Located in eastern Utah near the town of Moab, Arches National Park is a spectacular spot, featuring more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches. The arches are the primary attraction, and visits typically involve driving to an arch or trailhead and then walking or hiking to see nearby arches. The park, and the parking lots at the arches and trailheads, can get crowded, especially on weekends during the busy season (late spring through early fall). In the past, the Park Service has even closed the park to new visitors after a quota was reached on busy holiday weekends. So make sure you get there early if you’re visiting on a popular date. Options for buying food in the park are limited; be sure to pack a lunch and bring plenty of water.
Our Favorite Trails and Arches
It’s best to come with a game plan so you can maximize your time in the park, and so you can move quickly to an alternative if the parking lot at one of your stops is full. This is a guide to our favorite arches in the park; the arches are listed in order of importance, with the absolute must-sees at the top.
Delicate Arch. Undoubtedly the most famous arch; Delicate Arch is a freestanding 52-foot tall arch. The dramatic arch is perched in front of the beautiful La Sal Mountains; it’s extremely photogenic. It’s difficult, but possible to view the arch from the road. Low Delicate Arch Viewpoint offers views of the arch from about a mile away. But we highly recommend walking the 3 mile trail (with about 480 feet of elevation gain) to see the arch up close and get the best shots available (the trail also takes you by the Wolfe Ranch cabin and some Ute Indian petroglyphs). The lighting can be incredible around sunrise or sunset.
Devils Garden. Devils Garden is an area in the northern part of the park, at the end of the park’s main road. It’s about a 45-minute drive from the entrance station. There’s a campground at the trail head; if you’re not camping, it might be a good idea to arrive early and drive to Devils Garden first to avoid the heat (in summer) and crowds.
Once you reach Devils Garden, you’re in a wonderland of incredible red rock structures. If you’re able, we recommend hiking the entire loop out to Double O Arch (about 4.2 miles round trip), and adding the side trails to Pine Tree and Tunnel Arches (+0.5 miles); Navajo and Partition Arches (0.8 miles). That’s 5.5 miles in total. If you’re up for a little more adventure, we really enjoyed taking the primitive trail out to Double O Arch (not recommended if the rock is wet or icy; some easy scrambling is involved). If you’re pressed for time, skip the side trails and head straight to Double O Arch (it’s really beautiful).
On your way out or back, be sure to stop by Landscape Arch. At 306 feet, it’s the longest arch in North America. If you just go to Landscape Arch and back to the parking lot, you’re looking at about a 1.9 mile round trip.
The Windows Section. When you reach the parking lot at the end of Windows Road, you’ll already have a decent view of Double Arch, the tallest and second-longest arch in the park. A short, flat walk will take you to see the arch up close.
A short walk in the other direction will take you to the Windows section, a rock formation featuring several arches (including the Windows and Turret Arch). The first hundred yards or so of the trail are flat. Beyond that the trail involves some stone steps and uneven surfaces, but it’s not a hard hike. The Windows rise dramatically in front of the La Sal Mountains and make for some great photos.
Park Avenue and Courthouse Towers. One of the first attractions past the entrance station, Park Avenue is a canyon with sheer red rock walls. A short paved trail will take you to the Park Avenue viewpoint. Beyond that, the trail is unpaved and descends into the canyon. It’s about one mile each way to hike to Courthouse Towers.
Balanced Rock. One of the park’s iconic spots, Balanced Rock is a massive boulder perched on a rock stem. It stands 128 feet tall. Balanced Rock can be seen from the main road and parking lot; you can take a short (0.3 mile) walk to see it up close.
