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Arches National Park
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Orientation
This park contains more than 2,000 natural arches—the greatest concentration in the world. But numbers have no significance beside the grandeur of the landscape—the arches, the giant balanced rocks, spires, pinnacles, and slickrock domes against the enormous sky.
Perched high above the Colorado River, the park is part of the southern Utah's extended area of canyonlands, carved and shaped by eons of weathering and erosion. Most of the formations at Arches are made of soft red sandstone deposited 150 million years ago in a vast desert. As underlying salt deposits dissolved, the sandstone collapsed and weathered into a maze of verticle rock slabs called "fins." Sections of these slender walls eventually wore through, creating the spectacular rock sculptures you see today.
The land has a timeless, indestructible look that is misleading. Almost a million visitors each year threaten the fragile high-desert ecosystem. One concern is a nearly invisible dark crust called cryptobiotic soil composed of algae, fungi, and lichens that grow in sandy areas in the park. Footprints tracked across this living community may remain visible for years. Hikers can safely walk on trails, bare slickrock, or in drainages where water flows after rains without damaging this delicate ecosystem. In fact, the aridity helps preserve traces of past activity for centuries.
Well-preserved petroglyphs carved into a low cliff near a pioneer cabin offer evidence that Native Americans roamed this land. Pictures of riders on horseback date the carvings to historic times, after the Spaniards introduced the horses to the Southwest.
When To Go
All-year park, but spring and fall are best; moderate temperatures are ideal for hiking in the high desert. Summers are hot and winters mild. Wildflowers peak in April and May.
Statistics
- Area: 76,359 acres [30,901.4 hectares]
- Date Established: November 12,1971 (Arches was first designated as a national monument on April 12, 1929)
- State: Utah
Getting There
By Plane
- Moab (CNY) 15 miles [24.1 kilometers] east of the park
- Grand Junction (GJT) 90 miles [144.8 kilometers] southeast of the park
By Car
- From Moab, take US 191 north 5 miles [8 kilometers] to the park entrance. From I-70, exit at Crescent Junction and follow Utah Hwy. 191 south for 25 miles [40.2 kilometers] to the entrance. Airport 15 miles [24.1 kilometers] north of Moab and at Grand Junction, Colorado, about 120 miles [193.1 kilometers] away.
How to Visit
Take the Arches Scenic Drive at least as far as The Windows Section. Allow time for hiking one of the park's spectacular trails. If it's spring or summer (and you're not bothered by heights), consider joining a naturalist-led 3-hour hike through Fiery Furnace. It's strenuous, but you'll appreciate the shade in the summer's heat.
Guided hikes are offered from mid-March through October. You must make reservations in person at the visitor center and pay a fee. Walks often fill a day or two ahead of time.
Activities
Free naturalist-led activities; nature hikes and talks, evening programs. Also available, geological and historical exhibits, self-guided auto tour, hiking, jeep tours, sight-seeing flights. Contact park headquarters for list of concessioners offering rental and guide services.
Park Location
Headquarters Post Office Box 907, Moab, Utah 84532.
Phone +1 435 719 2299.
Seasons & Accessibility Park open year-round. Some unpaved roads may become temporarily impassable after heavy rains. Call headquarters number for visitor information.
Visitor & Information Centers Visitor Center, on US 191 at park entrance, open daily all year except Christmas. Call headquarters number for visitor information.
Entrance Fee $10 per private vehicle, good for seven days. Annual pass available for Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Natural Bridges and Hovenweep National Monuments is $25, good for twelve months. Golden Eagle, Golden Access, Golden Age and National Park Passes are also available and accepted.
Pets Pets are not permitted on hiking trails or in the backcountry. They are permitted only in parking areas and the campground, though they may not be left unattended at campsites.
Facilities for Disabled Visitor center and locations throughout the park; first half of Balanced Rock trail and Delicate Arch viewpoint trails are accessible for those visitors with mobility impairments. One campsite at Devils Garden is also accessible, as is a restroom nearby.
Special Advisories
- Always carry water on hikes—at least one gallon a day per person is recommended in summer.
- Stay on trails to protect fragile desert soils and plant life
- Sandstone slickrock crumbles easily and can make climbing dangerous. Consult a ranger before going out.
Overnight Backpacking Permits required. Free, they can be obtained
at the visitor center.
Campgrounds One campground, Devils Garden, with a 7-day limit. Open all year on a first-come, first served basis. No showers. Tent and RV sites; no hookups. Fee is $10 per night year-round; water is available year-round. Campground fills daily from mid-March through October, sites are often taken by early to mid-morning.
Lodging
Hotels, Motels, & Inns (unless otherwise noted, rates are for 2 persons in a double room, high season)
In Moab, Utah 84532:
Best Western Green Well Motel 105 South Main Street. 800 528 1234 or +1 435 259 6151. 72 units. $99. AC, pool, restaurant. Cedar Breaks Condos Center and Fourth East. +1 435 259 7830. 6 2-bedrooms units, all with full kitchens. $78. AC. Pack Creek Ranch (15 miles [24.1 kilometers] southeast of Moab, off LaSal Mountain Loop Road) P.O. Box 1270. +1 435 259 5505. Cabins, houses, bunk-houses. $135 per adult; $85 per child. Includes 3 meals, trail rides. AC, Pool. Ramada Inn Moab 182 South Main Street. +1 435 259 7141. 84 units. $89-$110. AC, pool, restaurant.
For other accommodations in the area, contact the Moab Area Travel Council, PO Box 550, Moab, Utah 84532. +1 435 259 1370 or 800 635 6622 [U.S. and Canada only]. For walk in traffic visit the Moab Information Center at the corner of Center and Main Street in Moab (open year round).
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