Most Beautiful Day Hikes in Arches National Park

Arches National Park, Utah

With over 2,000 arches, this park was definitely named appropriately. Some arches can only be viewed from a distance, but you can actually walk through many of the arches in this park - it’s nature’s one huge playground of arches. If you’re near any of the arches during sunrise or sunset, it almost looks as if the arches are on fire at times due to the color of the rock. The guide below provides some general travel tips for visiting Arches National Park as well as a list of the most beautiful day hikes there.

General Travel Tips

• Because Arches National Park is so popular and has limited parking, we highly recommend visiting during the winter months. Check the weather and driving conditions before you go - you don’t want to be driving during an ice storm.

• If you do decide to visit in the winter, be sure to have the appropriate winter gear: moisture wicking base layer so you don't get cold after sweating on longer hikes (merino wool is great for this), down jacket, waterproof outer layer, wool socks, beanie, gloves, and microspikes (for any icy parts of the trail). Check out our gear page for our own gear recommendations, where to find the best gear reviews, and the best places to shop.

• For great food in Moab (closest City to Arches), check out any one of these spots - we tried & loved each one: Antica Forma, Arches Thai, El Charro Loco, Love Muffin Café, Moab Spitfire Smokehouse, Sweet Cravings Bakery and Bistro.

• The park is open 24 hours and is 15 minutes from Moab.

• A map of the park can be found HERE.

• There are a number of other great parks nearby including Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park, and Goblin Valley State Park. We’ve put together a guide that includes the most beautiful day hikes from these parks (including Arches) HERE.

Most Beautiful Day Hikes

Double Arch: Take Windows Road off Main Park Road and park at the trailhead for Double Arch (it’s immediately after the parking for The Windows trailhead). Half mile roundtrip hike.

Tips: Be sure to walk around inside this arch and explore the different views. There are some angles that will make it look as if there are three arches.

The Windows and Turret Arches: Same directions as Double Arch above. The trail starts at the parking lot and you can see the first window arch in the distance from there. Slightly over 1 mile roundtrip hike.

Tips: Hike through the first window arch you see from the parking area and look back through the arch after climbing to a higher ledge to see a perfectly framed Turret Arch.

Delicate Arch: To find the trailhead, take Delicate Arch Road off of Main Park Road. 3 mile roundtrip hike.

Tips: This is a VERY popular hike, if you don’t go early in the morning and don’t go in the winter, expect a line of people waiting to take a photo under the arch. Be sure to follow the cairns (small stacks of rocks) to stay on the correct trail.

Navajo and Double O Arch: Park at the Devil's Garden parking area at the very end of the park. Take the Devil's Garden Trail to the Devil's Garden Primitive Loop. Follow the signs to see Navajo Arch which is a half mile roundtrip hike from the start of the Primitive Loop. Following the cairns, continue along the Primitive Loop to see the Double O Arch. Navajo Arch - 3 mile roundtrip hike. Double O Arch - little over 4 mile roundtrip hike (1 more mile roundtrip from Navajo Arch).

Tips: When you reach Navajo Arch, explore the mini canyon behind the arch. Along the way to Double Arch, it can be easy to lose the trail in certain spots, so keep a careful eye out for the cairns. Double O arch will be on your left at the end of the trail. Climbing up onto the top arch of Doube O is not allowed.

Tower Arch: 16 miles from the park entrance, take Salt Valley Road (dirt road, but normal cars should be able to take the road), then hang a left onto Klondike Bluffs and park at the end of the road. Hike the Klondike Bluffs Trail to reach the arch. 2.5 mile roundtrip hike.

Tips: Be careful to follow the cairns, it's very easy to lose the trail here. Take your time to explore the various angles of this arch and be sure to explore the area behind the arch where you can hike to a higher ledge for a cool viewpoint.