Arches National Park is home to some of the most iconic rock formations in Utah. As my mom and I road tripped around Utah, this was one of our favorite national parks. We aren’t alone. Arches National Park is a heavily trafficked park.
It’s here that you find the iconic Delicate Arch (which is even displayed on Utah license plates). Besides just the iconic Delicate Arch, you’ll find loads of other arches, a scenic drive, and plenty of view points.
With just one day at Arches National Park, you’ll have plenty of things to do to keep you busy.
In this post, I’m going to talk about some of the best things to do at Arches National Park, as well as give a sample itinerary for one day at the park. I’ll also talk about managing crowds and the reservation system that was put in place to manage those crowds.
Let’s start with the top things to do at Arches National Park.
Things to Do at Arches National Park
Hike to Delicate Arch
I think it’s safe to say that hiking to Delicate Arch is one of the most popular things to do at Arches National Park. When people think of Arches National Park, this is what they think of. My point being, don’t be surprised when you have to share the trail with a lot other people.
In fact, when we arrived at the parking lot, it was nearly two-thirds full and a ranger was directing traffic to efficiently fill the lot. And keep in mind, we arrived at the entrance to Arches National Park just before sunrise. Expect crowds here, but it’s totally worth it.
From the parking lot, it’s a three mile round trip hike to Delicate Arch. While the National Park Service has this listed as a difficult hike, I don’t know if I’d consider it difficult. That said, it was definitely the most difficult hike we did during our visit.
Over the course of 1.5 miles (3 miles round trip), you’ll gain 480 feet of elevation as you hike along dirt trail, rock face, and a narrow rock ledge (although this makes it sound much more narrow and scary that it actually is). The rock can be slick at certain parts, so watch your step and take your time. In several parts of the trail, it is completely exposed with no shade. Make sure to carry enough water, especially if you are doing this hike later in the day or in the summer months.
Once you reach the top, you may be tempted to take your photo standing in Delicate Arch. It makes a great photo and so many people want to do it. However, you should note that unless you are one of the first people here in the morning, the line for this will be very long. When we were here, we estimated that it would have taken at least 30 minutes to get to the front of the line.
Plus, depending on where you are standing, it can be uncomfortable at the top. There are flat sections where you can stand and walk, but much of the area is in a bowl shape. It can be very uncomfortable and straining on your ankles to constantly be at that angle for long periods of time. Instead of taking our picture in Delicate Arch, we played with angles to get our own pictures that we are very happy with.
I consider my mom and I to be pretty average hikers. We completed the hike to Delicate Arch in 2 hours. This includes all of our time spent hiking, stops for photos, and plenty of time at the top to enjoy the view.
Hike to Skyline Arch
This is an easy hike to add to your list. From the parking lot, it’s a 0.4 mile road trip hike to get to Skyline Arch. Because it’s an easy trail, this is another of the more popular arches to visit the park. Even so, I think it’s still worth a visit and another one of the best things to do at Arches National Park.
Hike to Sand Dune Arch
Sand Dune Arch is another short hike, totaling at 0.3 miles round trip. So, while the trail is short, you will be walking on sand. This isn’t a huge deal because it’s a short hike, but I think it’s important to mention. I find that I typically walk slower when walking through loose sand.
And yes, Sand Dune Arch gets its name because you walk through a sand dune to get here.
Hike to Broken Arch
Broken Arch shares the same trailhead as Sand Dune Arch. So if you come visit Sand Dune Arch, you can also easily visit Broken Arch.
Broken Arch is a slightly longer walk, coming in at 1.3 miles. However, the hike is pretty flat, with less than 100 feet of elevation change.
When I visited, this ended up being my second longest hike (my longest was to Delicate Arch), so I think it’s a hike most people should look at. And while Sand Dune Arch featured walking through sand, the trail to Broken Arch is more of a “normal” trail (i.e., you aren’t walking through a sand dune for 1.3 miles).
Broken Arch is not broken, but it looks broken, which is how it gets its name. There’s a giant crack in the arch, but it’s still in one piece.
