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Arches National Park Guide: Things to Do, Camping and Fees
- Jun 2
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 11
What Is Arches National Park?
Arches National Park was a former National Monument turned National Park in 1971. The park is made up of two main area, The Windows & and Devil's Garden. The Windows is where you'll see popular arches that you see online, and is great for parking once and visiting many different arches along one trail.
Devil's Garden is famous for hosting the largest natural arch is North America, Landscape Arch. It also accesses The Primitive Trail. which homes Partition Arch and Private Arch and Double O Arch Trail. The only developed campground in the park, Devil's Garden Campground, is also located here.
Things To See:
Double Arch
Delicate Arch
Devil's Garden
Climbing & Canyoneering
🏕️ Where to Stay
Free Camping
One of the biggest perks of visiting Arches National Monument is the free dispersed camping on BLM land on the outside of Moab. It can get busy though on popular weekends and sites are intended to be established before use. There are absolutley both disperesed camping areas and paid camping area all around the park, with some more popular than others.
If you've been here before, make sure to double check where you'll be camping is still free, as many area that used to be free and go-to spots are now paid. Camping gets easier to find after the 20-mile camping buffer set forth by the state. You can google camping in moab and there are plenty of articles regarding current camping status'.
Utahraptor State Park
This campground is about 15 miles north of Moab and is available on a reservation system. It used to be called Dalton Wells and Willow Springs, and was free up until less than 10 years ago when the areas started becoming more crowded, and sanitation and overuse became a concern, so the state chose to formalize it into a state park. When I visited they had just started the process of formalizing it by having it first-come first served and a pay pole based on honor.
Now you can make a reservation online to reserve your site, and utilize the many amenities like showers, electric and more. They've added amenities, showers, electric to the sites and more over the years.
Reservations: Required
Cost: $50/night (verify current fees on ReserveAmerica)
Highlight: One of the largest Dinorsaur Fossil Beds
📞 Cell Service & Wi-Fi: I had Verizon Wireless and were able to use our phones as mobile hotspots to work remotely the next morning.
🧺 Supplies
Where to Buy Groceries Near Arches National Park
Moab is a very bustling town and has multiple places to grab gas, groceries, ice and more.
💵 Entrance Fees
You can enter the park 24/7. If you don't grab a pass on the way in you can grab it on the way out. The National Park has a single-day/car pricing structure which costs $40/day. You can also opt to buy a National Parks Pass (valid for one year from purchase) for $80 if you're a US Resident or $250 if you're foreign, and use it at any park that requires an entrance fee. They will ask to see your US ID to verify your residency and pricing.
Entering the park is a worth it before sunrise and after sunset. I highly suggest showing up before sunrise and bringing some coffee and then hiking out to an Arch for sunrise. The photos are better, the weather is cooler, and honestly by like 8am all of the parking areas are packed, and they will stop letting people into the park when this happens as well and you must sit and wait. Don't worry though, the park has it's own radio station that you can listen to (1610 AM)!
Entrance lines can get long, especially in the morning so be sure to factor in the line to arrive. You can see what the lines are looking like using the online NPS Webcam here.
🏫 Visitor Center
The main visitor center is located right after the entrance booths. It can be cumbersome to backtrack to it once you pass it so I'd suggest hitting it on your way in.
This is also where you will pickup your permit in person for the Fiery Furnace Hike as well as any of the canyoneering or climbing.
The Windows Trail & Double Arch
If you want to park once and get some bang for your buck, head to the The Windows Trail Head. You can access two different hikes from this one parking lot making it great to park and leave the car for a bit.
The first is The Windows Trail, where you'll weave throughout multiple different arches that you can walk right up to and explore. Then you can visit Double Arch, The Windows, and Turrent Arch.
All stops involve little to no hiking.
Delicate Arch
Delicate Arch is the most iconic arch in the National Park. The reason is because it's the one on the license plate. This is a must-see.
Fiery Furnace
The Fiery Furnace is the only hike in the park that requires a permit. It's a moderate hike that you can choose to do guided or unguided. For an full breakdown of this hike, read my Fiery Furnace Post here.
Gear I Brought:
Because Arches gets hot really quickly, it's essential to bring lots of water with you, and ice water at that rate! That’s why I made sure to bring an insulated water bottle pre filled with ice. You can refill water at the visitor center if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is there a Fee to enter Arches National Park?
Yes, the fee is $40/car or $80/Annual Parks Pass. The booths are manned from about 5:30am - 8pm. If you don’t already have a purchased pass or ticket you are expected to purchase a pass or ticket. There is no free entry regardless of if the booths are manned.
Are there any permitted trails in Arches National Park?
Yes, the Fiery Furnace is the only permitted trail in the park. You can choose to do it with a ranger, or on your own.
Where can I camp in Arches National Park?
You can camp inside the park at the Devil's Garden Campground, or find State Park camping nearby. For dispersed camping and primitive camping, you'll need to look further than the 20-mile camping boundary that exists.
Can I climb any of the arches in the Park?
No, the park does not allow for climbing any arches inside the park, but there are many popular climbing towers a nd cantoneering routes inside the park, and arches and canyoneering trips to be done nearby.
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