Memorial Day is the official start to summer—and we expect more visitors than usual over the holiday weekend!
If you're planning to visit Arches over Memorial Day or during other peak times throughout the year, here are a few insider tips to help plan your visit.
Purchase a park pass before you arrive at Arches
Park passes can be purchased online or in town at the Moab Information Center. Bring your pass with you to help speed up your entrance!
Check the Arches webcam
Check the Arches Entrance Station webcam before you arrive. Arches is a 10-minute drive from downtown Moab.
Arrive before 7 AM or after 2 PM
Try to plan your visit around peak times, and arrive early if you're planning to do popular hikes like Delicate Arch or the Devil's Garden. You can also visit the park in the afternoon, but bring water and prepare for warmer temperatures. Arches is open 24 hours a day; consider visiting Arches at night to enjoy some of the best stargazing in the world!
Stay flexible
If popular locations are busy, explore lesser-traveled areas.
Remember: Arches is just one stop among all there is to see and do in Moab. For more recreation ideas, visit the Moab Information Center, our places to go and things to do pages, and other ideas below!
July and August are two of the least-visited months. Plan a trip with early-morning starts, hotel discounts, and extra pool time.
“Arches is one of the most incredible places in the world. When you visit during popular times, arriving early and purchasing a pass in advance can help speed up your entrance into the park,” says Michael Soleta, director of the Moab Office of Tourism. “Beautiful scenery in Moab doesn’t stop at the borders of the park; Arches is really just the beginning of all there is to see and do in and around Moab.”
If you want to avoid peak times
Consider visiting other nearby parks and trails during peak Arches visitation times, including:
Visitors are asked not to wait in roadways for parking spaces. Additional scenic viewpoints and trailheads throughout the park offer outstanding alternatives during peak periods.
Check the Entrance Station webcam to prepare your arrival! If the lane looks busy, consider visiting the park later in the day, or once the line shortens.
Above, this is a live stream of Arches National Park entrance road right now
Explore Moab Outside of the National Parks
Paddle Boarding on the Colorado River.
River Activities
While Moab is known for its family oriented whitewater trips on the Fisher Towers section of the Colorado River, there are wilder single and multi-day trips in Westwater Canyon. Canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards are other ways to explore the calm water segments of the Colorado.
Dead Horse Point provides the same type of views you would experience in Canyonlands National Park.
Dead Horse Point State Park
32 miles (51.5 km) from Moab, Dead Horse Point State Park is one of Utah’s most spectacular state parks. The view from Dead Horse Point is one of the most photographed scenic vistas in the world. Towering 2,000 feet above the Colorado River, the overlook provides a breathtaking panorama of Canyonlands’ sculpted pinnacles and buttes.
View of Fisher Towers from along Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway (U-128)
Scenic Byways
The Moab area is blessed with three State Scenic Byways. State Scenic Byways help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States based on their archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic qualities. Every trip to Moab should include a drive along at least one byway, although driving all three is great way to spend a relaxing day.
Singletrack mountain biking trails in Moab range from beginner-friendly to highly-technical.
Mountain Biking
Welcome to the home of the greatest mountain biking on the planet. Moab offers a huge variety of trails for mountain bikers of any experience level, from beginners looking for a scenic ride through beautiful canyons and mesa tops, to seasoned bikers looking for the ultimate challenge. Rent a bike in town and explore!
