We Think You Should Know:
- Arches National Park gets over a million annual visitors each year and requires timed entry reservations to enter the national park between April 1 to July 6 and again from August 28 to October 31 (For time slots between 7am to 4pm).
- You can book your reservations at recreation.gov
- You can also pre pay any entrance fees on the site.
- The reservation block opens 6 months(ish) in advance at 8 am MT. See recreation.gov for more details for block date releases.
- You do not need a timed entry reservation to enter the park before 7am or after 4pm. If you’re an early riser, this is a great way to get ahead of the crowds. We highly recommend this, especially during the hotter months too.
- FYI – the park is open 24 hours a day, all year-round.
- Arches National Park contains over 2,000 arches in the park! Because of the quantity, this park has incredible payoff without having to hike/drive very long distances.
- Arches National Park has more movie credits than you’d expect! Featured in +10 movies, there’s a chance some iconic Arches locations might be familiar to you already. Movies like Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade and Thelma and Louise have helped bring the natural beauty of Arches to the big screen!
- Landscape Arch is the longest arch in North America, with an opening length of 306 feet.
- Arches National Park is a certified international dark sky park.
- With Arches National Park located in a high desert climate, temperatures in the park can change dramatically over the course of the day. Depending on the season, temperatures can be below freezing or in the summer months exceeding over 100 F. The temperatures can fluctuate over 40 degrees F, so plan accordingly.
- As a town, Moab offers a practically endless amount of things to do. From hiking, rafting, mountain biking, off-roading, and more… you’ll be hard pressed to squeeze everything in. While we personally haven’t done all of these things. Many of them are on our own adventure bucket list!
Hikes You Should Consider:
- Delicate Arch – 3 miles out & back – Strenuous. Arguably the most iconic arch in the world(?!) This hike is a must do! Bring the right foot wear and carry plenty of water, as this hike includes over +500 feet of elevation gain and steep slickrock slopes. But this shouldn’t deter you, as the trail is just as enjoyable as the destination, with narrowing pathways and views of the surrounding park with every step. We believe Delicate Arch is best enjoyed at sunset, but plan accordingly, as this is the most popular time to see the arch. It is not uncommon for people to queue to get photos with the arch in the evenings. So our best advice is to get there early and be patient with your fellow hikers. Everyone’s excited to have a moment with the iconic arch!
- Lastly – parking gets busy at sunset too. There’s an overflow lot that makes the 3 mile hike a 5 mile hike, so again… probably just best to get to the trailhead before the crowds.
- Grace’s Review: 5 Stars
- Will’s Review: 5 Stars
- Devils Garden – 7.9 Miles Round Trip – Strenuous. Devils Garden hike is the best bang for your buck hike in the park (in our humble opinion). With Landscape Arch, Double O Arch, Dark Angel and the rest of the primitive trail, there are so many things to explore throughout this hike. We suggest doing the entire trail, including the primitive trail, as it gives a full and complete view of this amazing area of the park. However, if you do not want to do the entire 7.9miles, modifications can be done to reduce the overall distance. Ideally, we suggest doing this hike early in the morning to avoid over exposure to heat and the sun.
- Grace’s Review: 5 Stars
- Will’s Review: 5 Stars
- Park Avenue Viewpoint and Trail – 1.8 Miles – Moderate. We have not personally done this hike, however it is on my bucket list. This viewpoint was featured in Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade and is picture-esque. One day we will get to see this iconic shot in person.
Places to Stay:
- In general, the town of Moab has tons of accommodations with many unique options throughout. There are a surplus of options out there, but personally we’ve stayed at the River Canyon Lodge in 2020 (https://www.rivercanyonmoab.com). It was a perfect, budget friendly option that allowed us to walk directly into town. If you’re looking for conventional convenience, staying directly in Moab can be great for the entire family.
- If you’re looking for something more adventurous (& luxurious), consider glamp sites like Under Canvas (https://www.undercanvas.com/camps/moab/) or ULUM (https://www.ulumresorts.com/moab/).
Places to Eat:
- We’ve only been to Moab once and it was during 2020. It’s fair to say, we have not explored everything the town has to offer. However, we did enjoy both of our meals at Zax Restaurant (American) (https://www.zaxmoab.com/) and The Spoke on Center (American – Burgers) (https://www.thespokemoab.com/). Both were great and both options had us wanting to come back for more. Even today, Grace and I still talk about how amazing it was hiking in the morning then breaking in the day for lunch in Moab, and then again going out to hike in the evening.
Other Considerations:
- If you’ve made it to Arches National Park and are in Moab, UT. We hope you also see Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse State Park too! They’re equally awe-inspiring and just about an hour or less from Moab.
- Moab is an adventurers paradise. Seriously consider Moab’s many guided tours and attractions around the area, like Hell’s Revenge off-road door or Potash Road’s biking trail. Here’s a link to a current list of Moab attractions, including rafting, off-roading, backyard theater, and so much more (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60724-Activities-oa0-Moab_Utah.html)
Vibe Check:
Arches National Park is iconic for a reason and Moab, UT compliments the adventurous attitude of this part of the country. While our trip to Arches NP & Moab was short and sweet (and during the 2020 pandemic), it is clear to us this place is made to be explored. You could easily spend a week here and never get bored. Grace and I constantly discuss when we are going back to Moab and the answer is always “hopefully soon!” We loved it there so much and we know you will too!