Arches National Park saw over 1.5 million people last year, and now with visits being more limited by their timed entry permit system, it can be even harder to spend longer periods of time in Arches National Park. Because of this, I decided to put together the perfect one-day itinerary for Arches National Park. As with most of my one-day national park itineraries, this will be an extremely active day, but it will 100% worth it, I promise! Here’s how I’d spend one day in Arches National Park.

First, Here’s Some Quick Info About Arches National Park

WHERE IS IT? Arches National Park sits just outside of the town of Moab, Utah. It’s the perfect hub for your Arches National Park adventure.
ENTRANCE FEE: $30 for a private vehicle. However, if you visit between April 1st and October 31st, during peak hours of 7am-4pm, you’ll also need to acquire a $2 timed entry.
TIMED ENTRY: As I mentioned above, peak season/hours require a timed entry pass. These are just $2 and can be purchased 3 months in advance. They also releases a small amount the day before. It is best to plan ahead if you can. These must be purchased at Recreation.gov, you cannot get a timed entry slot at the gate.
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT: The best time to visit Arches National Park is Spring or Fall. The temps in the summer can be brutal, but I’ve also been in the summer and it’s still doable. Just bring plenty of water.
JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM? Yes! Arches National Park does have a Junior Ranger Program. We’re excited for Charleigh to get a badge here this fall!

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The Perfect One Day in Arches National Park Itinerary

Okay, I want to reiterate that this is a very active itinerary and involves several miles of hiking. This would be a very active day, but it’s genuinely what I would squeeze into a one-day visit to Arches National Park.

Morning – One Day in Arches National Park

MORNING ACTIVITY: DEVILS GARDEN HIKE
I would get to the Devils Garden trailhead right as the sun is starting to rise. For that, you don’t actually need a timed entry because you can enter the park without one before 7am, and the latest sunrise of the year is 7:08am, so even on the latest day, you’d have to enter the park about 30 minutes before sunrise to get to the trailhead at sunrise.
Devils Garden is my favorite hike in the whole park. We’ve only done the out and back version (which was 7.9 miles total with all the spurs) but you can also extend the hike by doing the Primitive Loop Trail back to the trailhead. This trail has it all – high concentration of arches, adventure vibes, rock formations and just insane desert beauty. Be sure to do all of the spurs to the arches along the way. Read our Devil’s Garden Trail Guide here!

Afternoon – One Day in Arches National Park

Afternoon is arguably the worst time to be hiking in the park, just because it can get seriously hot there. So, if you’re there in the summer heat, I would recommend escaping to Moab to grab lunch at Moab Diner or another great restaurant – as long as you have a timed entry that grants you entrance back into the park. Otherwise, pack a lunch, take a scenic drive through the park to cool down for a bit before taking on one of the easier hikes.

AFTERNOON ACTIVITY OPTION ONE – IF IT’S NOT SUPER HOT, DO THE SAND DUNE, BROKEN AND TAPESTRY ARCHES LOOP
I love this 3 mile loop hike and it’s not super crowded once you get past Sand Dune Arch. This hike is realistically quite easy, other than the lack of shade, so if you are lucky enough to be here on a cool or overcast day, I would definitely try to squeeze this in. Each of these arches are so unique and the hike is so much less crowded, it’s just a really special spot to visit and you can turn back after any of the arches if you want to make the hike shorter. To Broken Arch and Back is only 1.7 miles. Read our trail guide to this loop trail here.

AFTERNOON ACTIVITY OPTION TWO – IF IT’S SUPER HOT, DO THE HIKE THE WINDOWS SECTION AND THEN TAKE A SCENIC DRIVE THROUGH THE PARK
If it is super hot out, the Windows Section of the park is a wonderful, high-concentration of Arches that you have to hike very little to see. Plus, Balanced Rock is right here. You can see the majority of these arches without leaving the parking area, but it’s really cool to hike up to (and in a couple cases through) them. Read our guide to the Windows Section here.

Evening – One Day in Arches National Park

EVENING ACTIVITY: DELICATE ARCH HIKE
This is the arch to see in Arches National Park. Delicate Arch is iconic, even gracing the license plates for the state of Utah. This is a 3 mile hike total, but it is rated difficult because it’s basically 1.5 miles up with zero shade. So, be mindful of that going into it. But it is a truly special place to watch the sunset. I does get crowded at this time of day, but it’s worth it. You can either hike down once the sun has set or is setting, or you can stay and watch the stars from here. Read our detailed trail guide to Delicate Arch here.

