Trip Ideas

The moon rises at Turret Arch in The Windows Section

NPS/Neal Herbert

 

 

Itineraries

Here are some suggestions to help you make the most of your visit to Arches, even if it's brief. In addition, please visit the Traffic & Travel Tips page for advice on avoiding the crowds.

Touring by Car

In 1½ hours, you can do either of these two drives:

• Drive to The Windows Section and see some of the park’s largest arches.
• Drive to Delicate Arch Viewpoint and see the world’s most famous arch from a distance. Stop at Wolfe Ranch on your way back, and imagine homesteading here in the late 1800s.

In 3 hours:

• Drive the whole park road, spending 10 minutes at each viewpoint.

In half a day:

• Drive the whole park road, spending 10 minutes at each viewpoint, and take a short walk at The Windows Section, Delicate Arch Viewpoint, or Balanced Rock.

 

Hiking

In two hours, you can do one of these four routes:

• Hike The Windows loop trail. Hike between parking areas to Double Arch. Drive back to Balanced Rock and walk the trail around its base.
• Hike up the sloping slickrock to see Delicate Arch. (Avoid this trail in midday summer heat.)
• Walk between tall fins in Devils Garden to see Landscape Arch, North America’s longest.
• Walk to Sand Dune Arch, then across the field to Broken Arch. Continue through the end of the campground and return. Enjoy Tapestry Arch and the sandstone fins.

In half a day, take one of these three hikes:

• Hike the entire Devils Garden trail to the spire called Dark Angel. On your way back, hike the primitive trail only if you’re up for challenging slopes and exposure to heights.
• If you don’t mind driving an unpaved road to the remote area called Klondike Bluffs, hike the primitive trail to Tower Arch.