See Delicate Arch from a Different View
Even if you’ve already hiked to Delicate Arch, there’s a parking lot with two viewpoints and it’s worth stopping. From these view points, you get a totally different angle of Delicate Arch since you’ll be looking up at it from ground level. Look up and feel proud about your accomplishment of hiking up here earlier.
The Lower Viewpoint is a short 100 yard walk from the parking lot. The Upper Viewpoint is a bit further, coming in at a half mile uphill.
We only visited Lower Viewpoint (since we already hiked all the way up), but I’m so glad we stopped for this. It really helps to put your hike from earlier in the day into perspective.
Hike to Double Arch
Double Arch was one of my favorite hikes at Arches National Park. This is short hike to a two arches that share the same base (which is why it’s called Double Arch). The scenery was spectacular and I was able to take some photos that I was really happy with.
As I mentioned, the hike is short, coming in at 0.5 miles. And it’s a flat, gravel trail, so it’s a trail that I’m going to recommend to most people who spend one day at Arches National Park.
Double Arch is located in the Windows Section of the park. There are two levels to this parking lot, but if you want to close to the trailhead for Double Arch, park in the lower lot.
Hike The Windows Trail
After you’ve finished at Double Arch, you’re in good position to do The Windows Trail. While the lower level of the parking lot is closer to Double Arch, the upper level of the parking lot is closer to The Windows Trail. You can move your car, or just walk across the lot (which is what we did since the upper lot was full).
The Windows Trail is a one mile trail with about 100 feet of elevation change. On this trail you’ll hike pass the North and South Windows which are excellent views of the park. Plus, you’ll also pass Turret Arch. The National Park Service says “The Windows Section is considered by some to be the beating heart of Arches National Park”. I’m not quite sure if I would say that, but it was a nice hike.
Visit Some Viewpoints
There’s numerous viewpoints and overlooks for you to stop at as you drive through the park. While I could make this list longer and list out every viewpoint as it’s own individual thing to do, I’m combining all of the viewpoints into one entry on this list.
Fiery Furnace looks like a great viewpoint and it was on our list to visit. However, when we arrived, the lot was completely full and we skipped it. Instead, we stopped at the next viewpoint, which was the Salt Valley Overlook. While I can’t say it’s better or worse than Fiery Furnace, it was a nice view point.
You’ll also pass Panorama Point and the Garden of Eden as you make your way out of the park. While both are nice, I think I preferred the Garden of Eden viewpoint to Panorama Point.
And there’s even more viewpoints that you can stop at. We didn’t visit every view point. By the end of the day, we were tired and were more focused on getting a substantial meal. Consider adding Balanced Rock, Petrified Dunes Viewpoint, Courthouse Towers Viewpoint, and Park Avenue Viewpoint on your way out of the park.
Hike Devil’s Garden
This is one area where I don’t have experience. We had planned to stop and do a little hiking here, but when my mom and I pulled up to the parking lot, it was completely full and we were unable to get a spot.
The lot for Devil’s Garden definitely seemed smaller than the parking lots at some of the other trailheads and that’s something you need to be aware of. My recommendation is that if you really want to hike Devil’s Garden, consider making it your first stop of the day.
The entire trail at Devil’s Garden is a 7.8 mile look that will take you past Double O Arch. If this seems like a lot, don’t do the entire trail. When my mom and I visited, we had planned to hike out as far as Landscape Arch before turning around and retracing our steps.
One Day at Arches National Park
Here’s what I recommend as a rough guide for one day at Arches National Park. You’ll start at Delicate Arch, head all the way to the back of the park, and then work your way back out. While I did not explicitly include stops for view points in this list, stop at as many view points you want along the way.
7:30 – Arrive at Arches National Park
8:00 – Delicate Arch (3 miles)
10:15 – Skyline Arch (0.4 miles)
10:45 – Sand Dune Arch (0.3 miles)
11:45 – Broken Arch (1.3 miles)
1:00 – Delicate Arch Viewpoints (Lower Viewpoint (100 yards))
1:30 – Double Arch (0.5 miles)
2:00 – The Windows Trail (North Window, South Window, and Turret Arch – 1.0 miles)
3:00 – Leave Arches and head to Moab for a great late lunch in town. You’ve earned it!
