Arches National Park is known for its thousands of natural stone arches, as well as its unique rock formations, towering spires, and pinnacles.

Covering an area of 119 square miles, the park is relatively small, offering a variety of trails ranging from easy walks to more challenging hikes. Highlights include Delicate Arch, the park’s most famous formation, and Landscape Arch, one of the longest natural stone arches in the world.

Established as a national monument in 1929 and later a national park in 1971, Arches is part of Utah’s Mighty 5!

Click here to check out my ranking of Utah’s national parks!

Basic Arches National Park Facts

• Location: Eastern Utah, near the town of Moab
• Size: Approximately 76,679 acres (44th largest national park)
• Elevation: Ranges from 4,085 feet to 5,653 feet above sea level
• Number of Natural Arches: Over 2,000 documented natural stone arches
• Famous Arches: Includes Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, Double Arch, and North Window Arch
• Geological Features: In addition to arches, the park features pinnacles, spires, balanced rocks, and fins
• Climate: Arches has a high desert climate with hot summers, cold winters, and low annual precipitation
• Flora and Fauna: Home to various plant and animal species adapted to the desert environment, including juniper, prickly pear cactus, mule deer, and desert cottontails
• Visitation: Receives over 1.5 million visitors annually
• Activities: Popular activities include hiking, photography, rock climbing, and stargazing

Is One Day Enough for Arches National Park?

Yes! Arches is a relatively small national park with just one main road that travels from one end to the other. A lot of the popular attractions are located either right off the road or require only a short hike.

However, you could also lengthen your trip if you are interested in doing more of the longer hikes or exploring the four-wheel drive roads. Also, right outside of the park is the city of Moab, which offers a variety of shops, restaurants, and activities. Moab serves as a great base for exploring not only Arches but also the nearby Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park. Extending your trip would give you more time to explore the city and the natural beauty outside of the park.

Timed Reservations in Arches National Park

Arches is one of the national parks that requires a timed entry. This means that in addition to paying the park’s entry fee, you will have to book a vehicle timed entry in order to enter the park between 7 am and 4 pm, April through October. They are offered in 1-hour intervals, and once you enter during your time slot, you are free to leave the park and re-enter.

Typically the morning spots fill up the fastest, since visitors want to enter the park as early as possible.

Dining and Lodging in Arches National Park

Arches National Park itself does not have dining or lodging facilities within its boundaries. However, the city of Moab, just a short drive from the park entrance, offers a variety of options. Keep in mind that due to the popularity of the nearby attractions and Moab, a lot of the lodging options are on the pricier side.

Devils Garden Campground is the only campground inside the park. It has about 50 campsites that can be reserved on Recreation.gov. Reservations typically open up in the beginning of January and book up fast. fff

One Day in Arches National Park Itinerary

With one day in the park, I recommend not straying too far off the main Arches National Park Road. The drive from the Visiter Center to the end of the road is about 30-minutes. With that being said, you can either drive all the way through the park and work through the attractions back to front, or go front to back.

When I visited Arches, I explored the park from front to back, which in hindsight, I wouldn’t recommend. By the time we reached the Devil’s Garden Trail—a challenging hike located at the end of the road—it was 3 pm and the peak heat made the hike even more difficult. Regardless, most of Arches National Park lacks shade, so that is just something to keep in mind as you plan your trip.

Visitor Center

The Arches National Park Visitor Center opens at various times, depending on the season. Be sure to check their hours before your visit if you plan on stopping by for souvenirs or more information on the park.

While I recommend beginning your day at the visitor center to get the lay of the land, it is more important to begin exploring the park as early as possible to beat the heat and the crowds. So, if you arrive before the visitor center opens or you have no interest in stopping by, don’t be afraid to skip it or save it for the way out!

Scenic Drive

From the visitor center, the scenic drive on Arches National Park Road is about 30-minutes to the end of the road. This drive is a great way to experience the park’s stunning landscape and make note of the pullouts and viewpoints you want to stop at on your way back!

Devil’s Garden

At the end of the road you will find Devil’s Garden Trail, offering a challenging, but beautiful hike. However, you don’t necessarily need to hike the entire loop. Here are a few options you can choose from:

Devil’s Garden Trail: This a challenging 7.9-mile loop with roughly 1,095-feet of elevation gain. It takes you to several arches, including Tunnel Arch, Landscape Arch, Double O Arch, and more! This is a very popular hike, but you should beat some of the crowds if you get started early.

Dark Angel: This is a moderately challenging 4.7-mile hike with 721-feet of elevation gain. This hike still takes you to many of the best sights: Landscape Arch, Black Arch Overlook, Dark Angel, and more, making it a great alternative to the entire Devil’s Garden Trail. While this hike is labeled ‘moderately challenging’, don’t underestimate it. There is still a lot of elevation gain, and moments where you will be required to climb up and down some steep ridges.

Pine Tree Arch Trail and Tunnel Arch Trail: This is an easy 1-mile hike with 196-feet of elevation gain. While you are missing out on a lot of amazing views, this is a great hike if you aren’t looking for a challenge and just want to quickly see a few cool arches.

Apart from these hikes, there are several other variations you can chose from. If you are unsure, I recommend first hiking to Landscape Arch, which is about 1-mile from the trailhead. From there, the trail gets more challenging, so you can start hiking and turn around when you are ready!

Skyline Arch, Sand Dune Arch, and Broken Arch

As you begin making you way back to the entrance of the park, there are a few different arches you can see from your car or after a short hike.

Skyline Arch Trail: You can either view Skyline Arch from the main road, or hop out and walk .4-miles out-and-back to see it up close. This can be quick and easy, but there are more impressive stops further along.

Sand Dune Arch Trail: This is another quick and easy .3-mile out-and-back walk. While you will have to trudge through some thick sand to get to the arch, it is a bit more unique than some of the other arches you might visit.

Sand Dune Arch and Broken Arch: If you continue walking past Sand Dune Arch, you can visit Broken Arch, for a total 1.5-mile round trip. This is an easy hike that takes you to a cool arch, so it may be worth your time!

Delicate Arch Road

As the name suggests, the short road will take you to the iconic, and massive Delicate Arch!

There are two ways to see the Delicate Arch:

Delicate Arch Trail: This is a 3.2-mile out-and-back hike with 629-feet of elevation gain. While this is a very popular trail, with limited shade and a steep incline, it allows you to get up close and personal with the most famous arch in the park.

Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail: If you opt to not hike all the way up to the arch, your other option is the Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail. While this is considered an easy 1.0-mile hike, it still has 177-feet of elevation gain, which means you still have to work a little for the view. While you do get to see Delicate Arch from the trail, it is still way off in the distance and probably not worth your time and effort.

Windows Road

Windows Road is another short road off of the main scenic drive that offers some short hikes with incredible views!

Double Arch Trail: Double Arch Trail is an easy .6-mile hike that takes you to one of the coolest arches in the park! It is definitely worth exploring the arch and climbing underneath it for some incredible views.

Windows Loop and Turret Arch Trail: This is an easy 1.2-mile loop with 154-feet of elevation gain. The hike takes you to the Turret Arch, as well as the north and south windows. This is a cool hike with some amazing views and lots to explore!

Check out some of my other posts on Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks!