National parks
Arches and Canyonlands: doing Moab properly
- Where
- Moab, southeast Utah
- Best months
- March to May, September to October
- Time needed
- Three days for both parks
- Nearest airports
- Moab, Grand Junction, Salt Lake City
Arches has over 2,000 catalogued stone arches in a compact, road-accessible park. Canyonlands, half an hour away, is enormous, split into districts that do not connect, and far emptier. They share the town of Moab and they reward being planned together.
Timed entry and the heat
Arches has used a timed entry reservation through its busy months, booked on Recreation.gov with a next-day release the evening before. Arriving before the window opens in the morning, or after it closes in the evening, has generally worked as a way around it, and evening light here is the best light anyway.
Summer temperatures regularly exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit with essentially no shade on slickrock. This is not a comfort issue, it is the reason for most rescues in these parks. In June through August, hike at dawn, rest through the middle of the day, and go out again at six.
Location: Arches National Park
Arches in a day
- Delicate Arch: 3 miles round trip, 480 feet of climbing, no shade, and the most famous rock in Utah. Sunset is spectacular and shared with a hundred friends.
- Devils Garden: the longest trail in the park, past Landscape Arch, which is a 300 foot span so thin it looks impossible.
- The Windows: three enormous arches in a 15 minute walk. The best effort-to-payoff in the park.
- Fiery Furnace: a maze of fins you may only enter with a permit or a ranger tour. Book well ahead.
Canyonlands, and which district
- Island in the Sky is the accessible one, 40 minutes from Moab, a mesa top with enormous overlooks. Mesa Arch at sunrise is the shot. Half a day covers it.
- The Needles is 90 minutes away, with the better hiking and a fraction of the visitors. A full day, and worth it.
- The Maze is a serious backcountry expedition needing high clearance, self-sufficiency and days. Not a casual visit.
Between the two, Dead Horse Point State Park sits on the same road as Island in the Sky and has arguably the single best overlook in the region. It is a separate small fee and takes 40 minutes.
Book it and check it
- Official park page Hours, fees, maps and the closure notices that actually matter. https://www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm
- Current conditions and alerts Road, trail and weather status. Read this the morning you go. https://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
- Recreation.gov Campsites, timed entry and permits for most federal land. https://www.recreation.gov
- Arches timed entry Seasonal. Check whether your dates fall inside the window. https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10089473
- Canyonlands Three districts that do not connect by road. Pick one per day. https://www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm
Common questions
- Do you need a reservation for Arches National Park?
- During the busy season, yes, for daytime entry. Reservations are on Recreation.gov. Entering before or after the timed window generally avoids the requirement.
- Can you do Arches and Canyonlands in one day?
- You can see the headline viewpoints of Arches and Island in the Sky in a long day, but it is a lot of driving. Two days is much better and three lets you add the Needles.
- How hard is the hike to Delicate Arch?
- Moderate: 3 miles round trip with 480 feet of climbing, mostly up open slickrock with no shade and no water. In summer it is only sensible early or late.
- What is the best time of year to visit Moab?
- April to May and September to October. Summer is dangerously hot and winter, while quiet and beautiful, brings ice on the slickrock.
Tip
Moab is the base for both parks plus mountain biking and rafting, so beds book out over the spring and autumn weekends. Lock lodging in before you fine-tune the itinerary.