Imagine more than 2,000 natural arches and hundreds of stone towers, pinnacles, monoliths, and unbelievable shapes all in a land of varying shades of reddish brown. This is Arches National Park. During the peak season, this park is very popular. Plan on lots of people, be patient and enjoy the magnificent sites around you. Water is available at the visitors center and at the end of the park road at Devil's Garden trailhead. It's best to carry plenty of food and plenty of water!
General Information: 435.719.2299 www.nps.gov/arch
- Five miles north of Moab on Hwy 191
- 18 miles from Visitors center to Devil's Garden
Entrance Fees:
- Individual: $5, good for 7 Days
- Vehicle: $10, good for 7 Days
Note: A National Parks Pass is an annual pass providing admission to the majority of national parks and monuments. charging an entrance fee. This $80 pass is good for one full year from the date of purchase. If you will be visiting both Arches and Canyonlands, this pass is well worth the money.
First stop at the Visitors center to view the exhibits explaining how Arches was formed. From the Visitors center take the 18-mile scenic drive that leads to the north end of the park. Two short side trips lead to Wolfe Ranch/ Delicate Arch and The Windows Section. Many of the rock formations are visible from the road, and numerous pullouts and viewpoints have interpretive signs, but take the short walks off the road to see the colossal rock formations up close.
Hiking: Arches offers hikers opportunities ranging from short walks (0.2 miles) to more adventurous experiences of 7 miles. Although many arches can be seen right from the road, it really is worth it to get out of the car and walk around. These arches offer so many different perspectives, especially up close. No matter how long you hike around, always be prepared! Always have and drink water. Hiking on slickrock when wet is not recommended. For a real adventure, take a hike in the Fiery Furnace. It has a separate fee and you must go with a ranger but it is well worth it! These popular hikes fill up quickly so make reservations and get your ticket at the visitors center.
Campgrounds: The Devils Garden Campground, located eighteen miles from the park entrance, is open year-round. Facilities include potable water, picnic tables, grills and toilets but no showers. Bring your own wood or charcoal for the grills. Some sites will accommodate RVs up to 30 feet in length.
Devil's Garden is part of the National Recreation Reservation System (NRRS), which offers telephone and on-line reservations for both group and individual sites. Reservations are not accepted by the park, and the park does not maintain information about site availability.
The campground has 52 individual sites, which are $15 per night and will accommodate up to ten people. Up to 28 of the sites may be reserved through www.Recreation.gov or at 877-444-6777, or (518) 885-3639.
The remaining 24 campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis each day beginning at 7:30am at the park entrance station or visitor center.
Biking: Arches offers great opportunities for both road and mountain biking, however, there are no bike lanes and traffic can be heavy at times. The Salt Valley and Willow Springs roads are less traveled and are more suited to mountain bikes due to washboards, deep sand and other obstacles. Bicycles are only permitted on roads, there is no single track or trail riding in the park. You still need to pay $5 to ride in the park.
Why Park Avenue? Only 2.2 miles from the Visitors center is a huge fin that reminded early park visitors of the New York City skyline. Take the easy one-mile trail from Park Avenue to the Courthouse Towers. Note the giant stone monoliths named The Three Gossips that appear to be three very tall women standing in a circle talking.
Balanced Rock Balanced rocks occur in a dry climate where there are no significant earth movements. Any easy .3-mile trail circles Balanced Rock.
What about pets? Pets are not allowed on any hiking trails. Pets may accompany visitors in the campground, and at overlooks and pullouts along the paved scenic drives. Pets may be walked on roads or in parking lots, but must be leashed at all times when outside a vehicle.
Important! The desert can be deadly for pets. Car temperatures rise quickly in the sun, even on cool days. Your pet can easily die of heat exhaustion. If you are leaving a pet in a car, roll down the windows as much as possible and leave water to drink. It is not recommended that you leave pets in the car at all when temperatures are above 68 degrees, even with the windows cracked. If you plan on spending lots of time in the park, there are four kennels with boarding in Moab. There are also vast amounts of public lands in the area that allow pets on the trails.
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