*All photos are protected by copyright and the property of Briana Nickas unless they are stock photos or otherwise noted.
Massive, wide, thin, tall, towering, hidden โ all words that can be used to describe the many arches of Arches National Park in Utah.
With the largest concentration of natural stone arches in the world (over 2,000), Arches National Park will blow your mind! Youโre sure to be impressed with the seemingly never-ending red rock formations all varying in size and shape.
In fact, Arches is one of the National Parks I canโt get enough of and keep going back to explore more! With so many arches to see, I recommend spending at least a few days in Arches National Park.
Perfect for a weekend getaway, this 2-day itinerary makes sure you hit up the main highlights, including some of the best hikes in Arches National Park. So what are you waiting for? Letโs start planning your visit to Arches National Park in Utah!
Get your FREE U.S. National Parks Checklist!
Enter your info below to get the Checklist delivered right to your inbox.
By signing up, you are subscribing to the Next Destination Unknown Nation email newsletter. But you can unsubscribe at any time. See the Privacy Policy for more info.
Info for Arches National Park in Utah
Arches National Park is located about 28 miles south of I-70 making it easy to reach from the I-15 in Utah or from Utahโs eastern neighbor Colorado.
And just 5 miles north of the town of Moab, UT, itโs also close to another one of the Utah National Parks โ Canyonlands National Park. This makes Moab a perfect place to stay to visit both Arches as well as Canyonlands.
Location: Moab, UT
Entrance Fee: FREE with America the Beautiful Pass OR $30 for private vehicles and all passengers (15 or less) for 7 days
If youโre going to be RVing to Arches National Park, hereโs the information for the RV park we stay at in Moab, UT when we visitโฆ
RV Park
Spanish Trail RV Park in Moab, UT
This is one of the few campgrounds with grass (period let alone at the RV site). Our dog likes her grass! It can get noisy from the highway, so try to get a site in the back.
You may also like: Top 5 Best Hikes in Sedona, AZ You Wonโt Want to Miss
2-Day Itinerary of the Best Things To Do at Arches National Park in Utah
DAY 1 in Arches National Park
Scenic Drive
For your first day in Arches National Park, youโll want to start with getting a lay of the land. Take the 18-mile scenic drive and stop at Balanced Rock 9.2 miles from the Visitor Center where you can walk around the giant teetering boulder (0.3 mile roundtrip).
Windows Section
Then head right to reach the Windows Section, one of the most scenic locations in the Park. Find parking at the end of the road, then look to your left to see one of my favorite sites in the entire Park: the massive Double Arch.
You can take a short walk to the base of Double Arch (0.5-mile roundtrip from the Double Arch Trailhead). Next, head to the right of the parking area where you can take an easy 1-mile roundtrip trail to also explore North Window, South Window, and Turret Arch.
Delicate Arch
Lastly, make sure you see Delicate Arch, the most iconic arch in Arches National Park as well as the most famous natural arch in the world. You can end your day with an awesome hike to Delicate Arch to catch the sunset.
Be aware that it can get pretty crowded though. So be prepared to wait for your turn to get a photo, and try to time your hike accordingly.
Delicate Arch Trail
Distance: 3-miles roundtrip
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Hiking Time: 2-3 hours
Trail Access: the Delicate Arch Trailhead at Wolfe Ranch
If youโre not able to do the hike to Delicate Arch, you can still view it from about a mile away from the Delicate Arch viewpoints 14.2 miles from the Park entrance and Visitor Center.
You may also like: Top 5 Hikes in Zion National Park for Hiking Enthusiasts
DAY 2 in Arches National Park
Devils Garden
One day at Arches National Park is simply not enough! Spend your second day in Arches exploring more of the Utah National Park by hiking in Devils Garden.
Devils Garden is located at the very end of the 18-mile Park road and features a variety of arches you can see (8 to be exact). In fact, one of the must-see arches in Arches National Park is in Devils Garden โ Landscape Arch, which is the longest arch in North America.
For the best view of Landscape Arch, get there early in the morning. Reaching Landscape Arch is an easy 1.9-mile roundtrip hike on the Devils Garden Trail. And you can take a side trail on the way to also see Tunnel and Pine Tree Arches (adds 0.5 mile).
Landscape Arch at Devils Garden
Distance: 1.9-miles roundtrip
Difficulty Level: Easy
Hiking Time: 1 hour
Trail Access: From the Devils Garden parking area
Beyond Landscape Arch, the trail gets difficult with narrow slickrock, rock scrambling, and climbing. But you can see several more arches if you continue on the Devils Garden Trail.
