Moab, Utah · National Park
Hiking in Arches National Park
Over 2,000 arches across 76,679 acres, and almost no shade on any of them. Here are all 16 trails with real distances, the parking strategy that decides your day, and honest guidance on when the park is the wrong choice.
No timed entry reservation required. You can drive into Arches without booking ahead. The park ran a seasonal timed entry pilot in previous years, which is why older guides still say otherwise. Confirm fees and current conditions at NPS.gov. Checked July 2026.
June–September: Arches has almost no shade anywhere. Exposed slickrock exceeds 140°F while the air reads 100°F. Start by 7:00 AM or hike a shaded BLM canyon instead.
All 16 trails in Arches
Arches trails divide cleanly by effort. The easy ones are short walks from a parking lot and can be strung together in a single morning. The moderate ones involve real slickrock. Only three qualify as hard, and two of those are the same trail system.
Easy — under an hour
Roadside walks and short loops. These are the ones to do with kids, in the heat of the day, or when parking elsewhere has already filled.
| Trail | Distance | Time | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Rock | 0.3 mi | 15 min | A paved loop around a 128-foot boulder perched on a slender pedestal. Family |
| Sand Dune Arch | 0.3 mi | 15-20 min | A short walk into a shaded slot between fins, with deep soft sand underfoot. Family |
| Petrified Dunes | 0.5 mi | 20 min | Ancient sand dunes turned to stone. Family |
| Tunnel Arch | 0.6 mi | 20-30 min | A near-perfect circular opening viewed from the Devils Garden trailhead. Family |
| Tapestry Arch | 1.0 mi | 30-45 min | A quieter alternative near Devils Garden campground. Family |
| Windows Loop | 1.2 mi | 30-45 min | Three massive arches on one short loop. Family |
| Broken Arch | 1.3 mi | 45 min | A quiet loop from Sand Dune Arch through open meadow to an arch with a distinctive crack across its span. Family |
| Landscape Arch | 1.6 mi | 45-60 min | The longest natural arch in North America — a 290-foot ribbon of stone. Family |
| Park Avenue Trail | 2.0 mi | 1-1.5 hr | A downhill walk between towering sandstone walls that look like a city skyline. Family |
Moderate — half a morning
Slickrock, exposure, and real elevation. Delicate Arch is the signature hike of the park and the one everyone underestimates in summer.
| Trail | Distance | Time | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delicate Arch | 3.2 mi | 2-3 hr | The most famous hike in Utah. |
| Tower Arch | 3.4 mi | 2-3 hr | A 92-foot span in the remote Klondike Bluffs section. |
| Courthouse Wash | 4.5 mi | 2-3 hr | A streambed walk through cottonwoods below the park road. |
Hard — a full commitment
Long, exposed, and unforgiving in heat. Devils Garden is the park's longest maintained trail; the Fiery Furnace has no trail at all.
| Trail | Distance | Time | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiery Furnace | 2.0 mi | 2-3 hr | A permit-or-ranger-guided maze of fins and dead-end passages. |
| Double O Arch | 4.1 mi | 2.5-4 hr | Two arches stacked one above the other, reached by walking the spine of a sandstone fin. |
| Dark Angel | 5.0 mi | 3-4 hr | A free-standing 150-foot sandstone monolith at the far end of Devils Garden. |
| Devils Garden Loop | 7.9 mi | 4-6 hr | The longest maintained trail in the park. |
The Fiery Furnace is different from everything else here. There is no marked trail — you navigate among sandstone fins that dead-end constantly. Access is by National Park Service ranger-led walk or a self-guided permit. Commercial guiding is not permitted, so no tour operator can take you in, whatever a booking site suggests.
Fees, parking and getting in
Arches charges a per-vehicle entrance fee covering seven days, with cheaper walk-in and cyclist rates and an annual pass option. Fees change, so check the official NPS fee page rather than trusting any third-party figure, including ours. An America the Beautiful pass covers entry.
Parking is the actual constraint, not entry. No reservation is required to drive in, but the lots at Delicate Arch (Wolfe Ranch) and Devils Garden fill first and stay full. Arriving at 10:00 AM in April frequently means circling, waiting, or driving on to something else.
