Snapshot Planning Your VisitWhen we visited the park We visited the park the second week of March. The park was very busy already, but we were still able to see everything we wanted to. The weather was perfect for getting out and hiking around the park - sunny and in the low 60s. I can imagine it gets very hot, with little shade or cover during the summer months. There is no food and limited water filling stations, so pack extra food/water and be more prepared than we were. The visitor center is right at the beginning of the park, and it can take awhile to get back to it if you are in the back section of the park by Devil's Garden.  weather-us.com  Things to Consider 1. The first thing to know is, this was the busiest of the parks we visited, and there were crowds at all parking lots, arches, restrooms, and entrances. The rangers stated that the busy season was supposed to start in April, but there really is no "off season" at Arches. It took us about 35 minutes of waiting at the entrance to get into the park when we visited. Be patient here! 2. You NEED a timed-entry ticket in addition to a park pass to get into Arches from April-October. These cost $2 per vehicle and need to be purchased ahead of time on recreation.gov. You can search for Arches and you will see the option available for purchasing these. Now, if you are unable to get a ticket, you can arrive before 7am or after 4pm and gain entry to the park, or you can walk or bike into the park. Additionally, if you have a permit or reservation at the campground, you do not need a timed-ticket to enter. 3. There is NO food in the park, and some water fountains at stops and the visitor center. We ended up here way longer than I thought we would be there, and should have packed a lunch and extra water. 4. Make time for the 3 mile hike to Delicate Arch. It is so worth it! I mean, it is the symbol on the Utah license plate! 5. Read the rules about the arches at this park. To ensure that future guests can enjoy this spectacular park, follow all the guidelines, stay on the hiking trails, leave no trace, and respect the park.   Springhill Suites Pool How to Get There The entrance to Arches National Park is north of the town of Moab, Utah. From Moab, drive north on US 191 for five miles, or from Interstate 70 (Crescent Junction), drive south on US 191 for 22 miles. Other Maps offered by the Park Where to Stay Inside the Park Devil's Garden Campground The only place to stay inside the park is this 51-site campground, 18 miles from the visitor center. During peak season (March-October) you need a reservation, and these fill quickly. You can make reservations up to 6 months in advance, depending on release dates. You can use a tent or an RV here and it costs $25 a night to reserve a campsite. Outside the Park Moab, UT Moab is the closest city, and there are a lot of options of where to stay. Depending on what you are looking for, Moab should have something for everyone. Use the link above to get to the Moab website and recommended lodging options. Springhill Suites We stayed at the Springhill Suites-Moab. It is the closest hotel to the entrance of Arches. It also has the most amazing heated pool area. It was perfect for the kids to go swimming at, even in March weather, after hiking all day. There is a kiddie pool area with waterfalls, and multiple hot tubs available for all ages. Campgrounds Courthouse Rock Campground This 10-site campground is 9 miles from Arches. There are two sites that you are able to reserve ahead of time and the other 8 are on a first-come, first-serve basis for $20 a night. You will need to make reservations or use the app for recreation.gov to be able to reserve a campsite here. North Klondike Campground This 25-site campground is located about 10 miles from Arches. The sites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis for $20 a night. You will need the recreation.gov app to reserve a campsite here. This campsite is close to biking trails, and a great place for bikers to stay.   What We Did We spent a full day here and packed in almost all of the hikes Arches has to offer. There were crowds and parking was tricky at times, but overall, we got to see everything we intended to see. I wish we would have packed some food, because we could have spent even more time here if we had prepared a little better. We pretty much followed the main road and stopped at each attraction the further into the park we made it. We stopped in the Visitor Center right away to get our Junior Ranger books. The ranger there had realistic expectations, because she asked us if we wanted to just take the Junior Ranger pledge and get our badges right away, or did we think we would make it back before the park closed. Looking back on this conversation, as a parent, I was super appreciative of this person and allowed us some flexibility in our schedule. After the visitor center, we drove through the Cathedral section of the park, and saw some really cool structures that looked like different things. The first parking lot we made it to was for balanced rock. We walked around balanced rock and and looked out over the landscape seeing the many different arches further into the park. The kids liked being able to climb up some of the rocks here and getting a better view from above. This stop got us excited for the arches, and we headed towards the window and double arch loop next. This was my favorite! Double Arch is one of the most unique arches, and you can climb through it. It makes you feel so small when you are standing at the bottom, looking up at the arches. It was just a surreal moment. Good hiking shoes with grips really help if you decide to try and climb among the arches. Across the parking lot from Double Arch is the Windows and Turret Arch trails. These trails require a climb up a good amount of stairs, however, I think they are really worth it. The North and South Arches are also huge, and cool to sit in and look across the landscape. You should also make time to walk over to the Turret Arch. We loved how this felt like a castle and you could explore it from different angles. It was also large, and somehow different from the rest of the arches that we saw. It felt worth it to us to make time for this arch. Next we continued down the main road to Devil's Garden. This part of the park was so crowded, I got out and hiked with the kids to the Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch, while my husband stayed in the car and drove around for the baby to sleep. This hike was ok, but not as spectacular as the other arches. The only arch that we didn't make it to because of parking was Landscape Arch. However, we knew we wanted to see Delicate Arch, so we headed to that part of the park.  We started by going to the observation points down below, and realized that it wasn't the view we really wanted. The hike to reach Delicate Arch is just over 3 out-and-back. My husband decided to do this hike solo, while I took the kids back to get some food and water. The trail is a moderate hike and climb up the side of the butte. This hike doesn't offer a lot of cover from the elements, so pack water and if you want a snack at the top, something to eat. This is one of the must-see things while you are in Moab. This alone could be half a day activity, so make sure you plan accordingly. I can imagine that sunrises and sunsets are spectacular here, and someday I hope to see one. After my husband finished this hike, we picked him back up and headed back to our hotel to swim in the nice heated pool and relax in a hot tub.
Where this fit in our Road Trip This was the second park that we visited on our road trip, right after Capitol Reef National Park. We stayed in Moab for two days and spent different times of the day at Canyonlands and Arches depending on the activities we wanted to do. Moab has so much to do! You could make just this area of Utah a full vacation, without even heading west to the Kanab/Zion area. However, we wanted to see all of The Mighty 5, so this was the second part of our loop of Southern Utah.
NPS App and All Trails Maps I highly recommend using the National Park Service (NPS) App, as well as the All Trails App for hiking. There is limited service in the park, so planning ahead is helpful. These two apps allow you to download sights, maps, and trails so that you can access information anywhere. The NPS app also links to the full National Parks Website, with a plethora of information.
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