WARNING: Do not keep hiking this trail if itโs wet, raining, snowing, or icy. The rock becomes even slicker and thereโs a risk of slipping and falling off the steep drop-offs.
About a 0.5-mile past Landscape Arch is another one of my other favorite arches โ Partition Arch with an awesome view through the arch. Thereโs also Navajo Arch on another turn-out by Partition Arch.
Past Partition and Navajo Arches is Double O Arch. The out-and-back hike to Double O Arch is 4.2 miles total and will have you scrambling, climbing, and walking on sandstone fins with narrow ledges and steep drop-offs.
Double O Arch at Devils Garden
Distance: 4.2-miles roundtrip
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Hiking Time: 2-3 hours
Trail Access: From the Devils Garden parking area
You may also like: Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah: 1-Day Itinerary of the Best Things To Do
If you want to keep going, you can continue on the Primitive Trail to see the Dark Angel and Private Arch. This is the most difficult section of the Devils Garden Trail involving route-finding, rock scrambling, steep inclines, and narrow drop-offs. You may not want to attempt this section if youโre afraid of heights.
Devils Garden Primitive Trail
Distance: 7.2-miles roundtrip for the entire Devils Garden Trail with the Primitive Trail
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Trail Access: From the Devils Garden parking area
Hiking in Devils Garden lets you see so many arches up close and personal. And theyโre all concentrated in close vicinity to one another. Itโs one of my favorite hikes in Arches National Park and a great way to spend a day there!
You may also like: The Best Road Trip Tips You Need to Have an Amazing Road Trip
BONUS TIPS for Visiting Arches National Park
Bonus Tip #1
Start your first day with sunrise at the neighboring Canyonlands National Park. Youโre going to need to wake up at the crack to get a super early start to the day! Because youโre going to want to catch the sunrise at Mesa Arch.
Itโs a must! Watching the arch start to glow as the sun lights up the canyon below will be one of the highlights of your trip. Make sure you get to Mesa Arch early before sunrise so you can get a good viewing spot. It can get crazy crowded at dawn and you may be fighting for a view of the arch.
Mesa Arch Trail
Distance: 0.5-mile roundtrip
Difficulty Level: Easy
Hiking Time: 30 minutes
Trail Access: Mesa Arch Trailhead
Bonus Tip #2
On your second day in Arches National Park, end the day at the nearby Dead Horse Point State Park for a gorgeous view of the sunset. From Dead Horse Point Overlook, youโll have a dramatic view of the Colorado River winding around the canyon below.
You may also like: 45+ Road Trip Essentials You Need to Pack Before You Hit the Road
Wrapping Up Arches National Park in Utah
With two full days at Arches National Park in Utah youโll be able to see many of the park highlights and hike some awesome trails.
Get up close and personal with the iconic Delicate Arch, stare in awe up at the towering Double Arch, and gain a deep appreciation for the Southwest landscape and red rock formations that make up the scenic Arches National Park.
This 2-day itinerary has it all covered! So if Arches isnโt on your bucket list yet, go add it right now and start planning your trip.
Have you already been to Utahโs Arches National Park? Iโd love to know which arch was your favorite! Tell me which arch fascinated you the most in the comments below.
Are National Parks your jam? If your goal is to visit all 62 National Parks in the USA, be sure to grab your free U.S. National Parks Checklist to keep track of them!
Leave a question or comment HERE!
Like this Post? Pin it!
The variety of arches and views is stunning. Arches National Park is on my bucket list. Devils Garden Trail to the Landscape Arch looks family friendly. I have a seven year old, what would be your recommendations for trails with her?
Arches National Park is one of my faves! I hope you get the chance to go soon. The Devils Garden Trail to Landscape Arch is perfect for a 7-year old to hike to. ๐ I also recommend walking around Balanced Rock and the Windows Section. You’ll be able to check out Double O Arch (a quick 0.5-mile roundtrip to MASSIVE arches!). And you can also take the easy 1-mile roundtrip trail there to explore North Window, South Window, and Turret Arch. All easy, family-friendly hikes to some amazing arches!
When nature is in its mood, it creates something beautiful like the Arches National Park in Utah. It is a heaven for camping, hiking, biking, and other outdoor adventures.
Well said, Madhura! Arches National Park is an amazing place to spend some time in and explore.