The most highly rated of Utah’s Mighty 5, Arches National Park remains the most popular park due to its impressive structures, easily accessible trails, and close proximity to Moab. The only way to beat the crowds is to visit near sunrise, or else at times, it sounds like you are in a mall, and feels very touristy. I have rounded up some must-do hikes and attractions below, so keep reading if you want to check out Arches’ top spots!
Delicate Arch
Needing no introduction, Delicate Arch stands out from the rest, a perfectly formed, sandstone structure that can be viewed from a distance at the lower and upper viewpoints (pictured above), or up close via the Delicate Arch Trail. Climbing 146m over a 3 mile round trip, this easy-moderate hike took us 30 minutes to reach the arch at a steady pace. Since the trail is heavily trafficked, you will need to patiently wait for an opportunity to take your photo. There is a wonderful reveal of the arch as you round the final corner – something Arches National Park is great at!
Double O Arch – Devil’s Garden Trail
Easily the best hike in Arches National Park, the Devil’s Garden Trail offers a whopping eight arches if you do the full 7.2 mile loop. We opted to do the 4.2 mile round trip to Double O Arch, with side trips to Landscape, Navajo, Partition, and Pine Tree Arches. The hike itself involves route finding via cairns and light scrambling on the steeper sections of rock. Besides Double O Arch itself, my favourite section of the trail involved teetering on the ridge that looks towards the rock fin spires. Take care here especially in windy conditions.
After spending 3 hours on the main track and exploring the spur trails and arches, we returned to the car and drove to a nearby picnic area for a rest and a bite to eat.
Double Arch
Of the many easy access, 5-minute-stroll attractions in Arches National Park, Double Arch is well worth a pit stop. A literal playground for kids and adults, you can climb as high up as you dare and peek through the many arch-framed windows.
Last but not least, make sure to stop by the visitor centre where there are plenty of pins, patches and posters, a mini museum, and helpful park rangers to give you trail information. If you are planning to visit the parks at sunrise before their VC opens, pop in the day before, and if you are in luck, there may be rangers at the Arches’ VC with prior experience at Canyonlands National Park 🙂