My husband and I recently returned from a whirlwind tour of the breathtaking national parks in Utah. One of the most memorable moments from the trip was spending 2+ days in search of the best hikes at Arches National Park.
What some folks don’t know is that Arches National Park isn’t particularly large, so you can see the cool sites and hike the best hikes in Arches within a matter of two days.
So today I’d like to share the absolute best hikes at Arches National Park that you would be remiss to skip. This list is based on my firsthand experience and includes tips you may find helpful.
I hope this list makes your planning easier, please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions, I’m here to help!
For those of you asking, my hat is from here.
Arches National Park Hiking Tips
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Practice Leave No Trace
Water, water, water
- Never underestimate how easily you become dehydrated in the desert. Plan for 1 gallon of water per person, per day. Water stations are available at Arches Visitor Center and Devils Garden trailhead.
Sunscreen, layers and hats
- The sun is intense and shade is minimal. I can’t tell you how many folks I saw nursing sunburns at the end of the day. Carry sunscreen and apply liberally.
- I swear by this sunscreen, I discovered it in France and now buy it in bulk. There’s no strange residue or odd smell, you’ll NEVER catch me without it!
Carving in stone is vandalism
- This goes without saying, but every year folks try to leave their mark on Arches National Park by carving, scratching, chalking or marking their names in stone. This is considered vandalism and is illegal (and not to mention unsightly).
- Native Americans believe that Arches National Park is a sacred place, we are all just guests passing through. Be respectful of the land and leave it be for future generations to see, too.
Stay on trails
- Respect the abundance of life around you and stay on the trails in Arches National Park to avoid harming fragile plants and fauna. Leave everything where you find it because it’s illegal to remove anything from a national park.
Wear hiking boots with good traction
- Even though the trails are well maintained, jagged rocks and unstable soil are common. It’s easy to trip on the uneven surfaces, so set yourself up for success by wearing proper shoes.
- These are my hiking boots, and I’d sleep in them if I could.
Crowds
- With more than 1 million visitors per year, Arches National Park is popular for good reason. Expect crowds regardless of the month you visit. The best solution? Start early (sunrise is stunning!) to get a slight chance of solitude before the crowds start rolling in.
Hiking with pups
- Dogs are NOT allowed on trails or overlooks. I can’t tell you how many times I saw hikers prep their cute pups for a hike before a ranger notices and tells them dogs aren’t allowed on trails – heartbreaking to watch.
#1. Delicate Arch
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Distance: 3 miles out and back
- Elevation Gain: 600 feet
- Estimated Hiking Time: 2 hours
Can you see us in the photo above? That’s how big Delicate Arch is!
You can’t visit Arches National Park without hiking to Delicate Arch. Not only is it the most iconic arch in the park, but it’s so beloved it’s featured on Utah’s license plate.
Think of it as the unofficial symbol for this breathtaking state.
This is one of the best bang-for-you-buck hikes in Arches National Park.
The trail is clearly marked and easy to follow and there’s enough variation to make it feel like a real adventure.
We chose to hike to Delicate Arch during sunrise to beat the crowds and experiencing the arch glow with the early sun was well worth the effort.
It’s worth noting that even though we started our hike around 6am, we saw about 15-20 folks near the arch when we reached it before sunrise. It’s a very popular sunrise hike at Arches National Park but by no means overly crowded.
If you plan to hike to Delicate Arch mid-day or for sunrise expect crowds and long lines to get your photo taken. I highly recommend an early morning wake up call for this epic hike.
If you only have time for one hike at Arches National Park, this is the one you absolutely can’t miss.
#2. Landscape Arch
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Distance: 1.8 miles round trip
- Elevation Gain: 260 feet
- Estimated Hiking Time: 30 – 45 minutes
Did you know that Landscape Arch is one of the longest stone spans in the world? You’ll want to visit this arch during your visit because it won’t be around forever.
This was made evident by a massive rockfall that occurred in 1991 when a 60-foot rock slab fell from the arch and led to the permanent closure of a trail that used to lead visitors directly under the arch.
For safety reasons the trail has been rerouted and thankfully provides a great vantage point to take in the glory and size of Landscape Arch from a safe distance.
Worth noting: Landscape Arch is merely one pit stop along the Devils Garden Loop Trail in Arches National Park, so let’s cover that hike next. 😉
#3. Devils Garden Loop Trail
- Difficulty Level: Moderate/Difficult
- Distance: Up to 7.8 miles (multiple turn-around points)
- Estimated Hiking Time: Up to 3 hours
The Devils Garden Loop Trail is one of the best trails in the park for avid hikers because it’s one of the few long hikes in Arches National Park.
