15 Tips for Arches National Park in Utah
Last Updated on January 15, 2025 by Kelly
Arches National Park is one of Utah’s Mighty Five national parks, and it was one of our favorite stops on our road trip through Utah and Arizona. What drew me to this park was the accessibility of so many amazing sights just a short drive away from each other.
We had planned for two days at the park, but unfortunately our trip was cut short by a day due to an unexpected injury. In addition to unforeseen circumstances, excessive heat, traffic, and no available parking spots can make it hard to see everything. With a little planning and flexibility, though, you can see a lot. In this blog post, we’re sharing our best tips based on our own experience.
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15 Tips for Visiting Arches National Park in Utah
As you prepare for your trip, purchase a guide book to Arches National Park. You’ll get to read in-depth about the park and choose your favorite hikes! Make sure that you pick up a park map in advance of your trip. 
Tip #1: Get Your Tickets in Advance
If you’re planning to visit Arches National Park, we highly recommend that you purchase timed entry tickets in advance of your visit. The official park website (linked earlier) outlines the process. If you weren’t able to secure a timed entry ticket, there’s one more option: There are a limited number of tickets available the day before your requested date of entry. We would not rely on that, if possible, because they can sell out quickly. Instead, make sure that you purchase your timed entry tickets well ahead of time.
Tip #2: Plan for the Weather
As part of the Colorado Plateau, Arches National Park is located in the high desert. Temperatures can vary quite a bit, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the weather forecast. It’s a good idea to wear clothing that offers UV protection and to bring lots of hydration.
When we visited Arches National Park in the late spring, temperatures were in the 90s. We simply could not hike with our toddler in the afternoon, because it wasn’t safe. For that reason, we got up very early each morning to complete our hikes before it became too hot. We spent our afternoons at the hotel pool or exploring Moab. We also did some activities that had indoor components, such as seeing dinosaurs in the desert.
I think it’s a good idea to talk to a park ranger as well if you have any questions about weather conditions. Because there’s no shade on many of the trails, you don’t want to get trapped in the heat.
Arches National Park was just one of our stops during our three-week road trip to Utah and Arizona. Be sure to check out our trip highlights!
Tip #3: Pack Enough Food and Water
There are no restaurants or cafes in the park, so be sure to bring your own meals and beverages. We used a Yeti cooler in our car to keep our meals and snacks cool throughout the day. That way, when we got back to the car, we could have a decent meal! (Just make sure to follow Leave No Trace principles and always pack out what you pack in.)
Also make sure that you bring enough water. It’s good practice to carry more than you think you’ll need.
Tip #4: Pack the 10 Essentials
It’s always good practice to carry the 10 Essentials with you when you are hiking. If you ever encounter a wilderness emergency, you’ll want to be prepared. We really like using insulated water bottles because they kept our water nice and cool throughout the hike. Also be sure to bring a good pair of hiking shoes. We saw several tourists wearing flip-flops, and it’s really not worth getting a foot or ankle injury.
Tip #5: Read Current Alerts
Arches National Park’s official website will post any alerts and/or trail closures. You’ll also be able to determine which facilities are currently open. It’s a good idea to research these in advance of your visit. You can also speak to a park ranger when you first enter the park, but we prefer to have the knowledge we need already so that we can go straight to the trailhead. The parking lots fill up fast!
Tip #6: Be Prepared for Crowds
Even with timed ticket entry, there could be crowds during your visit. Arches National Park is a very popular place! Be prepared to see lots of people on the trail, and it may be difficult to finding a parking space at some of the parking lots. You can check out the park’s webcams and tips for parking lots in advance too. It’s a good idea to have a back-up plan of other attractions just in case.
Tip #7: Know the Rules and Regulations
You’ll also want to make sure that you know all the park rules in advance of your visit. For example, Arches National Park does not allow pets on trails. You’re also not allowed to use drones at national parks. You’re also not allowed to walk on the arches. See the full list of regulations at Arches National Park, especially for specific outdoor activities that may require permits.
FUN FACT: There are over 2,000 arches in the park!
Tip #8: Go Stargazing
Arches National Park has some of the darkest skies in the entire United States, so don’t forget to visit at night! It has even become certified as an International Dark Sky Park. If you want to see the Milky Way, plan to spend at least one evening in the park. (And if you like astrophotography, don’t forget to bring your gear!) Rangers even occasionally lead stargazing talks, so see if that’s an option during your visit.
Tip #9: Locate the Restrooms
It’s a good idea to locate the restrooms in the park in advance. There are toilet pits at Delicate Arch, Devils Garden, and the Windows and Double Arch.
Tip #10: Leave No Trace
Whenever you visit a national park, please follow Leave No Trace principles. These guidelines help protect the natural habitat for future generations to come. You’ll want to make sure that you stay on marked trails, don’t litter, and don’t feed the wildlife.
Tip #11: Don’t Forget to See the Visitor Center
The visitor center at Arches National Park is located right at the entrance, so you can’t miss it! If you’re not in a hurry to make it to a particular trail head, it’s definitely worth stopping by the visitor center. There’s a gift shop, bookstore, exhibits, and a theater. There will also be park rangers at the visitor center, so if you have a question about current conditions, recommendations, or permits, you can get all your questions answered.
Tip #12: Get to Delicate Arch Early!
We hiked to Delicate Arch with our toddler, and we have a whole post about that experience with lots of photos. We got to the trailhead at Delicate Arch at 6am, and by 6:20am, the parking lot was completely full! We knew there would be lots of people, but we were shocked by just how many people were up before 7am.
