14 Arches in 12.8 Miles: 1 Day in Arches National Park
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Are you planning a quick trip and wondering how to take advantage of 1 day in Arches National Park?
Let me help you plan your trip!
Arches National Park is one of the most unique national parks in the US, with the highest concentration of natural arches in the world. And the landscape is otherworldly – towering red rocks, blue skies, and snow-capped mountains in the distance.
I visited Arches while I was doing the Grand Circle road trip – the most epic road trip through the American southwest – and Arches National Park was my favorite park after Zion.
And that road trip involves seeing 7 national parks!
Plan your Trip with my Favorite Resources:
– Book the best hotels: Boooking.com
– Get a rental car: DiscoverCars
– Find great flight deals: CheapOAir
– Book a tour: Viaator or GeetYourGuide
I spent 3 days in Arches, but I had this one EPIC day there, and it’s what I want to share with you.
It’s the perfect itinerary for spending 1 day in Arches National Park. It describes the hikes you HAVE to experience, like Devil’s Garden, and you’ll get to see 14 of the best arches in a single day.
It’s a tiring but rewarding day with 12.8 miles of hiking.
Now, 1 day isn’t enough to fully experience Arches, but with THIS day in Arches National Park, you’ll experience enough to know the park better than most people.
Plus, I’ll give you my free camping tips because I’m all about budget adventure travel.
So, if you love hiking, keep reading for an action-packed 1 day in Arches itinerary!!
First things First: Timed Entry
In 2025, Arches National Park requires timed entry tickets from April 1 to July 6 and August 28 to October 31 to get into the park between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. .
Timed entry tickets are reservations to enter the park at a certain time. So, for example, you can make a reservation to enter the park anytime between 8 and 9 a.m. If you arrive earlier or later, you can’t get in.
The tickets are available months in advance, and you get them on a first-come, first-served basis. They release a batch of tickets 6 months beforehand and then another batch the day before. If you plan ahead, you should have no issue getting a ticket.
Visit the Recreation.gov website to get your ticket.
Getting around the Timed Entry Tickets
There is a way to get into the park during the busy season without a timed entry permit.
Just get inside before 7 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
That’s what I did when I visited, and it was easy peasy.
Just one thing – there will be a line before 7 a.m. to get into the park, so get there at least at 6:30 to make sure you actually get past the entrance before 7. If you’re still in line and 7 a.m. hits, you’re not getting in.
Getting to Arches National Park this early to spend 1 day in Arches is great because it’s a good idea to get started real early. That’s especially true for the summer months.
And then getting in after 4 is great too, again in the summer, because it’s when the weather starts cooling down. You can still hike HOURS while the days are still long, even when you get in after 4 p.m.
How to get to Arches National Park
The closest major airport to Arches National Park is in Salt Lake City, about 3 hours and 45 minutes (235 miles) away.
However, the Canyonlands Regional Airport is 15 minutes from the park. You can get to the Canyonlands Regional Airport by connecting from Phoenix or Salt Lake City.
If your 1 day in Arches National Park is part of a bigger road trip, I would 100% recommend the Grand Circle road trip. It goes through 7 national parks and other iconic landmarks and is ideal for a 2-week road trip.
The Grand Circle begins in Las Vegas, so you could fly there and make your way to Arches (6 hours and 15 minutes, but with 3 other national parks in between).
Where to Stay in Arches National Park
Budget Hotels in Moab
Arches National Park is just 5 minutes from the super cool town of Moab, which has some great hotels.
I first heard of Moab through my love for slacklining. It’s a hub for rock climbing, canyoneering, base jumping, biking… you name it!
And whenever a town is so focused on adventure like that, it’s a COOL town. So, if you plan on staying in a hotel, you’ve got to stay in Moab and get to know it too. (Scroll down to learn about the free camping.)
Here are the best budget hotels in Moab:
Just 17 minutes from Arches’ Visitor Center, HTR Moab is a unique stay where each room is a unit. It’s glamping-style accommodation with A/C, is pet-friendly, and incredibly affordable! A great home-base for a few days in Moab.
📍A Classic Motel: The Virginian Inn
Just 17 minutes from Arches’ Visitor Center, HTR Moab is a unique stay where each room is a unit. It’s glamping-style accommodation with A/C, is pet-friendly, and incredibly affordable! A great home-base for a few days in Moab.
I’m all about traveling on a budget, especially in the US where hotel prices are so high. But if you’d like to browse more hotel options, check out his map:
Free Camping Near Arches National Park
During my trip to Arches, I camped for free – which is how I traveled around the US for 2 years!
The most convenient free camping site near Arches is along Cotter Mine Road, where Lala and I slept both nights.
