Arches National Park

Year Established: 1971
Annual Visitors: 1.81 Million
Size: 76,679 Acres
State: Utah

Designated International Dark Sky Park

Best Time to Visit Arches National Park

March to May, September to November

If you are planning to visit more national parks, check out our complete list of all US National Parks here.

Best Experiences in Arches National Park

• Delicate Arch
• The Windows Loop
• Double Arch
• Spend the night in the Devil’s Garden
• See dinosaur tracks etched in stone
• Take in the view from under North America’s tallest arch

A Brief History

This park along the Colorado River has more than 2,000 natural arches made of reddish-brown and orange Entrada sandstone. This is the largest group of natural arches on Earth. Rain and wind eroded and shaped the soft red sandstone of a long-gone inland sea to make these amazing shapes, pinnacles, and formations.

Landscape Arch is 306 feet wide and has a thin, tapered span. Delicate Arch is the most famous arch, and it’s also the one that gets the most photos. Even though this part of southeast Utah’s canyon country doesn’t get much rain, it is full of silver and gray sagebrush, cacti, juniper, box elders, cottonwood, and pion pine.

There are golden eagles, jackrabbits, and different kinds of reptiles all over Arches. At night, the sky is full of stars.

In 2019, the International Dark-Sky Association named the area a Dark Sky Park, one of several in the National Park System.

About Arches National Park

The features that make up this geological marvel include soaring pinnacles, balancing rocks, and massive flat rocks known as fins.

Among the park’s many attractions are the 2,000 sandstone arches, the tallest of which has the widest span of any natural arch in North America. Overlooking a spot known as Devil’s Garden is a natural archway with the apt name of Landscape Arch.
Once sturdy fins, arches have now crumbled in the middle due to water damage. The wind carried away the stray debris, leaving behind a graceful arch.

Visitors drive down Arches Scenic Drive, the park’s main thoroughfare, and pull over at each of the many rock formations that line the route. At the start of the route is a visitor center where people may rest, properly dispose of trash, and acquire information about the park and its history.

At the end of the road, near Devil’s Garden, is a campground and a hiking route with breathtaking views of Landscape Arch, the largest arch in the United States. Following this, vehicles leave via the same entrance they used to enter, giving sightseers a second chance to see whatever they may have missed.

Visitors should use caution and stay on established paths to avoid disturbing the natural environment.
What looks like rock is actually just a thin covering of solidified sediment, and this crust is crucial for stopping erosion and keeping moisture in the ground. Bacteria and other microorganisms thrive in this environment, producing nutrients and providing a hold for desert plants.

Deer and bighorn sheep rely on vegetation for sustenance, and these animals in turn provide food for larger predators like mountain lions. Because of the park’s natural beauty and historical significance, it is imperative that it be preserved for future generations.

Arches RV Camping

If you are looking for nearby RV camping options for Arches National Park or for Utah in general, consider checking out our other post:

• Best RV Parks in Utah
• Best RV Resorts in Utah

Visitor Information

Fees

Individuals 15 years old and younger are admitted free of charge.

Weekly Park Passes

$15.00 per person/cyclist

$30.00 per vehicle

$25.00 per motorcycle

Passes are valid for 7 days

Annual Park Pass

Southeast Utah Parks Pass – $55.00

• Get you into Arches and Canyonlands national parks, and Natural Bridges National Monument.

Contacting Arches National Park

Phone Number

(435) 719-2299

Visitor Centers

Arches Visitor Center

The Arches National Park Visitor’s Center has information about the area’s wildlife, geology, climate, and history. It also shows where all of the park’s famous sandstone formations are.

Most ranger-led tours are free, but the Fiery Furnace tour costs $10 for adults and $5 for children. To book a tour ahead of time, go to the information desk or call 435-719-2299.