking lot here to pull into to check out the towers. There’s not a ton to see, but it’s worthwhile. On the other hand, you can park here and do the Park Avenue hike backwards. It looks somewhat similar to nearby Fisher Towers.
13. See 7 Arches on One Hike (Including Landscape Arch, Double-O, Tunnel Arch)
One of the best things to do in Arches National Park is the Devil’s Garden Trail. This is a longer version of the Double-O trail, giving you opportunities to see seven arches over eight miles. I haven’t done this full trail, but it looks pretty epic to me!
14. Astrophotography and Night Sky Watching in Arches
Arches offers some of the darkest night skies in the nation and is a fantastic place to watch the stars come out and photograph the Milky Way. For those coming from a big city, I strongly suggest you take time to look up at the night sky. It’s 100% one of the best things to do in Arches National Park.
Book a night stargazing tour in Arches.
15. Go Flightseeing over Arches
I LOVE me some flightseeing! I’ve flown over Yosemite National Park, Denali, the Selkirks in Idaho, and around Kauai. It’s a fantastic way to see the landscape.
And with drones prohibited in the national parks, this is the only way to get an aerial view of Arches.
5 Top Hikes You Shouldn’t Miss in Arches
These are my favorite hikes in Arches National Park. (I’m excluding any short walks where you wouldn’t even need to bring a water bottle.)
Delicate Arch
Probably the most famous arch in the state of Utah, if not the country. It’s a moderately challenging hike, but I also did it when I was 5 or 6, so it’s totally doable.
- Distance: 3.2 miles
- Elevation Gain: 600 feet
Landscape Arch and Double O Arch
I did this out-and-back in 2020 in wintry Arches National Park. There were hardly any people in the park, and everything covered in white made it so magical. It’s got some harder areas, including a narrow section. But I wouldn’t say it’s overly difficult.
- Distance: 4.5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 700 feet
Devils Garden (a longer loop than above)
Looking for a full-day hike? This is the one for you and one of the best things to do in Arches! Expect this to be an 8-mile round-trip, giving you views of arches and sandstone. Plus, you’ll hardly see any crowds as most visitors won’t want to do something this long.
The pro of this hike is that you’ll get to see seven arches along the way!
- Distance: 8 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1,200 feet
Browse all the tours available around Arches and Moab
Park Avenue Trail
A nice walk with towering rock walls on both sides. You can make this a one-way or an out-and-back, depending on your car situation. The trail drops a bit as you walk away from the parking lot.
- Distance: 2 miles round trip (entire trail out and back)
- Elevation Gain: 300 feet
Sand Dune Arch to Broken Arch Loop
This is a pretty easy and short walk. It’s not the most impressive, but if you’re looking for something to do, it’s a nice area to explore.
- Distance: 3 miles
- Elevation Gain: 250 feet
Where to Stay Near Arches National Park
To situate yourself perfectly to tackle all the top things to do in Arches, you want to stay in or near Moab. Arches doesn’t have a hotel inside the park boundaries, but it does have a campground. So, if you want to go that route, plan early, as it’s a popular camping spot.
Hotels in Moab
One thing to quickly note. Hotel prices fluctuate wildly by season. In the winter, hotels were going for $45-$70 per night. The same places in early June are more than twice as much.
Budget Friendly: Adventure Inn & Motel | Wingate by Wyndham Moab
Mid-Tier: Comfort Suites Moab | Under Canvas Moab | voco Moab by IHG
More Expensive: Hoodoo Moab by Hilton | Element Moab by Westin | Hyatt Place Moab
Camping
The number of campgrounds in the area is staggering. Use this Official BLM PDF to see all the camping options in the region.
The best-positioned campgrounds are Goose Island, Jaycee Park, Williams Boto, Gold Bar, and Grandstaff. Most, if not all, are first-come, first-served sites. In the winter months, some will be closed, but you shouldn’t have much issue finding open spots.
These locations allow you easy access to many of the best things to do in Arches National Park.
Recommended Top Photography Spots in Arches
Here are my recommendations for where to photograph golden hour, blue hour, or beyond.
- Easy walk: Turret Arch through North Window – Sunrise
- 35-minute walk: Delicate Arch – Sunrise or Sunset
- Drive Up: La Sal Mountains Viewpoint – Sunset
- Drive Up: Park Avenue – Sunrise or Sunset (Only if the sky is good. The canyon loses light early and will get dark.)
- Easy Walk: Double Arch – Night photography
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Best Time to Visit Arches National Park
Arches sits at about 5,000 feet in the high desert of Utah. Because of this, the weather ranges from snowy and freezing in winter to dry and hot in summer. With the crowds and summer heat, I would stay far away from Arches National Park from June through mid-August.
I would advise the best time to visit Arches National Park is during the spring and fall (but not over spring break). These will give you warmer days and fewer crowds. And it’ll allow you to complete all the best things to do in Arches National Park.
However, I just went for a week in December, and thanks to some good ol’ global warming, we had highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s. It made for a perfect trip, and there was hardly a crowd to be seen.
Typical Seasonal Weather Summary at a Glance
| Season | Day Highs | Night Lows | Conditions | Best Visit? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 60–80°F | 30–50°F | Mild, pleasant | Excellent |
| Summer | 90–100+ °F | 60–70°F | Hot, dry, monsoon risk | Challenging |
| Fall | 70–85°F | 40–30°F | Comfortable | Excellent |
| Winter | 30–50°F | 0–20°F | Cold, possible snow/ice | Not terrible with layers |
How many days do you need for Arches?
This might rub some people the wrong way, but Arches is one of the easiest National Parks to check off. It’s small. There’s one way in and one way out.
Because of this, you can basically see all of Arches National Park in two days, and if you really motor around, you can see enough in one day.
This leaves you enough time to explore other areas around Moab, such as Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park, and the Colorado Scenic Byway.
What to know about reservations at Arches
Archs has had a timed-entry reservation requirement for the past few years. As of writing this, there has not been a formal announcement, but they will likely have it again. (That said, Glacier National Park seems to be doing away with theirs.)
These were the dates of timed entry last year: Timed entry tickets are required from April 1 to July 6 and August 28 to October 31, 2025, to enter Arches National Park between 7 AM and 4 PM daily.
Keep an eye on this page going forward.
Getting to Moab and Arches National Park
Here are the general driving times to the nearest metro areas around Moab.
- Denver to Moab: 6 hours
- Phoenix to Moab: 8 hours
- Salt Lake City to Moab: 4 hours
- Albuquerque to Moab: 6 hours
Additionally, you can fly into the Canyonlands Regional Airport. They have flights to Denver and Phoenix. And from Moab to the Arches National Park entrance station is about 8 minutes. But to reach the furthest locations, it’ll be closer to an hour.
Summer Hiking Gear
To complete all the best things to do in Arches National Park, come prepared!
- Wide-brimmed hat
- Sunglasses
- Sun shirt or sun hoodie
- Hiking Shoes or Trail Runners
- Hiking Shorts or Hiking Pants
- 25L+ Hiking Pack
- 2L hiking bladder or water bottles
- Garmin inReach 2
- Garmin Fenix hiking watch
- Light jacket for mornings
- Hiking Poles
Final Thoughts on the Best Things to Do in Arches National Park
While Arches isn’t in my top 10 of favorite National Parks, it’s still a beautiful area, and my most recent trip reminded me of that. There are tons of things to do in Arches that will surely fill up a day or two of your itinerary in the area.
I hope you have an incredible time in Utah and remember to Leave No Trace as you explore and pack out what you pack in.
Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.
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