Arches National Park

This is the largest number of natural stone arches in the country, all formed by the weathering of openings in vertical slabs of sandstone. Along with the more than 2,000 arches are a diversity of fins, spires, balanced rocks and other startling geological formations.

(435) 719-2299, www.nps.gov/arch                        Join Arches National Park on Facebook. Follow @ArchesNPS on Twitter.

Directions

Five miles north of Moab on US Hwy 191. Open year-round.

Visitor center open daily. Closed Dec. 25. Restrooms and drinking water are available but not food. Books and maps for sale. A park orientation program is shown in the auditorium. There are no restaurants or accommodations in the park.

Entrance Fees

Vehicles $10, one vehicle and all passengers for seven days. Individual $5, one individual on bicycle, foot, or motorcycle, good for seven days.
Annual Local Passport: $25, entrance into Arches, Canyonlands, Hovenweep and Natural Bridges, good for one year.

If you plan on visiting several parks consider buying a National Park annual pass for $80. The pass is good for all national parks and monuments. www.nps.gov/fees_passes. All passes can be purchased at all park entrances. Credit cards accepted.

Fiery Furnace Guided Walk

Park rangers lead walks into Fiery Furnace twice each day. The cost is $10/adults, $5/children 6 to 12 years old and Senior Pass holders. The three-hour hike is not a casual stroll but considered moderately strenuous. Group size is limited. Early reservations are recommended. Reservations can be made online at www.recreation.gov. Unreserved tickets may be available in person at the visitor center; however, it’s best to get reserved tickets.

More Information

Rangers are located throughout the park during summer months, family-oriented ranger-led programs are presented each day. Check at the visitor center for more information.

During peak season, this park is very popular and crowded. In order to have a great experience, visit the park in the early morning or evening. Commercial tours are also available. www.discovermoab.com. Be patient and enjoy the magnificent sites around you. Carry plenty of food and water!

From the visitor center, an 18-mile scenic drive ends at 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 to learn more about these colossal rock formations.

Arches contains an abundance of hiking trails ranging from short walks (0.2 miles) on nature trails to more adventurous hikes up to seven miles. These trails provide access to outstanding viewpoints and many of the park’s famous features. Hiking on slickrock when wet is not recommended. Books describing self-guided walking tours are available at the visitor center.

To backpack in Arches, you must obtain a free backcountry permit at the visitor center.

ATVs are not allowed in Arches.

Camping

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. Firewood is available for sale at the campground, or bring your own wood or charcoal for the grills. Some sites will accommodate RVs up to 30ft in length.

Devils Garden is part of the National Recreation Reservation System (NRRS), which offers telephone and online reservations for both group and individual sites. Reservations are not accepted by the park, and the park does not maintain information about site availability. Reservations are available from March 1 through Oct. 31. Nov. 1- Feb. 28 the campground is first-come, first-served.

The campground has 50 individual sites, $20 per night, and accommodate up to ten people. All sites may be reserved through www.recreation.gov, 877-444-6777 or (518) 885-3639.

Bicycles are only permitted on roads; there is no single track or trail riding in the park. There are no bike lanes and traffic can be heavy at times.

Pets are not allowed on any trails. Leashed and restrained pets may accompany visitors in the campground, at overlooks and at pullouts along the paved scenic drives. Do not leave pets unattended in vehicles – temperatures in closed cars (even with windows cracked open) can be deadly.