Arches National Park sits five miles north of Moab, Utah, along US-191, protecting the world’s greatest concentration of natural sandstone arches within a striking red-rock desert environment. The park covers 76,679 acres of Colorado Plateau terrain, with elevations ranging from 4,085 to 5,653 feet. Established as a national monument in 1929 and redesignated a national park in 1971, it draws over 1.8 million visitors annually.
What is Arches National Park known for?
Arches National Park is known for containing more than 2,000 catalogued natural sandstone arches, including the iconic Delicate Arch standing 52 feet tall, Landscape Arch spanning 290 feet—one of the longest natural arches in the world—and the grouped formations of the Windows Section, all carved by millions of years of erosion, frost-wedging, and salt dissolution in Entrada Sandstone.
- Delicate Arch: 52-foot freestanding arch, symbol of Utah
- Landscape Arch: 290-foot span in Devils Garden
- Double Arch: two arches sharing a common anchor point
- Balanced Rock: 128-foot rock formation near the main road
- Fiery Furnace: maze of narrow sandstone fins
Best things to do in Arches National Park
The top activities at Arches include hiking to Delicate Arch on the 3-mile round-trip trail from Wolfe Ranch trailhead, exploring the Devils Garden Trail to see seven named arches, joining a ranger-led Fiery Furnace walk (permit required), and attending a ranger program at the park’s Visitor Center on US-191 near the entrance.
- Hike the Delicate Arch Trail (3 miles round-trip, 480-foot elevation gain)
- Walk Devils Garden Trail to Landscape Arch and beyond
- Take a ranger-led Fiery Furnace tour (advance reservation required)
- Drive the 18-mile scenic park road with pullouts at Balanced Rock and the Windows
- Night sky programs and stargazing at designated dark-sky sites
Best time to visit Arches National Park
Spring (March–May) and fall (September–November) are the best times to visit Arches, with daytime temperatures between 60°F and 80°F ideal for hiking; summer temperatures regularly exceed 100°F, making early-morning starts essential, while timed-entry reservations are required from April through October to manage peak crowds on the main park road.
- Spring wildflowers bloom on canyon floors in April
- Fall offers cooler temps and less crowded trails
- Winter visits are possible; snow occasionally dusts the red rock
- Timed-entry permits required April–October, book via Recreation.gov
Where to eat near Arches National Park
There are no food services inside Arches National Park itself, so visitors eat in Moab, Utah, five miles south on US-191, where Main Street and Center Street host restaurants including the Moab Brewery, known for its craft beers and burgers, Pasta Jay’s for Italian, and Milt’s Stop & Eat, a historic drive-in serving burgers and shakes on Mill Creek Drive.
- Moab Brewery on Main Street: burgers, sandwiches, house-brewed beer
- Milt’s Stop & Eat on Mill Creek Drive: classic American burgers
- Pasta Jay’s on Main Street: pasta and Italian dishes
- Grocery provisioning at City Market on South Main Street, Moab
How to get to Arches National Park
Arches National Park is accessed via the sole entrance on US-191, approximately five miles north of downtown Moab, Utah; the nearest commercial airport is Canyonlands Regional Airport (CNY) four miles north of Moab, with connections through Salt Lake City (SLC) approximately 235 miles north via US-191 and I-15, and no public bus service operates directly into the park.
- Drive US-191 north from Moab; entrance station is clearly signed
- Canyonlands Regional Airport (CNY) serves Moab with regional flights
- Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) is 235 miles north
- Moab Transportaton Hub on Minstrel Way offers shuttle connections in town
- Timed-entry reservation required April–October; no public transit into park
Where to walk and hike in Arches National Park
Arches offers trails ranging from the paved 0.5-mile Windows Loop accessible to most visitors, to the strenuous 7.9-mile Devils Garden Primitive Loop passing eight named arches; the moderately difficult Delicate Arch Trail at 3 miles round-trip from Wolfe Ranch parking area is the park’s most popular and rewarding hike.
- Delicate Arch Trail: 3 miles round-trip from Wolfe Ranch trailhead
- Devils Garden Trail: up to 7.9 miles with Landscape and Navajo Arches
- Windows Loop: 1-mile paved loop, family-friendly
- Broken Arch Trail: 1.3-mile loop through open grassland and slickrock
