Discover the Best Arches to See in Arches National Park (and Where to Find Them)
Have an amazing time in Arches National Park by learning where to find the best arches in the park and the best time to see them.
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đź“Ť- Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park is a slice of alien terrain in the corner of Southern Utah. Shielded under the watchful gaze of the snow-capped La Sal Mountain peaks, the sky-scraping sandstone cliffsides that encompass the park seem to ignite in the sunlight. It is a landscape of fiery beauty, peppered with rock spires and striking amber formations that will steal your breath as you catch sight of them.
In complement to these structures, serving to both frame and connect the park, are the artistically placed arches for which the park earned its name. It is these arches that probably attracted you to this distinctive plot of land in the first place for they have been luring people to the area for far longer than we can even conceptualize. Legends passed down from native tribes describe the arches as portals that possessed the power to transport you through time and space, a powerful tool that humanity lost the power to utilize.
Now, I have never been one to believe in magic. The logical lobe of my brain recalls that these distinctive arches were formed over millions of years as the gradual effects of erosion imprinted upon the uplifted sandstone fins which were forced out of the earth’s crust from prehistoric tectonic activity. Still, after having walked beside these arches and felt their presence, it is impossible not to get lost in the idea that Arches National Park sits on the other side of a mystical doorway that was left ajar long ago.
If you’re headed to Arches National Park, you’re probably motivated to see as many arches as possible during your time there. Whether you have one week or one day to spare, I’m here to tell you the best hikes, drives, and scenic locations to make that happen for you. If that sounds like the information you’re looking for, continue reading to discover the best arches you will find in Arches National Park.
Drew walking through Pine Tree Arch, found in an offshoot of the Devil’s Garden Trail.
Before You Go to Arches National Park
Even though Arches National Park sits just outside the town of Moab and is relatively small compared to other national parks (at 119 mi²) you still can’t count on any cell service or internet connection. Before you’ve lost your way during your visit, be sure to download the park map as well as the Google Maps area, and familiarize yourself with the park layout.
As gorgeous as Arches National Park is, you should still remember that you will be adventuring in a desert during your time there. If you visit during the warmer months, we suggest ample water, sunscreen, and sun hats to keep the rays off your head and shoulders. In the winter, you should dress in layers to accommodate for cold nights and variable temperatures during the day.
Unlike some other National Parks, there is nowhere to buy food in Arches. Pack all the food you may need throughout your stay instead of entering for the day and expecting to grab a quick bite in between your hikes.
A cost-effective and enjoyable way to learn about Arches National Park is through a narrated GPS tour. This one, from Spectrum Travel, elevates your drive through the park by teaching you about the history, geology, and Native American significance of every feature you pass along the way.
While most of the hikes in Arches National Park do not require a reservation or permit, the exception to that rule is the Fiery Furnace. This section of the park is composed of striking, yet tightly packed, rock spires which make the terrain challenging to maneuver and easy to get lost in. For these reasons, the only way that you can enter the Fiery Furnace is through an individual permit or ranger-led hike which can be purchased in advance.
Where to see arches in Arches National Park
This section of Arches National Park is one of the most popular because of its high concentration of spectacular arches and the ease with which you can reach them. Perhaps most famous here is Double Arch, featured in Indiana Jones, where two independent arches have formed out of the same cliffside. It’s a unique site to behold and is easily spotted from the parking area. Only a short walk is necessary to reach the arches, and once you’re there the large bowl beneath them is open for anybody who wants to boulder the sides in an effort to capture an action-packed snapshot. It sits right next to The Parade of Elephants, a freestanding monolith that has been naturally carved out to resemble a single-file line of elephants.
At the other end of the parking lot is where you can find The Windows. Here, two eye-shaped arches, named North Window and South Window, sit side by side on the same sandstone fin. Turret Arch stands alone and is taller than the other two in this area. It is also generally less crowded than The Windows, making it one of my favorite arches to visit to get a solitary photo. An easy one-mile loop will bring you to all three arches on this side of the parking lot.
There is no bad time to experience The Windows, but since this parking lot tends to be crowded, we suggest going here in the early morning or in the evening.
The most famous geological feature in the world is the well-known Delicate Arch. Aptly named, Delicate Arch is a free-standing arch that sits at the edge of a swirling sandstone basin and has become a symbol for Arches National Park. To get to the arch, you’ll have to complete a 1.5-mile, moderately strenuous hike over slick red rock. Your efforts are rewarded at the last bend of the hike where Delicate Arch is gloriously revealed right in front of you. The only thing left to do is to sit and admire the arch which perches atop the dramatic Redrock canyon below.
On your way back down, don’t miss Twisted Doughnut Arch, which will be on your left as you make your way down the first bend after the peak. Many people walk right past this arch, not knowing that it gives a unique, and uncrowded, view of the Delicate Arch. If I’m being honest, we had a better experience looking at Delicate Arch from this little viewpoint than we did at the top of the Delicate Arch Trail itself.
