(Post updated May 2024) In recent years, Arches National Park implemented a required timed entry between during peak season within peak visiting hours. This was implemented to help limit wait times to enter the park, parking at various overlooks and trailheads and traffic jams on both the roads and on popular trails. This originated as a pilot program in 2022, but it seems it’s here to stay!
What You Need to Know About Arches National Park Timed Entry
When is peak season? Permits are required April 1st to October 31st.
What are the peak hours? 7am to 4pm – you will need a timed entry to enter the park during this time window.
Cost of timed entry: Each timed entry is $2. This is a non-refundable fee.
Can you get more than one entry/day? No, you can only purchase one timed entry per day. However, as long as you enter during your allotted time, you can reenter the park afterward.
Where can you purchase entries? Through Recreation.gov either online or over the phone. You cannot buy them at the entrance gate.
How far in advance can you purchase entries? Entries are live the first of the month at 8am mountain time for up to three months in advance. (ex. June 1st released tickets through all of September.) The day before, a handful of tickets in each slot will also be available. If you prefer the mornings, get on quickly because the early times are the first to go.
You need this in addition to your annual parks pass, if you have one: This goes for all the parks, but your America the Beautiful National Park Pass doesn’t cover these timed entries.
What if you can’t get a timed entry? You can enter the park before 7am or after 4pm each day, no timed entry needed.
What Did We Think of Arches National Park Timed Entry?
Guys, overall, we loved it. There are pros and cons, like there are with anything in life, but we hope that this, or something similar, stays for a very long time. The first thing you need to do is set realistic expectations. So, let’s start there!
Manage Your Expectations – What Timed Entry Is/Isn’t.
Let’s be clear, there are still about 2,500 vehicles being allowed in per day, during peak hours. So this park is still very busy. So expect these things:
There will likely still be a wait at entry. But wait times are still much shorter. Also, bear in mind that some people don’t know about the timed entry, so many people are waiting in line only to be turned away.
There will still be people on trails and at overlooks. The trails will not be empty. But popular trails were significantly less crowded!
Trailheads may be busy but you’re still much more likely to be able to find a parking spot! Before, we had to do so many laps around popular areas to try to find a place to park. Now,
Our Experience with Arches National Park Timed Entry
We visited the park a week before Memorial Day in 2022, one of the busiest weeks of the year at Arches National Park, so I feel like this is a pretty good test of the timed entry.
Our wait time to get in the park was less than 30 minutes and that was with 1/5 of the cars being turned away because they didn’t have a timed entry. (I’m the curious nerd who counted how many cars were turned away). We found that the crowds at popular spots were much smaller. Places that you can essentially just stroll up to like Balanced Rock and the Windows/Double Arch all had parking spots, no need to circle. That was a first for me in all my visits to Arches National Park.
Our biggest shock, however was at Delicate Arch. This is the third time I’ve done this trail. Once in 2012, once in 2020 and then this visit (2022) and this was the first time I was able to pull right in and get a close parking spot. In addition to that, the hike up was far less crowded. There were, of course, still several people on the hike up, but it was night and day difference. When we arrived at Delicate Arch, I could not believe my eyes. We shared the space with fewer than 20 people. I’ve seen it almost wall-to-wall crowded. In fact, in 2020 we didn’t stay very long because of just how crowded it was.
The only true con I’ve been able to come up with is it does lessen people’s ability to be spontaneous. We did miss one of our timed entries because Charleigh was napping and had missed two previous days of naps, and I do feel bad for the people who were turned away. But you can still come in before 7am or after 4pm, no timed entry needed.
The changes were made to create a more positive experience within the park, while still giving access to as many people as possible, and I personally think that has been achieved. It may be hard for people to know just how much better it truly is if you haven’t visited the park before, but I love that we’re keeping these amazing spaces safe while still allowing people from around the world to bask in their beauty.
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