This itinerary includes about 6.5 miles of hiking. For some people, this may seem ambitious while for others, it’ll feel like an easy day. Feel free to tweak this itinerary to add more or less based on your own ability.
Note that this itinerary doesn’t contain the Devil’s Garden Trail (7.9 miles), but if you’re feeling ambitious, by all means add some (or all) of this hike to your itinerary. For most people though, I’d recommend sticking with my itinerary above and only adding Devil’s Garden to a second day at Arches National Park.
My Favorites and Where to Focus Your Time
I feel like for most people with average fitness, this one day itinerary at Arches National Park is doable. Just take your time, pack some snacks and plenty of water, and you’ll make it through. If it feels like it will be too much, I would rank the trails in order of your interest. If I had to pick my top three favorites of what I visited, I would focus on the following:
1. Delicate Arch – This is the most iconic formation you’ll see here in Utah. Yes, you could cut this (it is the longest trail we did) and just do the view points from below, but there is something awesome about standing up there and seeing it up close.
2. Double Arch – This was a very unique arch. It definitely ranked highly on my mom’s and my list of favorites for the day. Since it’s only a 0.5 mile hike, I think it should stay on your list.
3. Broken Arch – This one was also just a cool arch to visit and was ranked highly on our list of favorites.
If You Have More Than One Day
While I think you can accomplish a lot in one day at Arches National Park, two days will allow you to go at a more relaxed pace. Or, you could do my one day itinerary on your first day and on your second day, hike the 7.8 mile loop at Devil’s Garden.
If I’m honest though, if you have two full days in Moab, I think your time would be better spent having one day at Arches National Park and one day at nearby Canyonlands National Park. This is what my mom and I did and I’m so happy we did. Despite both parks being within a 30 minute drive of each other, the scenery is completely different.
Plus, there’s also nearby Dead Horse Point State Park which is just one more option to explore from Moab.
Crowd Management
In 2021, Arches National Park was the third most visited national park in Utah. Over 1.8 million visitors came to see the amazing landscapes (myself included). It was beat out by Zion National Park (at 5 million) and just narrowly by Bryce Canyon National Park (at 2.1 million).
Because of the amount of people visiting every day, it is important to have a plan so you are able to make the most of your time and see everything you want to see. When we visited in October 2021, my mom and I had a rough plan to start our day, but we deviated slightly as the day went on. These deviations were a result of both tiredness and the inability to find parking in some locations.
Reservations
In 2022, a new reservation system was rolled out. In order to visit Arches National Park, you will need to make a timed reservation in advance. This is to help keep crowds in check, but should also make your parking situation a little bit easier. It’s important to note that this reservation does not include your entrance fee to get into the park. Even once you’ve made your reservation, you will still need to pay the $30 entry fee (or present your America the Beautiful Pass) to enter.
Learn more about reservations and make your reservation at recreation.gov.
How to Get Around Arches National Park
There is no shuttle is Arches National Park, so you will need your own vehicle. Since everyone is driving their own personal vehicle, it can become a race to try and get parking at your preferred lot. All of those cars need to be parked somewhere. At certain trailheads and overlooks, parking can be extremely difficult so be prepared to be flexible.
Don’t expect to have cell phone service in the park. You can download Google Maps for offline use, but also pick up a map when you come through the front entrance. Driving through the park is very straightforward, but you just need to keep your eyes peeled and make sure you know where you’re going so you don’t miss your turn.
Where to Stay
Moab is the closest town and makes a great base for exploring Arches National Park.
Final Thoughts
Arches is one of my favorite national parks I’ve ever visited. While there’s plenty of things to do at Arches National Park, it feels more manageable than some other parks. With one day at Arches National Park, you’ll be able to cover most of the highlights and feel satisfied with your time.
Continue Your Adventure
Utah: Along with Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion National Parks make up Utah’s Mighty Five. But don’t overlook its state parks, such as Snow Canyon State Park.
Itineraries: Do you want to explore Utah’s Mighty Five? Check out this 10 Day Itinerary highlighting Utah’s awesome national parks.
Nearby: Utah has a lot to offer for nature based travel, but so to nearby states. In Arizona, you’ll find the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, and so much more. To the east, you’ll find Colorado with its spectacular parks, including Mesa Verde.