We also recommend that you sneak in the small detour along this trail to visit the Petroglyphs. Small wooded signs will point you in the right direction toward the start of this trail, but you will also notice that the majority of hikers walk right past the signs. Since most people are solely determined to see Delicate Arch, they miss this chance to get a front-row viewing of this set of ancient, hand-carved, Native American artwork.
Because of its reputation, you can expect Delicate Arch to be perpetually crowded. Sunset provides the best lighting but the worst chance of securing a parking spot. Sunrise is slightly less crowded than Sunset but requires you to hike in the dark. If you want to try and avoid the crowds, lunchtime is your best bet.
If you’re looking for a hike that is dense with arches for every mile, you are going to love Devil’s Garden. This section of the park, located as deep as the Arches Scenic Drive will take you, was the first piece of land to be protected before Arches’ boundary expanded to its current size. It is home to the gravity-defying Landscape Arch, a structure recognized to be the largest arch on the planet, as well as other gems such as Double O Arch, and Partition Arch.
Although there are a few ways you can hike Devil’s Garden, I recommend you complete the entire 7.8-mile primitive loop which will lead you past 8 arches and was the trail that ended up being my favorite in all of Arches National park. While this trail only has an elevation gain of about 1,300 feet, it's rated difficult because of some technical sections which require bouldering and light rock climbing to make it through. As someone who has never rocked climbed a day in her life, I can confidently say that if you go in with confidence, and a taste for adventure, this aspect of the hike will only add to your enjoyment. Just be sure to download the Alltrails map before you hit the trail because it is easy to lose your way at a few junctions. If you do feel up for the challenge, you can plan on the full experience taking anywhere from three to four hours.
If you’re only here to see the famed Landscape Arch, you have the option to forego the primitive trail and follow a paved path to this crown jewel. It’s an easy trek that is just over 1.6 miles, round trip. Even further still, you can complete the rest of the main trail, passing Navajo Arch, Partition Arch, Black Arch, and Double O Arch for an out-and-back experience of 4.2 miles.
This is a hike that encourages you to choose your own adventure while knowing that every choice will lead you to amazing sights and experiences. Since this little section of the park is so magical, it gets very crowded throughout the day. We suggest going in the early morning to beat the crowds and avoid the high heat of the desert.
As you drive past Delicate Arch on your way to the Devil’s Garden, you will pass a small parking lot for Sand Dune Arch, a hidden arch sandwiched between sandstone fins. Like an explorer wandering through the peach-colored slot canyon on their way to Petra, coming upon Sand Dune Arch is as mystical as it sounds. It only requires a 0.3-mile round trip hike to reach this beauty, half of which will be atop a soft sandy floor as you approach the arch within its sun-protected walls. It is a great arch for kids who might need a break from the sun and a chance to play in this oversized sandbox.
If you couldn’t tell already, Sand Dune arch is my favorite arch in this national park, partly due to our secluded experience here. We arrived immediately after a sunrise hike at Delicate Arch and since Sand Dune Arch is often considered a place to have a mid-day break, we enjoyed a private photoshoot here and a chance to play in the sand like we were back in kindergarten.
For another quick and secluded stop, we highly recommend you see the underappreciated Skyline Arch. Just around the bend from Sand Dune Arch, you could blink and miss the parking lot for this arch which tends to be a great indicator of low crowds. The 0.2-mile long trail makes Skyline Arch accessible to everyone and is sure to leave you speechless the moment you catch sight of its towering presence which frames the skyline like a slow-moving Van Gogh
We sat in silence here, losing track of time, and hearing nothing but the sound of the wind being sliced by the sandstone fins as we watched the clouds pass behind this massive arch. Without a doubt, we think this is one of the most peaceful spots in this much-beloved park.
With all of this talk of hikes and trails, I wouldn’t be doing Arches National Park any justice if I didn’t mention all of the wonderful things that you can see by car.
If you’re short on time, or a hike isn’t accessible to you for any reason, driving the 36-mile scenic drive through the park will still afford you the chance to spot many of the park’s most famous landmarks. You’ll surely want to pull over to see the skyscraping monoliths of the Three Gossips, crane your neck as you contemplate the enormity of the Courthouse Towers, visualize the past as you see the expansive Petrified Dunes, and question gravity as you try to understand how Balanced Rock could even possibly exist.
While there are debates to be had about which arch within the park is the most spectacular, there is no denying that Arches National Park is full of awe-inspiring sights which make you consider time, nature, and beauty as you never have before.
We hope you enjoyed reading this guide Arches National Park! If you have any questions about the park, or perhaps you know of a magical spot that I may have missed, leave a comment down below so that we can help future travelers together!
Thank you for joining us at Discovery Detour, where the destination is always unknown.
