Arches National Park

Arches National Park in eastern Utah contains one of the world’s largest concentrations of natural sandstone arches and was designated a national park in 1971 after earlier federal protection dating to 1929. The park is dominated by Entrada and Navajo sandstone formations sculpted into fins, windows, and arches.

Signature attractions include Delicate Arch, a freestanding natural arch reached by a 1.5-mile round-trip trail from the upper parking area, and Landscape Arch, one of the longest natural stone spans known in the park. The Devils Garden area contains a sequence of arches and rock features accessed by maintained trails and primitive routes.

The arches and surrounding fins formed through tens of millions of years of sediment deposition, uplift, jointing, and selective erosion; park interpretive materials describe the geologic processes and ongoing rockfall events. Visitor infrastructure centers on the park road, trailheads, and viewpoints with seasonal visitor services.

Located near the town of Moab in southeastern Utah, the park sits in a high-desert landscape of red sandstone, with the Colorado Plateau physiographic region surrounding the area. Moab provides primary visitor services and is the nearest gateway community.

• Number of arches: More than 2,000 natural sandstone arches have been documented in the park; high summer temperatures and limited shade make morning or late-afternoon visits preferable for hikes.

What to See#

• Devils Garden and trail complex: A row of major sandstone formations and arches along the park’s main trail system, culminating in several named arches and viewpoints concentrated in the Devils Garden area.
• Delicate Arch: The park’s most famous freestanding arch, frequently photographed from a short trail and viewpoint above a natural granite and sandstone amphitheatre.
• Landscape Arch: A span among the world’s longest natural arches with a thin, elongated opening; it is accessible by a mostly level trail within a larger arches concentration.

Arches National Park’s visitor entrance is located on US‑191 about 5 miles (8 km) north of Moab, Utah. From Moab it’s a short drive north on US‑191 (roughly 10-15 minutes); from farther away the usual approach is via US‑191 after exiting from I‑70 or other regional routes. There is no regular public transit into the park-most visitors arrive by car; parking and short paved trailheads are adjacent to main viewpoints and trailheads inside the park.

• Get to the park at or before opening (especially in spring-fall) to secure parking at the main trailheads-Delicate Arch and Devils Garden fill very quickly-and hike popular trails early for cooler light and fewer people.
• If Delicate Arch is your goal, plan a sunrise visit: the crowds are much lighter and the arch glows in early light; bring a headlamp for the pre-dawn approach to the trailhead.
• If parking at the primary lots is full, try the Windows or Balanced Rock areas, which often have overflow spaces and shorter walking distances to impressive formations.