Night – One Day in Arches National Park

NIGHT ACTIVITY: STARGAZE
Arches National Park is an international dark sky park, so it would be so sad if you didn’t take at least a little time to stargaze in Arches. Bring a camp chair, a red light, a blanket or jacket and soak up this beautiful miracle that is the night sky. Bonus tip – if you go in September, the Milky Way rises over the horizon early in the night and you can easily see it with your naked eye.

Gear I Recommend for Hiking in Arches National Park

This is all gear we use or have used and love!

STAY HYDRATED: Especially in the desert, it’s so important to stay hydrated and be prepared. We personally use these 32 ounce widemouth Nalgene bottles. I love these because they’re easy to clean and slide into the bottle-holder pouch of every backpack I’ve ever bought but one.
PROPER FOOTWEAR: Hiking definitely requires proper footwear, and especially on sandy or slick rock surfaces. My two favorite shoes for hiking in Moab are my teva sandals. I wore the Tirra style the most here because I felt like sand didn’t get trapped in there as much as the hurricanes. If I’m wearing closed-toe shoes, though, I’m in my Merrell hiking boots. I love these boots so much. Also, I think these Merrell hiking socks are the best socks I’ve ever put on my feet. Controversial statement, but I think these are better than wool socks.
A DAYPACK: A well-fitting daypack that’s the appropriate size for the adventure you’re about to go on is super important. I love my Osprey Daylite because it fits me super well, it’s perfect for day hikes – especially on a day like the one I planned out above, when I’ll be going back to my car quite a bit. I like that it’s on the small side because it means that I won’t overstuff it, but it’s also big enough for all my needs.
WHAT’S IN MY DAYPACK? On a day of adventure you’ll find a water bottle or two, snacks (my go-to’s are beef jerky, peanut butter and honey crackers, granola bars, peanut M&Ms, and fresh fruit), a reusable stasher bag for all my trash and some sort of layer – rain jacket, flannel or jacket.
NEED A PLACE TO KEEP YOUR MEMORIES? I wrote an adventure journal with fun facts and tips for visiting each of the 63 US National Parks. It’s a great way to keep your memories.
CARRYING KIDS ON A HIKE? We cannot recommend the Deuter Kid Comfort Carrier enough. If they’re too young for a Deuter, we loved our LILLEBaby carrier before they could sit upright.

Where to Stay Near Arches National Park

CAMPING INSIDE ARCHES NATIONAL PARK – There are 51 campsites within the National Park near to Devil’s Garden. These are quite rustic, though. They don’t have electricity, WiFi or even cell service. They are available for both RVs and tents. Reserve your spot in the park here. I do have to say, if you truly only have one day in Arches National Park, it doesn’t get better from an accessibility standpoint than staying in the park.
CAMPGROUND JUST OUTSIDE OF ARCHES NATIONAL PARK – We’ve stayed at Moab Valley RV Resort and Campground multiple times. Their facilities are clean, have full hookup and other amenities like WiFi and a pool! They also have cabins if you don’t have an RV or tent.
BUDGET FRIENDLY – Looking for a hotel to stay in that is easy on the budget? The Bowen Motel clocks in at under $100/night and still has a great 8.6 rating on Booking.com.
BRINGING THE FAMILY? – We stayed in Purple Sage Flats #2 (there are a total of 8 available). Our flat had a bedroom, a bunk bed in the living room and a kitchen so we could have some meals “at home”. The flats are a quick walk from downtown, meaning we rarely got in our car in town. It’s a great home base for 2+ people.
LOOKING FOR A LITTLE LUXURY? – The Hoodoo Moab, Curio Collection by Hilton is a beautiful property with all the little luxurious like room service, concierge and a spectacular-looking pool. You’ll maybe be craving these little luxuries after a full day of hiking.

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I know that this may seem like an overachieving, or even unrealistic day, but I’m here to tell you, I’ve done the “light” day in Arches, while pregnant. We did Devils Garden, did a scenic drive and then went to eat lunch, and then did Delicate Arch at sunset before stopping to look at the stars. It’s an exhausting day, but if I only had 1 day in the park, this is absolutely how I would spend it.

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