One Day In Arches National Park Itinerary

If you only have one day in Arches National Park you can still see the best parts of the park! On my most recent trip, I only had 1 day in Arches National Park and was able to explore the whole park (it’s fairly small.)

Due to the crowds and extremely limited parking, you’ll need to be extra strategic about your itinerary so you can avoid the crowds and optimize your limited time. In this guide I’ll share with you the best way to plan your visit and maximize your day in Arches!

In this article:

• Arches National Park one day itinerary (+ alternatives for more time)
• Downloadable map & printable itinerary
• Tips to avoid crowds and get around the park
• Where to stay and eat

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Arches National Park has over 2,000 arches within the park, which makes it the most dense concentration of natural stone arches in the entire world!

Any road trip through Utah wouldn’t be complete without a stop here – even if you spend just one day in Arches National Park, it’s worth a visit.

Arches National Park Itinerary

Can you visit Arches National Park in one day? Absolutely. I’ve done it and it’s definitely enough time to see all the highlights.

It’s a relatively small park, which means most of the best things to do in Arches National Park, as well as the best hikes are all located very close together. In total, the road through Arches is only about 30 minutes end to end.

Itinerary For Arches National Park In One Day

In order to pack as much as possible into one day in Arches National Park I recommend getting an early start, and being strategic about how you move through the park so you can avoid crowds and so you won’t waste time looking for parking.

If you only have half a day in Arches I’ve also included a recommended itinerary for that later on!

Sunrise At Delicate Arch

Delicate Arch is probably the most popular (and therefore busiest) spot in Arches National Park.

While it’s still fairly busy for sunrise, it’s nothing compared to the rest of the day. I recommend starting here so you can avoid the crowds.

Sunrise in Arches National Park is around 6 am during the summer, and can be as late as 7:30 am in the winter. It varies day-to-day so check ahead of time!

TIP: There won’t be anyone staffing the entrance gates this early so you can drive right through. Later on in the day the line for entering Arches backs up all the way to the main road and can take hours.

From the entrance gates the road quickly heads uphill. You’ll have to take several steep switchbacks to get into the main area of the park.

It’s cool to see this in the dark because as you come through the entrance all you see are headlights rising back and forth up the hill – at first we didn’t know what we were looking at!

Head straight to the Delicate Arch parking area. From the main entrance it’s another 30 minutes to the trailhead.

There are two ways to watch sunrise at Delicate Arch. You can either hike in and see it up close, or you can watch from the viewpoint (no hiking required).

Option 1: Hiking To Delicate Arch

Personally, I think hiking to Delicate Arch is ideal because you can walk right to the base of the arch.

If you opt for sunrise from the viewpoint instead, just know it’s about a mile from the arch so the views aren’t as good.

NOTE: The parking lot at Delicate Arch is one of the largest in the park. When we arrived an hour before sunrise it was still mostly empty, but by the time we returned to our vehicle it was almost completely full.

The hike to Delicate Arch is 3.2 miles out-and-back and has a consistent uphill grade the entire way.

It’s not particularly steep or difficult, but expect to be walking on smooth, hard rock the entire way. Hiking shoes with good traction are important, especially if it’s raining.

TIP: If you’re visiting Arches National Park in winter, there’s a good chance you may encounter snow or ice. I recommend traction devices so you don’t slip on the slick rock.

I recommend getting to Delicate Arch 20-30 minutes before sunrise so you can get a good spot before too many people show up.

TIP: As soon as the sky starts to brighten people will line up to get their photo taken under the arch. It’s possible to get pictures of the arch without anyone in them in between groups.

Option 2: Delicate Arch Viewpoint

If hiking to Delicate Arch for sunrise isn’t your cup of tea (I don’t blame you!) there are two viewpoints where you can watch sunrise from – neither of which requires much hiking!

Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint is just 200 feet from the parking lot. The arch is one mile from this viewpoint so binoculars are helpful.

Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint is 0.3 miles from parking lot with a bit of an incline (171 ft).

It takes about 20 minutes to hike to the upper viewpoint, and the incline reaches a 15% grade just before the landing. However, this view is closer than Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint and offers a less obstructed view.

NOTE: The parking for these viewpoints is at the end of Delicate Arch Road, past the parking area for hikers. From the viewpoint parking you cannot hike to Delicate Arch.

Explore The Windows Loop

After seeing Delicate Arch, backtrack slightly towards The Windows section of the park.

This area gets really busy by 9 am and has a small parking lot, so it’s best to see it first-thing so you don’t have to waste time circling the parking lot looking for parking later in the day.

The Windows is a close second for most popular spot in Arches (right behind Delicate Arch) so you definitely want to see it!