But there’s a lot right next to the highway where Cotter Mine Road starts. This lot gets absolutely filled with car campers and RV’s during the busy season, which is crazy because it’s RIGHT next to the highway.
The coordinates for this lot are: 38.679611, -109.692028.
But there are other spots to camp for free close to Arches National Park!
If you’re planning any sort of trip in the Southwest, I actually made a free map with 70+ free car camping spots I found and vetted during my 2 years on the road. It’s my go-to resource whenever I’m planning where to sleep for the night.
👉 Grab the map for free below – I’ll email it to you right away!
When it comes to paid camping, the park only has 1 campground and it gets booked out quickly. But there are LOTS of campgrounds near Moab. Use the Discover Moab website to check all of them out.
Itinerary: 1 Day in Arches National Park
This itinerary is the best way take advantage of 1 day in Arches National Park. You’ll love it if you like hiking, and you’ll see the best of the best the park has to offer!
1. Rise and Shine
The secret to fully experiencing Arches National Park in one day is to get there early.
For most of the year, you can just drive in at any time and enjoy.
But if you’re traveling to Arches between April 1 and July 6 or August 28 and October 31, 2025, you need a timed entry permit from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If it’s “timed entry season” and you don’t have a ticket, you can still get into the park before 7 without any reservations. But I recommend you arrive at 6:30 at the latest, because even the line of cars trying to get into the park before 7 can get extremely long.
Then, if you’re still in line and 7 a.m. comes along, you’re out for the day.
2. Devil’s Garden
Start the day with the toughest hike – the Devil’s Garden Loop and all its spur trails, to see 9 beautiful arches.
The trail is 7.9 miles long with 1,300 feet of elevation gain. You hike over developed trails, deep sand, rock and involves some really fun scrambling and a kind of narrow ridge!
How to Hike the Devil’s Garden Loop
Getting to and hiking the Devil’s Garden Loop is simple. First, drive to the very end of Arches National Park.
There, you’ll arrive to a huge parking lot with bathrooms, and the trailhead is right next to them.
You quickly get a detour to see the first two arches: Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch.
From there, turn back to get to the main trail. Then, follow signs to Landscape Arch, going left when you hit a fork in the road.
Landscape Arch is mind-bogglingly tall and one of the world’s longest arches. It’s also incredibly thin – it might cave in at ANY moment. But then again, that’s the case with all the arches. You never know what’s going on geologically!
From here on out, following the Devil’s Garden Loop trail is very straight forward. Just keep going on the main trail and take ALL the spur trails you walk by to see all 9 arches.
Apart from Landscape, Pine Tree and Tunnel Arch, the remaining arches you’ll see on the Devil’s Garden Loop are:
- Partition Arch
- Navajo Arch
- Bat Guano Arch
- Double O Arch
- Private Arch
- Black Arch
You can also take a spur trail from Double O Arch to see the Dark Angel, which is a gigantic red pinnacle that stands on its own. It’s really impressive!
When it comes to the trail, it’s well-maintained all the way until Double O-Arch, and that’s where the primitive trail begins.
The primitive trail is a lot more difficult physically and mentally. You do have to do some route-finding, there are these gigantic rock fins walk up right down the middle, and you get to scramble down some steep rock that’s actually a bit sketchy when it’s wet.
The entire trail is a blast!
It’s the perfect way to start your trip to Arches National Park. By late morning, you will have already seen 10 of the most amazing arches!
3. Lunch and Chill
It’s time to replenish the hundreds of calories you just burned and rest for the hikes coming up next.
My favorite outlook was the Fiery Furnace Viewpoint. The view is incredible.
You can see Arches National Park’s crazy formations close to you in the foreground, fading into the distance, with white-capped mountains in the background.
4. Double Arch and The Windows
The next 4 arches are all accessible from 1 parking lot, and the hikes aren’t long at all.
Head over to the Double Arch Viewpoint and Trail. You’ll be able to see Double Arch from there, and it’s the most impressive arch I’ve ever seen!
Hike the 0.3 miles to the arch, and you’ll understand why.
It’s enormous both in size (the pillars of rock are massive) and height (they’re the park’s two tallest arches). And its TWO of them!
Play around on the rocks and marvel at this beauty. When you’re done, walk back 0.3 miles to the parking lot and hike the opposite direction to The Windows.
Hiking to The Windows, you’ll get to see 3 arches. The one to the left is the North Window and the one to the right is Turret Arch.
To see the South Window, you have to follow the trail around North Window. You can actually loop around the whole formation, but I just turned back once I saw the South Window because I was tired and knew another hike was coming.
In total, you’ll hike about 1 mile to see these 3 gorgeous arches.
That makes 13 arches seen today, and we’re finishing the day with the best one of all!
5. Delicate Arch
Delicate Arch is the most popular arch for a reason, and you HAVE to go see it if you only have 1 day in Arches National Park.
