Arches National Park covers 76,679 acres in Utah. It became a national park on November 12, 1971, the 34th of today’s 64 parks to get that title. It recorded 1,511,740 recreation visits in 2025, the 21st most of the 63 parks with a 2025 count.
Today at Arches
LiveLoading the forecast…
Checking park alerts…
Alerts: National Park Service, checked hourly. Forecast: National Weather Service, for Arches Visitor Center. Always confirm on the official park site before you set out.
In the park service’s words
Discover a landscape of contrasting colors, land forms, and textures unlike any other. The park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive rock fins, and giant balanced rocks. This red-rock wonderland will amaze you with its formations, refresh you with its trails, and inspire you with its sunsets.
From the National Park Service (public domain).
Entrance fee and passes
The standard entrance pass is $30 per vehicle. Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle (15 passenger capacity or less) and all its occupants.
The $80 America the Beautiful pass for U.S. residents covers this fee and everyone in your car. It pays for itself after 3 visits at this price, and it is accepted at every national park.
Entrance is free for U.S. residents on the 2026 fee-free days.
Reservations and permits in 2026
No timed entry in 2026. Fiery Furnace hikes and Devils Garden Campground still need reservations.
Check the park’s own site before you go, because these systems change from year to year.
Best time to visit
- Best time to visit Arches: March to May and October. The weather is at its most comfortable then, and crowds are lighter than at the peak.
- Busiest month: May, with about 190,861 visits in a typical recent year. That is 3.9 times as many as December.
- Quietest month: January (31,648 visits), when weather or closures keep most people away.
Bar height: visitors that month, compared with the busiest month. Temperatures: average daily high and low (°F); rain and snow: monthly averages. Best marks the months we suggest.
More detail: the best time to visit Arches, month by month.
Plan your visit
- Best time to visit: crowds and weather month by month
- Itinerary: ready-made plans for 1 to 2 days
- Things to do: 2 hikes and 8 other activities
- Camping, RVs and lodging: 1 campgrounds
- Getting there: Nearest gas to Arches Visitor Center: Express 24 in Moab, 3.7 miles away. Closest airport Canyonlands Regional Airport (9 mi)
- Know before you go: safety, what to pack and what to leave at home
Popular hikes
- Explore the Fiery Furnace: Entry to the Fiery Furnace is managed by permits and ranger-led tours to ensure the experience of solitude and wilderness.
- Hiking at Arches: Arches contains a variety of hiking trails, from easy/moderate to long and strenuous. Many trails use cairns (stacks of rocks) for markers and cross broad rock surfaces, requiring attention to follow. Learn how to Protect Yourself and Protect Your Park with hiking safety and Leave No Trace tips.
Webcams
Weather, in the park service’s words
The park service says:
Arches is part of the Colorado Plateau, a "high desert" region that experiences wide temperature fluctuations, sometimes over 40 degrees in a single day. The temperate (and most popular) seasons are spring (April-May) and fall (mid-September-October), when daytime highs average 60 to 80 F and lows average 30 to 50 F. Summer temperatures often exceed 100 F, making strenuous exercise difficult. Winters are cold, with highs averaging 30 to 50 F, and lows averaging 0 to 20 F.
From the National Park Service (public domain).
Nearby national parks by road
- Canyonlands (Utah): about 20 min by car (9 miles)
- Mesa Verde (Colorado): about 2 h 50 min by car (130 miles)
- Capitol Reef (Utah): about 2 h 50 min by car (142 miles)
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison (Colorado): about 3 h 40 min by car (182 miles)
Drive times run between the closest visitor centers of each pair, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads. Link several parks with the road trip planner.
Sources
Last checked 1 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to enter Arches National Park?
The standard entrance pass is $30 per vehicle. Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle (15 passenger capacity or less) and all its occupants.
What state is Arches National Park in?
Utah.
When did Arches become a national park?
November 12, 1971.
How many people visit Arches?
1,511,740 recreation visits were counted in 2025.
Do you need a reservation for Arches in 2026?
No timed entry in 2026. Fiery Furnace hikes and Devils Garden Campground still need reservations.
When is the best time to visit Arches?
March to May and October. May is the busiest month and December the quietest while the park is fully open.