Several of the best hikes in Arches National Park start from this parking area, so once you find a spot you’ll be good to explore for a while.

The first hike you should take is the Windows Loop trail! It’s a short 0.7 mile loop through several arches, including North Window, South Window and Turret Arch.

You could extend this hike and take the primitive trail back, which takes you around the back side of the windows and tends to be a little less crowded.

I thought the primitive trail was a little harder to find, but if you pay attention to cairns (stacks of rocks used as trail markers in the desert) and rocks lining the path you’ll be fine!

TIP: The AllTrails+ app lets you download trail maps for use when you’re out of cell service. If you wander off the designated trail, the app will notify you! I’ve been using it for years. AllTrails+ costs $36 per year, but you can get 30% off with my discount code EVERYWHERE30.

Stop By Double Arch

Double Arch shares the same parking area as The Windows, and it’s an easy hike. In total, it’s 0.6 miles to the arch and back, along a well maintained and very wide path that’s mostly flat.

Most of the elevation listed for this hike is actually climbing up into the arch.

These arches are incredible and massive. You can tell how big they are by how little the people are in the photo above!

Hike The Trails In Devils Garden

Next, head North to the furthest point in the park; Devils Garden. This area tends to be less crowded, and it has some longer hikes which are best done before the afternoon heat kicks in.

TIP: Devils Garden is the location of one of only two water refill stations in the park (the other is at the visitors center). Be sure to refill your bottles while you’re here!

There are several great hiking options in Devils Garden: The full Devils Garden trail (8.1 mile loop) or shorter hikes to Landscape Arch (1.9 miles) or Double O Arch (4.2 miles).

Landscape Arch & Double O Arch

If you don’t have the time or interest in the complete Devils Garden Trail (which takes 3-4 hours) I would still hike to Landscape Arch (which takes less than an hour).

Landscape Arch is the longest arch in the world and measures 306 feet across. Next to the Landscape Arch you’ll also find Navajo Arch and Partition Arch.

If you’re up for more of a challenge you can continue past Landscape Arch, where the trail becomes more of a scramble, up to Double O Arch. It’s a mile between these two arches one-way.

Picnic Lunch At Devils Garden

After spending the morning hiking in Arches, relax at the Devils Garden picnic area and have lunch!

There are no restaurants located in the park so if you only have one day in Arches National Park I recommend packing your lunch so you don’t have to drive into Moab (and then spend time re-entering the park in case the lines are backed up.)

TIP: If you’re traveling with pets, Devils Garden is one of the few places where dogs are allowed in Arches National Park.

From this point, you’re going to slowly make your way back towards the entrance, along Arches Scenic Drive.

The crowds will have really picked up by now, but you’ve already been to all the most popular spots so it’ll be easier to find parking for everything left on this Arches one day itinerary!

TIP: There are limited picnic tables available in the park. Bring a picnic blanket with (I love this one!)

Fiery Furnace Viewpoint (Or Hike)

The first stop you’ll come to as you head south along Arches Scenic Drive back towards the entrance is Fiery Furnace.

Here you can see the deep red slot canyons from the viewpoint along the road, or you can hike into the labyrinth.

NOTE: Due to lack of GPS signal from the tall canyon walls and difficulty navigating, a permit is required to hike Fiery Furnace. Limited ranger hikes are also available.

Marvel At Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock is a very short hike located right off the main park road. The trail is only 0.3 miles and takes you around the base of Balanced Rock.

If you’re not up for the hike, it’s also possible to see Balanced Rock from your car.

Don’t Miss Park Avenue Viewpoint

Be sure to stop by Park Avenue Viewpoint as you head back towards the park entrance.

From this point, you’ll have a stunning panorama of towering sandstone monoliths that resemble the grand skyscrapers of a city skyline (hence the name “Park Avenue”.)

There’s a really cool hike that starts from this viewpoint, too. Park Avenue trail is 1.8 miles out-and-back which takes you down to Courthouse Towers and back.

You could also start from Courthouse Towers viewpoint (so you’d climb up first, and down on the way back) but there may be more limited parking at that lot.

Pop Into The Visitors Center & Walk The Nature Trail

If you got an early start to your day trip to Arches National Park, then the visitor center wasn’t open when you came through the entrance gates. Be sure to stop by on your way out!

There’s a short nature trail located right behind the Visitor Center building.

Nature Trail is only 150 feet of trail and is completely flat. It’s basically a little garden you can walk through and it’s a great opportunity to learn about the desert plants and animals in Arches National Park.

Bonus: Courthouse Wash Panel

You have to exit the park in order to access the quick hike to Courthouse Wash Panel. It sits on the perimeter of the park and is accessible from US-191 as you head towards Moab.