Most of the trails in Arches National Park are rather short, which is great, considering the heat, but this hike offers an option for a longer adventure, which is why I like it so much.
My favorite part of the hike is the primitive trail portion where hikers must scramble and pass through narrow ledges while being exposed to great heights.
If you don’t feel like hiking the entire loop you can easily turn around at any point. Most folks hike to Landscape Arch and then turn around.
Should you hike the entire loop you will pass by Landscape Arch, Double O Arch and the primitive trail mentioned earlier.
Of all the fun trails we hiked in the park, this one felt like the most adventurous by far.
P.S. Can you tell a storm was brewing during our hike? We were soaked shortly after this picture was taken – ha!
#4. Windows Loop & Turret Arch
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Distance: 1-mile-loop
- Elevation Gain: 154 feet
- Estimated Hiking Time: 30 minutes
I was so excited to hike to Windows Loop & Turret Arch because I’ve seen so many beautiful photos of this other-wordily landscape over the years.
We assumed we would only be out for 20-30 minutes since the entire loop is a mere mile but found ourselves taken aback by the panoramic vista and ended up lingering for longer than one hour!
Completely enamored by the ease of the trail and the stunning views, we chose to hike it in all directions.
We found a shady spot and sat there for a while studying the engulfing red rocks with striking rusty red markings. It’s truly a sight to behold.
What’s more, we saw so many kids and older folks on this hike — more so than any other trail in Arches National Park.
Between the minimal elevation and short distance, this is one of the best hikes in Arches National Park for kids.
#5. Double Arch
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Distance: 0.5 miles out and back
- Elevation Gain: 95 feet
- Estimated Hiking Time: 15 minutes
Yet another easy and low-elevation hike within Arches National Park that is great for the whole family.
Located right next to Windows Loop & Turret Arch, you can easily explore all three arches in one fell swoop. In fact, both trails share the same two parking lots.
The arch can be seen from the parking lot but most visitors choose to take in the splendor by hiking directly under the double arch, which I recommend doing. It’s very little effort for great reward!
#6. Park Avenue Trail
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Distance: up to 2 miles
- Elevation Gain: 300 feet
- Estimated Hiking Time: 40 minutes – 1 hour
The Park Avenue Trail is the first hike you’ll notice at Arches National Park and it’s a great introduction to the splendid landscape found within the rest of the park.
Some folks make the mistake of skipping it in favor of the more notable spots, like Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch but I strongly encourage that you pop off at the trailhead.
The entire hike is two miles long, but you can easily hike a smaller portion if you so choose. Regardless the distance, you will find yourself completely smitten by the vibrant colors and jutting rock formations, it’s such a unique experience!
Also, since the entire trail is flat, this is yet another good hike for kids.
#7. Sand Dune Arch Trail
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Distance: 0.3 miles out and back
- Elevation Gain: 100 feet
- Estimated Hiking Time: 15 minutes
I must admit, we reached the Sand Dune Arch trailhead in the middle of the day and it was terribly hot outside.
I was less than enthused to tackle the hike because of the heat but my husband assured me that the short trail was well worth it because there’s a handful of shady spots I could relax at.
How right he was! The short trail leads to one of the more interesting secluded arches in the park but my favorite aspect of this hike was the portion that led through fascinating sandstone fins that created a slot-canyon feel.
Between the soft sand and ample shade found within the cool canyons, it felt like pure bliss. The entire experience was a very welcome reprieve in the heat of the day.
#8. Tower Arch
- Difficulty Level: Easy/Moderate
- Distance: 2.4 miles out and back
- Elevation Gain: 600 feet
- Estimated Hiking Time: 2 hours
The best thing about this epic Arches National Park hike is that Tower Arch is slightly removed from the main section of the park so it’s often much less crowded than the other hikes mentioned on this list.
This moderate trail is 2.4 miles long and the first portion of the hike is where you’ll gain the elevation.
The trail is marked with cairns that lead you directly to Tower Arch where you will be rewarded with one of the best views of Arches National Park, in my opinion.
Layers of vibrant red rock formations of varying shapes pepper the panoramic landscape before you as far as the eye can see.
The views from this trail are some of the most jaw-dropping in the park. Allow extra time for breaks especially if you’re hiking in the mid-day heat and photos because you won’t be able to put your camera down on this one.
#9. Balanced Rock
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Distance: 0.3 miles round trip
- Elevation Gain: Flat
- Estimated Hiking Time: 15 minutes
Balanced Rock is such an interesting formation. The name gives it away — a massive egg shaped rock miraculously balances atop a base that seems far too small.