- Before 8:00 AM in spring and autumn — before 7:00 AM in summer
- Late afternoon is the other reliable window; lots empty from about 4:00 PM
- Delicate Arch and Devils Garden fill first. Windows and Balanced Rock hold capacity longer
- No shuttle system — you drive yourself to each trailhead
From Moab it is 5 miles north on US-191 to the entrance, then an 18-mile scenic drive to the far end at Devils Garden. Allow 40 minutes to reach the last trailhead without stopping, and considerably longer if you stop, which you will.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Mar – May | Mild days, cold nights, wildflowers. Also peak crowds — parking is the limiting factor. | Best, arrive early |
| Jun – Aug | 100°F+ with no shade. Slickrock surfaces exceed 140°F. Rescues happen weekly. | Dawn hikes only |
| Sep – Oct | Heat breaks, crowds thin, golden light. Arguably better than spring. | Best overall |
| Nov – Feb | Empty trails, clear air, occasional snow on red rock. Ice on shaded slickrock. | Quiet and underrated |
Should you hike Arches at all?
An honest question that most guides skip. Arches is spectacular and it is also the most crowded, most expensive, and least dog-friendly hiking near Moab. For some visits, BLM land is simply the better call.
| Arches NP | BLM land near Moab | |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance fee | Yes, per vehicle | None |
| Reservation | Not required | Not required |
| Dogs on trail | Prohibited | Allowed on leash |
| Parking pressure | Severe in season | Usually fine |
| Trails available | 16 | 30 |
| Shade and water | Almost none | Several canyon routes |
The practical version: do Arches early on your first morning, then spend the rest of the trip on BLM trails. Corona Arch is a 140-foot span that rivals anything inside the park, with no fee and no parking war. If you are travelling with a dog, the park is off the table entirely for hiking.
Sample days
One day
Delicate Arch at first light, then the Windows Section and Double Arch before the heat. Balanced Rock at sunset if you have energy left. That is a full, honest day.
Two days
Day one as above. Day two is Devils Garden — Landscape Arch at minimum, the full loop to Double O and Dark Angel if you are fit and it is not July.
Three days
Add Park Avenue, the scenic drive with every overlook, and Tower Arch in the remote Klondike Bluffs section, which almost nobody visits. See the full Moab itineraries for trips combining Arches with Canyonlands and BLM.
Common questions
Do you need a timed entry reservation for Arches?
No. Arches does not currently require timed entry — you can drive in without booking. The park operated a seasonal pilot in previous years, which is why many older articles still say a reservation is needed. Always confirm on NPS.gov before travelling.
What is the best hike in Arches?
Delicate Arch at 3.2 miles is the signature hike. For much less effort, Windows Loop reaches three massive arches in 1.2 miles. For a full day, Devils Garden Loop covers 7.9 miles and up to seven arches.
Are dogs allowed in Arches National Park?
Not on any trail, not even leashed. Dogs are restricted to paved roads, parking areas and the campground. For hiking with a dog, use BLM trails near Moab — Corona Arch, Grandstaff Canyon and Mill Creek all allow leashed dogs.
How early should I arrive?
Before 8:00 AM in spring and autumn, before 7:00 AM in summer. Entry is not the bottleneck — trailhead parking is. Delicate Arch and Devils Garden fill first and stay full through the middle of the day.
Can you see Arches without hiking?
Yes. The 18-mile scenic drive reaches most major viewpoints, and Balanced Rock, the Windows and Park Avenue viewpoint are all short walks from parking. You will miss Delicate Arch itself, which requires the 3.2-mile round trip.
How many days do you need for Arches?
One full day covers the highlights if you start early. Two days is comfortable and lets you do Devils Garden properly. Three lets you add the backcountry Klondike Bluffs section and the scenic drive at a relaxed pace.
More Arches guides
Arches map
Downloadable one-page park map with trailheads, campgrounds and viewpoints marked.
Trails by difficulty
The same 16 trails organised by effort, with elevation and insider notes on each.
Scenic drive
All 18 miles, every overlook, and where to stop if you only have a few hours.
Driving to Delicate Arch
Turn-by-turn from downtown Moab and when the Wolfe Ranch lot actually fills.
Delicate Arch in depth
Timing, crowds, photography and what to expect on the exposed section.
How it got its name
From cowboy nicknames to the 1934 description that stuck.
How it formed
Salt beds, Entrada sandstone, and the erosion still shaping the park.
Devils Garden campground
The only campground inside the park. Reservations essential.