It is one of the most marvelous feats of nature I’ve ever seen.
Like the name says, it looks delicate. But as you get up close, you realize just how enormous Delicate Arch really is.
And at its narrowest, it’s still a massive piece of rock… you know, in the shape of a tall, physics-defying arch!
And the arch is perched perfectly on the edge on a giant amphitheater. It looks like a coliseum was made for people to sit and gaze at Delicate Arch. And that’s exactly what everyone does!
How to Hike to Delicate Arch
The hike to Delicate Arch is kind of hard, especially after a full day of hiking already, but it’s short and beautiful the entire way.
Drive over to the Wolfe Ranch Parking Lot, which is a big lot right by the Delicate Arch Trailhead.
The 3-mile hike (roundtrip) starts out flat and that initial section takes you past Wolfe Ranch, an old cabin, and the Ute Indian Petroglyphs, a tall wall with petroglyphs.
Then, it gets steep, and you get to a glute-burning section. It’s a lot of fun because this part of the hike is all on steep rock. Stick with it because it’s not too long and the destination is spectacular.
At the top of this steep rock, you’ll turn right and it gets flatter. You walk through some beautiful features, get to a narrow rock ledge and, before you know it, Delicate Arch appears in front of you in all its glory.
Just like that, you’ll close your 1 day in Arches National Park gazing at the park’s flagship arch as the sun sets.
At the sun’s final hour, it lights up Delicate Arch in a golden-red hue that you just CANNOT miss!
All that’s left is 1.6 miles back to the parking lot in the twilight, and you won’t be able to help but smile.
6. Dinner or the Stars?
Arches National Park is an international dark sky park, which means it might be worth delaying dinner.
Watching the stars come out, and hopefully the milky way during the right time of year, is amazing! Especially if you’re a photographer.
I stayed Delicate Arch for a while after watching the sunset and loved it. The stars started twinkling into view, the air mercifully cooled a bit and the new silence was unique.
It had been loud because of the crowd at Delicate Arch, but all but a few people left as soon as the sun set. There were a few of us still there, and the experience was surreal.
Once you’ve had your fill, it’s time for dinner!
Moab has some really good restaurants, but I always just go back to my car, usually to make a one-pot meal on my single-burner gas stove.
And just like that, you had one HELL of a day in Arches National Park!
1 Day in Arches National Park MAP
I made a custom Google Map to help make planning your 1-day Arches National Park itinerary easier. It includes all the key stops, trailheads, viewpoints, and lodging options I mentioned in this post.
This interactive map is perfect for visualizing your route through Arches National Park. Whether you’re hiking the Devil’s Garden Loop, catching sunset at Delicate Arch, or need several free free camping options, it’s all pinned and ready.
👉 Open the full map in Google Maps or see it embedded below. Tap the icon on the top left to see the entire menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but only on established roads, parking areas, campgrounds and picnic areas. They should also be leashed.
That means they can’t be on trails, off-trail, or even at the lookouts. It might be worth leaving them at home because they’ll limit what you can do!
My favorite arches were by far Delicate Arch, Double Arch and Landscape Arch. They all have one thing in common: they’re huge!
Yes! It’s open at all times, and you can enter it at any time.
However, you need timed entry tickets from April 1 to July 6 and August 28 to October 31 (2025 dates) from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. But, like I said, you can enter the park any time before 7 or after 4, even on timed entry days.
I think 2-3 days is the perfect time to spend in Arches. This way, you get to see all of it and don’t get exhausted from trying to cram it all into a short time.
I made this 1-day itinerary because most people visit Arches as part of a bigger road trip.
When you’re visiting a bunch of parks, you might just have 1 day in Arches National Park. And fortunately, 1 day can be enough.
Final Thoughts on 1 Day in Arches
That’s it for my itinerary for 1 day in Arches National Park! As you’ll notice, it’s truly impossible to fit everything into just 1 day. But this itinerary will give you a good feel for this national park.
Here are some honorable mentions you can add to your itinerary if you have more time to spend in Arches National Park:
- Sand Arch & Broken Arch Loop
- Ring Arch
- Park Avenue Overview
Where to Now?
Any trip to Arches National Park, needs to include at least 1 day in Canyonlands, since it’s 30 minutes away from Arches.
You could also make a road trip of it and get to know Utah’s 5 amazing national parks. The closest national park to the west, not counting Canyonlands, is Capitol Reef National Park (2 hours and 13 minutes or 141 miles away).
A road trip through southern Utah will take you all the way to Zion National Park.
Meanwhile, the closest national park to the east is actually Black Canyon National Park, which is a VERY underrated one in Colorado. If you go there, you might as well do one of the best road trips in America, which is the million-dollar highway.