I’d consider this trail more of a walk so I don’t think you should skip it while visiting Arches National Park. Stretch your legs along the paved short trail to get a closer vantage of Balanced Rock.
Based on my observations, most folks snap photos of the rock from the parking lot and the trail didn’t get too crowded during our visit.
#10. Partition Arch & #11. Navajo Arch
- Difficulty Level: Moderate/Difficult
- Distance: 2.9 miles out and back
- Elevation Gain: 500 feet
- Estimated Hiking Time: 1.5 hours
Reaching Partition Arch and Navajo Arch requires hiking past the primitive trail along Devils Garden Loop Trail.
We noticed trail makers pointing to the arches and decided to hike to them because we’ve never heard of them before.
Imagine our surprise when we reached the top of Partition Arch (first along the trail) and had the entire view to ourselves!
Surprised by the lack of crowds, we decided to have a pleasant lunch and lingered for half an hour in complete awe of the landscape and solitude, what luck!
The second stop along the trail led to Navajo Arch where we found ourselves perplexed by a beautiful tree growing in the shade of the arch. The beauty of it felt biblical, I don’t know any other way to describe it.
The most challenging thing about getting to these stunning arches is the short uphill portion of the trail that requires scrambling, so wear shoes with a great grip.
#12. Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Distance: 0.7 miles out and back
- Elevation Gain: 140 feet
- Estimated Hiking Time: 20 minutes
We’re wrapping up this list of the best hikes in Arches National Park by mentioning one of the most underrated hikes in the park – the Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail.
Offering an interesting perspective of the iconic Delicate Arch, this hike offers breathtaking views that most people overlook.
We hiked the trail for sunset and — I kid you not — had the entire place to ourselves for the full hour.
A deep canyon separates this epic viewpoint from Delicate Arch and we watched tons of hikers shuffle for photos under Delicate Arch like ants on a log (you can see lines of people in the photo above).
I honestly couldn’t believe we didn’t run into a single person on the trail, and almost felt guilty for the solitude!
But alas, I understand that with such limited time folks want to make the most of their time in Arches National Park and not every trail will get the attention it deserves — use this information to your advantage!
Getting to Arches National Park
Arches National Park is located in southeast Utah
- 5 miles north of Moab, Utah
- 110 miles southwest of Grand Junction, Colorado
- 236 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, Utah
- 360 miles southwest of Denver, Colorado
Flying into Arches National Park
Visiting Arches National Park (Best Time)
- Fall & Spring
- Like most places, the best time to visit Arches National Park is during fall (September – October) and spring (April thru May).
- Summer
- We visited the park during summer (late August, to be exact) and had a blast. But I wish we would have waited until late September because it was so, so hot (around 90 degrees)! We didn’t feel comfortable hiking in the afternoon because of the temperatures, so for that reason – I don’t suggest summer due to the heat.
- Winter
- Don’t make the mistake of assuming this desert landscape doesn’t get greeted by snow. Snow changes everything about the park, so it’s a lovely time to visit. Plus, there’s fewer crowds too! Just make you bring plenty of layers!
Food, Gas and Lodging
There is no food, gas or lodging within Arches National Park. However, Moab is only 5 miles away and has everything you need – including outdoor stores.
Restaurants in Moab
- Love Muffin Cafe (banh mi or bust)
- Moab Brewery
- Jailhouse Cafe
Lodging in Moab
- Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Moab
- SpringHill Suites by Marriott
Camping at Arches National Park
There’s only one campground within the park – Devils Garden Campground. It offers 50 sites and is usually full every day between March and October.
Make reservations in advance by calling 877-444-6777 or visiting www.recreation.gov.
Star Gazing at Arches National Park
Arches received certification as an international dark sky park in July 2019. And since it’s very hard to achieve dark sky park status, there’s about 70 dark sky parks in the entire world.
Take advantage of this during your visit to Arches by taking the time to start gaze – especially if there’s a new moon during your visit.
An international dark sky park is “a land possessing an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural, education, cultural heritage, and/or public enjoyment.”
Best hikes at Arches National Park (Post summary)
In sum, these are the best hikes in Arches National Park:
- Delicate Arch
- Landscape Arch
- Devil’s Garden
- Double Arch
- Turret Arch
- Park Avenue Trail
- Sand Dune Arch
- Tower Arch
- Balanced Rock
- Partition Arch
- Navajo Arch
- Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint
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I hope you enjoyed this guide to the BEST hikes at Arches National Park. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions if you have any!
Happy hiking,
Antonina
