​More to Do

The Arches National Park Scenic Drive is one of the easiest ways to experience the park’s spectacular desert scenery, stretching approximately 18 miles from the entrance station to Devils Garden at the northern end of the park. Along the way, visitors pass many of Arches’ most recognizable landmarks, including Park Avenue, Courthouse Towers, Balanced Rock, the Windows, Double Arch, and viewpoints overlooking the Delicate Arch area, with several short spur roads providing access to additional overlooks and trailheads. Driving the main road from end to end takes about 30–40 minutes (each way) without stops, but visitors should allow at least three to four hours to explore the viewpoints, take photographs, and complete a few short walks along the way. A half or full day is even better for those planning to hike. Parking at popular locations can fill quickly, particularly between spring and fall, so arriving early in the morning is recommended. There are no restaurants, gas stations, or other commercial services inside the park, so visitors should bring plenty of water, food, and fuel up before entering.

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With exceptionally dark skies, Arches National Park is one of the best places in the Southwest for stargazing and night photography. Some of the park’s best locations include Panorama Point, Balanced Rock, the Windows Section, Double Arch, Skyline Arch, and Garden of Eden, all of which provide expansive views of the night sky with relatively little interference from artificial light. Panorama Point is particularly well suited for stargazing thanks to its elevated, wide-open setting, while Balanced Rock and the Windows are excellent choices for photographers looking to frame the Milky Way behind the park’s iconic rock formations. The farther north you travel into the park and away from the lights of Moab, the darker the skies generally become. For the best experience, plan your visit around a new moon or a night when the moon is below the horizon, allow 20–30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness, and use a red-light headlamp to preserve your night vision. 

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Know Before You Go​

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• No timed-entry reservation is required in 2026. Arches suspended its timed-entry system for the year, although the park can temporarily restrict incoming vehicles when congestion becomes severe. 

• Arrive early or later in the afternoon. March through October is extremely busy, and the NPS recommends entering before 8 a.m. or after 3 p.m. Entrance waits can exceed an hour, and parking at Delicate Arch, The Windows, and Devils Garden can fill. 

• The park is open 24 hours a day. This makes sunrise, sunset, and nighttime visits easy to plan—and Arches is an International Dark Sky Park with outstanding stargazing. 

• Bring plenty of water. Shade is extremely limited, and summer temperatures routinely exceed 100°F. Rangers recommend 2–3 liters per person for front-country hikes and at least 4 liters for backcountry travel during extreme heat. Drinking water is available at the visitor center and Devils Garden Campground. 

• Flash floods and thunderstorms are possible. Summer monsoons can produce sudden heavy rain, flooding, lightning, hail, and strong winds. Flooding can occur even when the sky directly overhead appears clear. 

• Cell service can be unreliable. Download maps, trail information, and the NPS app for offline use before heading into the park.

• Stay on established trails and durable surfaces. Arches contains fragile biological soil crust that can take decades or longer to recover after being stepped on. Cross-country travel is prohibited, and visitors should avoid stepping in desert potholes as well. 

• Don't climb on the arches. Climbing, scrambling, walking, or standing on named arches and prominent features such as Delicate Arch is prohibited. 

• Pets are extremely restricted. Dogs and other pets aren't permitted on hiking trails or at overlooks, even if carried. Leashed pets are generally limited to roads, parking areas, campgrounds, and picnic areas.

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Visitor Center

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Arches National Park has one visitor center, located about one mile inside the park entrance and roughly five miles north of Moab. The Arches Visitor Center is an excellent first stop, especially for first-time visitors, with park rangers available to answer questions, provide trail and road information, discuss current conditions and safety concerns, and help visitors plan their day. Inside, exhibits explore the park’s fascinating geology, natural history, plants, wildlife, and cultural history, while the theater shows the park film Window in Time. There is also a bookstore operated by the Canyonlands Natural History Association, and children can pick up a Junior Ranger activity booklet. The visitor center is one of the most important places to prepare for exploring the park because drinking water is limited elsewhere; visitors can fill water bottles here, and drinking water, restrooms, and outdoor exhibits are available 24 hours a day. The building, theater, bookstore, and restrooms are accessible, with tactile models and accessible versions of park information also available. The visitor center is generally open year-round except Christmas Day, although operating hours change seasonally, so it is worth checking current hours before visiting.