We started our epic road trip across Utah with one day in Arches National Park. Of course, one day is never enough to do it all, but we were able to get a really good feel for this park with the time we had. If you only have one day in Arches, I do recommend planning out a tentative itinerary ahead of time to help keep you on track when you’re there. You’re in the right place to help you do that! Let’s get into how we spent one day in Arches National Park, so you can start figuring out your own plans 🙂
Getting There
Most people will base themselves in Moab, Utah, for their adventure in Arches. Moab is about a 2 hour drive from Grand Junction, CO, where we got off the California Zephyr and started our Utah road trip (not the most common starting point). Moab is a 4 hour drive from Salt Lake City if you are flying in and starting from there. We did our road trip clockwise starting in Moab, but if you’re doing your trip counterclockwise starting in Vegas, then give yourself about 3 hours to drive to Moab from Torrey, UT.
In terms of renting a car, we used Turo. It was my third or fourth time using this carshare service. I really like it and would recommend it for your Utah road trip as well!
Where to Stay
Like I mentioned above, almost everyone will base themselves in Moab for access to Arches. Moab is such a cute town that I wish we had more time to enjoy in itself. We stayed at The Bowen Motel, which I’d highly recommend as a mid-range accommodation option. The location was amazing, and the room was clean and got the job done. We loved being within walking distance of downtown Moab. We had some time to browse the cute shops, eat dinner at Pasta Jays, and get a photo with the Moab mural. I wish there was time the next morning to get coffee at one of the local cafes, but we were up ridiculously early to catch sunrise in Canyonlands.
Timed Entry Requirements
At the time of writing (fall 2024), Arches National Park is the only park of the Mighty 5 that requires a timed ticket for entry. You will definitely want to plan ahead for this especially if you only have one day in Arches. If you are visiting between April and October, you have to go online and pay for a timed entry ticket (it’s $2 that gets refunded so technically free). They will need to scan that in addition to seeing your National Parks Pass when you go in. Plan ahead for this one so you can get into the park as early as possible. Those morning tickets may sell out. You can get tickets 3 months in advance.
Here’s the National Parks Website with all the official information: Arches Timed Entry Reservations
Another thing you’d have to reserve in advance for Arches is the Fiery Furnace hike. It was too complicated to fit this into our one day in Arches, so we skipped it. But if it’s on your bucket list, make sure you plan ahead for this as well.
More information on the Fiery Furnace Permit here.
One Day in Arches: Our Itinerary
Here’s everything we were able to get to during our one day in Arches…
- Devil’s Garden Trail
- Lanscape Arch
- Primitive Trail
- Double O Arch
- Sand Dune Arch
- Garden of Eden
- Balanced Rock
- Delicate Arch
We started our day with the Devil’s Garden Trail. This took us past Landscape Arch. Then we continued onto the Primitive Trail which took us past Double O Arch. That whole loop took us from 8 am to 11:30 am to complete. It was a bit challenging due to all the rock scrambling and lack of trail markers. I wouldn’t consider us avid hikers, but we were still able to figure it out so don’t let that deter you. It was an incredibly fun hike with great photo ops! I would say it was a little bit scary if you’re afraid of heights like me, but still very doable.
Then we kind of drove around Arches and stopped off at some things that were quick to see from the parking lot: Sand Dune Arch, Garden of Eden, and Balanced Rock.
We ended our day at Delicate Arch, the true masterpiece of Arches National Park. It took us less than an hour each way, and then we spent about 20-30 minutes up there taking photos. This is another hike that’s challenging but doable if you’re afraid of heights. Our time (and photos) at Delicate Arch became one of my highlights of our whole Utah trip.
Then we headed back to Moab and had a chance to wander around and grab dinner before getting to bed early. What an amazing first day!
Here’s what we had on our list but didn’t have time for: Skyline Arch, Windows and Turret Arch (supposedly takes 30-45 min according to my research), Double Arch (takes 20-35 min), Park Avenue Trailhead (2 miles roundtrip), and Fiery Furnace (need permit reservation and guide).
One Day in Arches: Tips
Arches National Park is extremely popular. If you are visiting in the high season, make sure you plan ahead and book in advance. We booked in January for a May trip, and there were already tons of good hotel options unavailable. Just something to think about. (And don’t forget to get your timed entry ticket!)
Bring lots of water with you. There’s not many fill up stations in Arches.
Dress in layers even in summer. Utah’s elevation makes the weather a little unpredictable. You might be baking in the sun one minute, then freezing in the wind the next. Definitely dress accordingly and check the weather each morning. When we were there in late May, it was still really cold!
Delicate Arch would be amazing during golden hour for sunset. We weren’t able to wait around for sunset since we were there in May. It was just too late for us, especially with our early start the next morning. However, if sunset at Delicate Arch is on your bucket list, try to work that into your itinerary. And bring lots of food so you don’t have to leave the park for lunch or dinner and wait in line to come back in later. Also know you will be fighting more crowds if you’re there at sunset.
Arches Photo Diary
These are in (mostly) chronological order based on the description of our itinerary above! We got our favorite photos of the trip in Arches–definitely going to print some off to hang in our place <3
One Day in Arches Conclusion
I hope you found this post helpful for your own Utah travel planning. While you could easily spend more than one day in Arches National Park/Moab, it is possible to see many of the highlights in just one day. Our time exploring the Mighty 5 was incredible. I can’t choose a favorite day, but this day would definitely be in the running if I had to pick! Enjoy your time in the unique, special nature of Utah 🙂