If you’re not able to hike to see Delicate Arch, there’s also a viewpoint you can access. Just drive to the Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint and walk about 100 yards to the viewpoint. It won’t be as “up close and personal”, but nothing a pair of binoculars can’t fix!
Tip #13: Don’t Miss the Petroglyphs
In the same parking lot as the trailhead to Delicate Arch is the Petroglyph Trail. It’s a short loop at the beginning of the trail, and it only takes about 10 minutes to complete. (It’s just half a mile long.) The trail will take you to see some petroglyphs carved by the Ute Indian Tribe. It’s believed that they were carved sometime between AD 1650 and 1850.
Tip #14: See the Main Sights
Here’s our list of the things you should absolutely see at Arches National Park:
- Delicate Arch: This was one of my favorite hikes, and I don’t think it’s overrated at all.
- Balanced Rock: This was such an easy sight to cross off the list! We drove right by it in the park, and it was easy to hop into the parking lot and take a quick photo. Balanced Rock looks like two rocks, but really it’s one rock that was eroded over time.
- Double Arch and the Windows: This area has the highest concentration of natural arches in the entire world. The famous double arches share the same foundation.
- Devil’s Garden: Here you can see spires, arches, and fins (massively tall and thin rock walls). Be sure to check out Landscape Arch.
- Park Avenue Viewpoint: From the viewpoint, you will be able to see some of the park’s most famous monoliths. The have names such as the Three Gossips, the Courthouse Towers, and Queen Nefertiti.
Tip #15: Stick Around for Sunset
We definitely recommend that you stick around Arches National Park for sunset. Golden hour is spectacular in the high desert.
If you have a specific place you want to watch the sunset, like Delicate Arch, give yourself plenty of time before sunset to find parking and to complete the hike. If you do hike during sunset, be sure to bring a headlamp so that you can safely walk back to your vehicle. I also recommend wearing hiking boots to help protect your feet.
We think that Balanced Rock is a great place to watch the sunset. You can view Balanced Rock from the parking lot, so you don’t have to complete a long hike and hike back in the dark. You can wait comfortably in your car once you have your spot!
To help you plan your sunset visit, make sure you check the weather forecast to learn the exact time of sunset. We recommend arriving to your spot 30 to 60 minutes before the projected sunset.
Our Two-Day Itinerary
This is the itinerary we used to plan our trip. We planned for lots of free time to relax in the afternoon and evening because we were traveling with a toddler.
Day 1
Wake Up Early: Try to get to the park before 7am if you are visiting during peak season.
Delicate Arch: The trail to the arch is 3.2 miles roundtrip. Expect to spend around 3 hours hiking, enjoying the view of the arch, waiting in line for a photo at the top, and viewing the petroglyphs.
Balanced Rock: Balanced Rock is easily viewable from the roadside lookout. If you want to walk the short loop, you can spend between 30-60 minutes here.
Park Avenue Viewpoint: On the way out of the park, stop by the Park Avenue Viewpoint. If you still have some energy, you can hike the Park Avenue Trail (1.8 miles roundtrip).
Late Afternoon: During the afternoon, head back to your hotel and relax by the pool.
Dinner: See our recommended restaurants in Moab. Go to bed early for your next day at the park.
Day 2
Wake up early: Because you’ve already completed the hike to Delicate Arch (one of the busiest trails in the park), you have a little more wiggle room about your arrival time. If you’re visiting during peak season, you’ll still want to get to the park early in the morning so you don’t have to wait too long at the entrance.
Double Arch: The Double Arch Trail is a .6 mile roundtrip hike that is fairly easy to complete.
The Windows: In the same parking lot as Double Arch, you can also walk to the trailhead for the Windows. The loop trail is .7 miles long.
Landscape Arch: Next, head to the Landscape Arch trailhead. This trail is 1.9 miles long.
Late Afternoon: During the afternoon, head back to your hotel and relax by the pool.
Dinner: Have dinner and go to bed early for your next day at the park.
Our Experience Visiting in May
We personally visited Arches National Park during the month of May. This was definitely a peak season for visiting the park.
If you’re curious, you can view a database of monthly visitors for Arches National Park for various months and years. It can be helpful to forecast busy times of the year to visit.
We happened to be at Arches National Park during Memorial Day Weekend, and it was definitely packed. We woke up at 4am one day just to get a head start at the park.
For weather, the average high temperature during the month of May is 79 degrees with an average low of 49 degrees. On average, it rains 3 days in the month of May. Of course, always look at the weather forecast to help you prepare for your trip. When we visited Arches National Park in May, it was over 90 degrees during the day!
While you’re in Moab, don’t forget to check out Canyonlands National Park as well! It’s definitely worth adding at least a day to your itinerary.
We stayed at the Best Western Plus Canyonlands Inn in Moab. It was a convenient location to both Canyonlands National Park as well as Arches National Park. We appreciated staying in town because we could easily walk to restaurants for lunch and dinner. We really liked their pool, and we’d definitely recommend staying at that hotel to others!
Summary
During our visit to Moab, we spent one day at Canyonlands National Park and two days at Arches National Park. That itinerary felt perfect for us to see the main things we wanted to see. Of course, you could spend weeks at either park and barely scratch the surface! If you have more time, it’s always fun to go off the beaten path and see what you discover! We hope that this post on Arches National Park inspired you to make a visit to this awe-worthy park!
Disclaimer: We always strive for content accuracy. Since the time of publishing, travel-related information regarding pricing, schedules, and hours may have changed. Please look up such information directly from each vendor or institution for the most current information.
