Something shifts in the desert come March. The slickrock warms underfoot, the cottonwoods begin to leaf out, and the highway into Moab fills with the hopeful caravans of road-trippers chasing red rocks and wide open vistas. Spring is the season that makes Moab the go-to destination for nature lovers of all stripes, and this year, it just got a little easier to explore.
On February 24, Arches National Park announced it would drop its timed-entry reservation system for 2026, meaning that visitors can roll through the gates at will during operating hours, no advance booking required. It's a win for spontaneity, and frankly, for anyone who's ever lost a permit to sleep through an early morning alarm. But easier access doesn't mean effortless access. Arches at peak season is still Arches: gorgeous, popular, and worth a bit of extra planning to ensure a top-notch visit.
Here's how to actually pull it off.
Go Early, or Stay Late
If there's one piece of advice that transcends every national park in America, it's this: go early or stay late. At Arches, that means wheels rolling in before 8 a.m. Parking at the iconic viewpoints and trailheads can be tricky. Beat the rush and you'll find yourself alone in the kind of silence that makes you forget your phone exists. Check the park's live webcams before you leave your hotel to ascertain wait times. They're regularly updated and will tell you whether the entrance road looks like a parking lot or a breeze-through dream.
One more easy time-saver: buy your park pass at the visitor center in town before heading out. The few minutes it takes could save you a significant chunk of your morning.
Get Off the Beaten Path — Literally
The thing most visitors never discover is that some of Arches' most arresting landscapes aren't accessible by car at all. The park's dirt roads, perfect for gravel biking, lead to formations like Eye of the Whale that the windshield crowd will never see. And if you're comfortable exploring on foot, park at Devils Garden and push out to Dark Angel via the primitive trail. This moderate, five-mile round trip deposits you squarely in the middle of the wilderness, complete with epic views of red rock formations and the La Sal Mountains.
When the afternoon sun starts driving everyone toward the exit, don’t be afraid to linger. The La Sal Mountains Viewpoint at golden hour is the kind of vista that’s worthy of a picnic and an evening. By late-afternoon, the park empties enough that you'll feel like you have the whole mesa to yourself.
Think Beyond Arches
Spend a few extra days in Moab and drive 45 minutes up the road to Island in the Sky in Canyonlands. It saw roughly half of Arches' visitation in 2025, and it's every bit as jaw dropping, especially if you’re into sweeping canyon vistas that rival the Grand Canyon. Meanwhile, don't overlook the Colorado River, which flows right through Moab itself. More than twenty in-town outfitters can float you through some of the most scenic water in the American West, and that cold current is revelatory when the summertime heat rolls around.
The best way to see Moab is to go with a guide. Moab's roster of knowledgeable local outfitters covers everything from canyoneering to night sky photography, and a knowledgeable expert naturalist will tell you things about the geology around town that an interpretive sign never could. Beyond the national parks entirely, trails like Corona Arch and Grandstaff Canyon offer a similarly dramatic landscape without the entrance fees.
Discover the Area’s Star Power
Arches holds a unique designation that tends to get buried in many travelers’ trip-planning shuffle: it's a certified International Dark Sky Park. Come nightfall, the light pollution that blots out the stars in most of America simply doesn't exist here. Stick around after dark, and you'll practically have the park to yourself, complete with the odd asteroid and the stellar sparkle of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Make the Town Part of the Trip
Moab rewards the traveler who actually stops and sticks around for a week. Start your mornings sipping coffee with locals at Red Rock Bakery, or duck into Dos Mas Cafe for an espresso and a pastry. When that post-hike hunger sets in, Jailhouse Cafe does a Cioppino worth planning your evening around, and Hidden Cuisine brings South African flavors to the desert in a way that'll genuinely surprise you.
Book a room with a pool. Let the kids splash. Then go find an arch at sunrise and remember why you came.
Save time — Book in Advance
Vehicle passes for both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks can be purchased in town at the Moab Information Center. Or, let technology be your friend: speed up your entry into Arches by getting a vehicle pass in advance through Recreation.gov.