Leave the park and turn left (towards Moab) at the traffic light. One mile down the road you’ll find parking on the left for Courthouse Wash.

TIP: The trailhead parking can be a little tricky to find because it’s not specific to this trail. Look for mile marker 129 just before you cross a small bridge. The parking area is on the North side of the road. If you enter Moab you’ve gone too far.

There’s a short 0.8 mile trail to ancient pictographs and petroglyphs believed to have been painted and carved into the rock as early as 4,000 years ago.

The short walk crosses the Courthouse Wash bridge before climbing to a prehistoric panel of rock markings.

Historically, this was an area where ancient tribes could cross the Colorado River by foot, which is attributed to the large number of markings on these rocks.

Dinner In Moab

Next, head into Moab where you’ll have a large variety of places for dinner. These are a few I recommend, but there’s so many fantastic options it’s hard to choose!

📍 Trailhead Public House – casual tavern with sandwiches, burgers and wings
📍 The Broken Oar – lodge-style restaurant with seafood, pasta and steaks
📍 Thai Bella – highly rated Thai food
📍 Birdy’s Finer Diner – upscale fine dining restaurant

Sunset & Stargazing In Arches

Finally, complete your day trip to Arches National Park by heading back into the park for sunset and some stargazing.

There are several great places for sunset in Arches. I recommend Broken Arch if you are up for a bit of a drive (30 minutes into the park) and a short hike (1.7 miles round trip). There’s a lot of room to spread out here, and you won’t have a big crowd.

Another option is a guided sunset tour in Arches National Park. Let someone else do the driving and navigating so you can just enjoy the view and relax after a day of hiking.

Stick around after sunset! Arches is also an International Dark Sky Park. Because it’s located on the Colorado Plateau it has some of the darkest skies found in the lower 48 states.

This makes it the perfect place for stargazing, and you can even see the Milky Way in the summer!

If you’re interested in astrophotography, Arches National Park is a great place to learn. Night photography tours are available and are a fun way to spend an evening.

You can use your own camera or rent gear from the guide. I think you’ll also be surprised by how great your phone camera photos turn out too!

Alternative Options For One Day In Arches National Park

Depending on your interests, there’s a few easy swaps you can make for this Arches National Park itinerary.

If you’re not interested in longer hikes, skip Devil’s Garden and join this 4×4 off-roading tour instead. It’s a great way to explore more remote places in Arches without hiking during the heat of the day.

Off-road tours include some really neat Arches that most visitors don’t see (like Eye of the Whale, which is my favorite), as well as dinosaur tracks!

During July and August, when the park is packed, it’s a great way to avoid the crowds and hassles with parking.

Half Day in Arches National Park Itinerary

If you don’t have enough time for a full day in Arches National Park, this is how I’d alter your itinerary to fit a half day:

• Delicate Arch
• The Windows
• Double Arch
• Landscape Arch

If you follow the Arches itinerary above up to Landscape Arch in Devils Garden you’ll be able to fit all the best things to do in Arches into one (very full) morning.

TIP: If you’re spending the afternoon in Arches, I would recommend reversing this (starting at Landscape Arch) to avoid the crowded parts of the park during their peak times.

This would be the perfect itinerary if you’re also planning to see Canyonlands. Even though they’re close to each other, it’s difficult to compare Arches vs Canyonlands because both parks are extremely different and worth seeing.

How To Get Around Arches National Park

Arches National Park is a fairly small park, with one primary road that runs through it. It’s easy to drive around Arches National Park, but the parking lots are quite small and finding parking during peak hours (basically anytime during daylight from June through September) can be a challenge.

Unfortunately, Arches National Park does not have a shuttle. You’ll need your own vehicle (I recommend rental cars from DiscoverCars.com) or a pre-booked guided park tour.

I also highly recommend a camper van rental for Arches National Park. After traveling in my camper for several years, I found that Utah is one of the easiest places to find free campsites.

While campervan rentals tend to be more expensive than rental cars, you’ll save on the cost of hotels and restaurants (assuming you plan to cook out of your camper.)

Best Time To Visit Arches National Park

The best time to visit Arches National Park is April-May or September-October. This is the perfect blend of good weather, fewer crowds and long daylight hours.

Keep Planning Your Trip To Arches National Park!

Check out these additional planning resources for your trip to Arches National Park:

• Best Things To Do In Arches National Park & Moab
• Mighty Five Utah National Parks Road Trip
• Itinerary For Zion And Arches National Park
• Las Vegas To Arches National Park Road Trip Itinerary
• Salt Lake City To Arches National Park Road Trip Itinerary