Arches National Park guides
12 in-depth guides to Arches National Park, in reading order: what to see, how to get around, and what to know before you go. Back to the Arches National Park overview.
100°F Summers to Cold Winters: Arches Seasons
Arches sits in the Colorado Plateau, a high desert region where temperatures can swing sharply within a single day, sometimes by more than 40 degrees.
Beating the Crowds and Full Parking Lots
Arches is generally open 24 hours a day, all year, so you can pick the time that suits you best.
Delicate Arch and 2,000 Other Stone Arches
Delicate Arch draws travelers from around the globe, and for many it is the first stop on their plans.
Driving the 19-Mile Arches Scenic Drive
The Arches Scenic Drive is the only road through Arches National Park. It stretches 19 miles between Highway 191 and the Devils Garden trailhead, at the park's far end.
Arches Trails from Short Walks to 7.2 Miles
The trails here range from brief strolls to strenuous climbs over bare rock, so match your route to your stamina and comfort on uneven ground.
Dark Skies North of Moab
The night sky over Arches National Park is darkest in the areas that sit off the main park road and away from town.
Salt Beds, Fins, and Entrada Sandstone
Arches National Park sits above a salt bed laid down more than 300 million years ago, when a sea flowed into the Paradox Basin of the Colorado Plateau and eventually evaporated.
Pinyon, Juniper, and Desert Wildlife
Most trees in Arches stay small and spread out, but mixed stands of pinyon pine and Utah juniper take hold in the dry, rocky ground across the park.
From 1929 Monument to 1971 National Park
President Herbert Hoover made the area a national monument in 1929, guarding its sandstone formations from its arches and spires to its balanced rocks.
Camping at Devils Garden Campground
Devils Garden Campground is the park's only place to camp, at the end of the park road roughly 18 miles in from the entrance.
Delicate Arch Trail and Wolfe Ranch
The hike to Delicate Arch begins at the Wolfe Ranch parking lot, about 13 miles from the park entrance.
Devils Garden: Landscape Arch and Primitive Trail
The Devils Garden area sits at the final stop of the park road, about 18 miles north of the Arches Visitor Center.
