National park

Arches National Park

By Insider’s Utah · Last updated: 12 October 2026

Arches has more than 2,000 natural stone arches, five miles north of Moab. This hub brings our Arches guides together: the hikes and viewpoints worth your time, how entry works in 2026, and where to stay.

Delicate Arch, Arches National Park
Entrance fee$30 per private vehicle, $25 per motorcycle or $15 per person on foot or by bike.
Timed entryNot needed in 2026, but rangers may hold traffic at the entrance for a few hours when car parks fill.
When to arriveBefore 8am or after 3pm from March to October, when the park is busiest.
Base townMoab, about 5 miles south of the entrance on US 191.

Top sights

Delicate Arch
Hike

Delicate Arch

Utah’s best-known arch, at the end of a steep 3-mile round trip from Wolfe Ranch.

The Windows
Walk

The Windows

North and South Windows and Turret Arch on an easy 1-mile loop.

Landscape Arch
Walk

Landscape Arch

The park’s longest arch, an easy walk from the Devils Garden trailhead.

Fiery Furnace
Permit hike

Fiery Furnace

A maze of narrow sandstone fins you can only enter with a permit or on a ranger-led hike.

Park Avenue
Walk

Park Avenue

A walk between towering sandstone walls, close to the park entrance.

Sand Dune Arch
Walk

Sand Dune Arch

A short, flat walk to an arch tucked between sandstone fins.

Hikes

All Arches hikes
Delicate Arch, from Wolfe Ranch3 mi · 538 ft · 2 to 3 hours · Strenuous
The Windows and Turret Arch1 mi · 99 ft · 30 to 60 minutes · Easy
Double Arch0.6 mi · 30 ft · 15 to 30 minutes · Easy
Landscape Arch, from Devils Garden1.8 mi · 40 ft · 30 to 60 minutes · Easy
Park Avenue1.8 mi · 322 ft · about 1 hour · Moderate
Sand Dune Arch0.4 mi · flat · 15 to 30 minutes · Easy

Round-trip distance, elevation gain and times from the National Park Service.

Where to stay

The best hotels near Arches
Base town

Moab

Almost everyone stays in Moab, about 5 miles south of the entrance, which also puts you about 40 minutes from Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky.

More places to stay

Airbnbs and campsites

Itineraries

Road trip

Utah national parks road trip

An eight-day loop through Utah’s national parks, with a route map and ideas for extra stops.

Canyonlands

Add Canyonlands

Island in the Sky is about 40 minutes from Moab, so it pairs easily with a day in Arches.

Map

Open in Google Maps · Our Arches map guide

Before you go

  • Entrance fees: $30 per private vehicle, $25 per motorcycle or $15 per person on foot or by bike; under-16s are free. A $55 annual pass for US residents also covers Canyonlands, Natural Bridges and Hovenweep. The $100 non-resident fee charged at Zion and Bryce Canyon doesn’t apply here.
  • Entry: timed-entry reservations were dropped for 2026. On very busy days rangers may close the entrance for a few hours when the queue reaches the highway or car parks fill. Waits can top an hour between March and October.
  • Fiery Furnace: self-guided permits cost $10 per person on Recreation.gov, booked 2 to 7 days ahead, and you collect them at the visitor centre. Ranger-led hikes cost $16 per person and release 7 days ahead.
  • Heat: summer days often top 100°F and there’s little shade on most trails. Carry plenty of water and hike early.
  • Camping: Devils Garden Campground takes reservations from March to October and is usually full every night in summer.
  • Check the latest alerts before you go.

We check these details against the National Park Service whenever we update this page.

All our Arches guides

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