Ultimate 1-Day Arches National Park Itinerary: Top Must-Visit Locations

This perfect one-day itinerary for Arches National Park aims to hit iconic spots and must-visit sites.

Arches National Park is a relatively small park in comparison to other National Parks. Since the landscape is concentrated, it makes it easy to explore the highlights in a day.

This itinerary is a moderately active itinerary and includes multiple hikes. It’s what I did during my visit to get the most out of what the park offers without a super rushed pace.

Know Before You Go

Between April 1st to July 6th, and August 28th to October 31st, you’ll need a timed entry permit through Recreation.gov in advance for entry. The permits are free, but with a small $2 processing fee.

Pro-Tip: If you can not get a timed entry permit, you can also enter the park before 7am or after 4pm without a permit.

DAY 1

Linard and his Tacoma amongst the magnificent sandstone rocks

In order to get the most out of your one day at Arches National Park, I recommend starting early in the day, preferably at sunrise.

Arches National Park is a very popular tourist destination and it can get quite crowded. Start early to explore the park with less people and to allow more time to explore.

1. Delicate Arch Trail (2-3 hours)

The first stop of the day is Delicate Arch Trail, a 3 mile moderately strenuous trail featuring the iconic and most photographed arch, Delicate Arch. Delicate Arch is an impressive arch sitting like a horseshoe on a sloped sandstone basin. It is freestanding, meaning it is not connected to any other wall formations.

It is arguably the most popular arch in the park, and for that reason, it is nearly impossible to avoid crowds.

There are far fewer people during sunrise; however, if you are a photographer or would like to photograph the arch in ideal lighting, sunset is generally preferred. The trade off is that it will be busy and very crowded. Sunrise is nice because there are less people, but it can take some time for the sunlight to actually hit the arch.

I would consider Delicate Arch Trail a must-do visit. It’s a stunning arch unlike any of the other arches in the park, and personally my favorite arch in the park.

A window arch view of Delicate Arch on the trail to Delicate Arch

If you want to see Delicate Arch but not hike the trail, you can visit the Delicate Arch Viewpoints. There are two, Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint and Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint. Both provide a view of the arch from a distance.

I personally think the view is not nearly as impressive as the close-up intimate experience on the hike. It’s an option for those who do not want to hike, but I recommend hiking the trail if you can.

2. Balanced Rock (15 minutes)

A short 4 mile drive away from Delicate Arch is Balanced Rock, a massive rock that appears to be balancing on a narrow pedestal. You can walk the short 0.3 mile trail to get up close, but you can also see it pretty well from the parking lot.

3. Windows Loop & Turret Arch Trail (45 minutes)

After visiting Balanced Rock, head over next door to hike a 1.2 mile easy and popular trail, Windows Loop and Turret Arch Trail. Windows Loop and Turret Arch Trail features three arches, South Window, North Window, and Turret Arch.

4. Double Arch Viewpoint Trail (15-30 minutes)

The tallest arch in the park is Double Arch and it features what’s in its name, double arches. No need to drive to a new location, the trail is accessed from the same parking lot as Windows Loop and Turret Arch Trail.

Double Arch Viewpoint Trail is an easy 0.6 mile walk from the parking lot. When you get to Double Arch, you can climb up the rocks and stand beneath the arches. It feels very grand, and is personally my second favorite arch in the park, after Delicate Arch.

This is another very popular arch, and is widely shared on social media. If you are not visiting in the off season, expect to have people in your pictures.

5. Devils Garden Campground

For your accommodation, book a night to camp at Devils Garden campground.

The campground is situated amongst the sandstone rock formations and it’s nearby some great hikes if you have more time to spend the next day. Our campsite was quite spacious and not close to other campsites, which was a huge plus in giving us privacy and solitude. I also loved how clean and picturesque this campground was.

During the busy season, the campground books out months in advance, so make sure to plan accordingly if you plan on staying here. It’s such a beautiful campground, I highly recommend staying here if you can!

6. Stargaze

Arches National Park is an official International Dark Sky Park, meaning it holds some of the darkest skies in the United States. It’s a great location to stargaze. If you’re staying at Devils Garden Campground, don’t forget to look up at the night sky!

If You Have More Time

Devil’s Garden Loop

If you have another day to explore Arches National Park, I recommend spending your second day hiking Devil’s Garden Loop. This trail is right next door to Devils Garden Campground.

In my opinion, Devil’s Garden Loop is one of the best trails in the park. In 7.2 miles, you get to see 7 unique arches as well as other cool rock formations. The trail doesn’t have too steep elevation changes, but it does have exposure to heights and rock scrambling. It is the longest trail in Arches National Park.

The arches featured are Tunnel Arch, Pine Tree Arch, Navajo Arch, Partition Arch, Wall Arch, Double O Arch, and Landscape Arch.

Landscape Arch

A shorter alternative is to hike a 1.8 mile easy trail to see the longest arch in North America, Landscape Arch. Like many of the other hikes, the trail takes you across sandstone paths to view another arch, but this one being the longest arch in North America.

Other Things to do Options at Arches National Park

Skyline Arch: 5 minute walk to a viewpoint of the arch
Sand Dune Arch: 1.8 mi, 1-1.5 hrs
Park Avenue Viewpoint: 0.2 mi, easy, very accessible viewpoint

Helpful Tips

Our second visit during February was a bit chilly, but very empty!

Spring and Fall are the best time of the year to visit. The temperatures are optimal and crowds are manageable. Winter is also nice because there are the least amount of people but it is cold with a chance of snow. If you don’t mind the cold, it’s a great time to visit. Summer is really hot, with daytime temperatures often exceeding 100 F, and it’s also very crowded.

The visitor center is at the entrance to Arches National Park. For this itinerary, the day starts early, so the visitor center may not be open by the time you enter. If you’d like to visit and pick up souvenirs, I suggest going after prioritizing the sights.

There are no hotels or restaurants inside the park. The nearest hotels and restaurants are in Moab, the town right outside of the park. Moab is a great place to stay and central to another nearby park, Canyonlands National Park.