Arches National Park

Arches uses a timed entry system for busy seasons, see more info on the park’s website here.

Best time to visit: Year Around

Recommended Hikes/Walks: Delicate Arch, Devil's Garden, Park Avenue, the Fiery Furnace

Ideal For: Hiking, Auto-Touring, Biking

Where to stay: Moab (camping and hotels)

Park Website - Park Map

Useful Information:

• Dogs - the general rule for dogs in national parks is that they must be leashed and are only allowed on paved areas, which includes parking areas, roads, and front country campgrounds. Dogs are not allowed on park trails, even when leashed.

• Arches exists in an ecosystem where biological soil crust covers the desert floor. These biological structures are not dirt… they can take decades to form and they play an important role in the ecosystem. Please stay on trail!

• A trip to Arches can be combined with a trip to nearby Canyonlands National Park. Read more about Canyonlands here.

• Drinking water is available at the visitor center - bring your water bottles to fill up.

• There is no shuttle service in Arches. The entrance gate and parking areas can be crowded but are usually manageable.

Arches National Park, located just north of Moab, Utah, is a small national park but boasts the highest concentration of natural bridges in the world. The best times to visit are spring and fall to avoid the summer heat and winter chill, but the park is open year-round. Light snow is common in the winter months.

Must See Attractions:

Delicate Arch - the best arch in the park and an icon of Utah. There is always a big crowd at Delicate Arch so be prepared to enjoy it alongside many other people. Seeing Delicate Arch requires a 3 mile roundtrip hike, read more about it in the hiking section below.

The Windows/Double Arch - some of the largest arches in the park and the easiest to access. Double Arch is especially impressive and the view from Window Arch towards Turret Arch is famous with photographers. Visitors can climb up beneath all the arches in this area for unique views of the rock overhead.

Balanced Rock - a massive boulder that is suspended high above ground by a thin spire of sandstone. You can see Balanced Rock from the road while driving, but it's worth parking and walking up close to appreciate how massive the boulder really is.

Devil's Garden - home to the famous Landscape Arch - the longest arch in the park. Other great arches in this area include Partition Arch, Navajo Arch, and Double O Arch. Read more about these arches in the hiking section below.

Fiery Furnace - a maze of sandstone and hidden arches that you can explore on a loop hike. A permit is required to see the Fiery Furnace which can be obtained at the visitor center up to seven days in advance. The ranger-guided tours are more popular, but don’t be afraid to go self-guided! Read more about the Fiery Furnace on the park’s website here.

Where to Stay:

Moab. It's a small town but it caters to the tourist crowd looking to explore Arches and Canyonlands. There are hotels, campgrounds, and RV parks, as well as stores, restaurants/bars, and places to book tours and adventure activities.

Drive times from Moab to national park entrances: 10 minutes to Arches National Park, 40 minutes to the Island in the Sky (Canyonlands), and 90 minutes to the Needles (Canyonlands). 

There is only one campground inside Arches NP, it can be reserved online in advance here. This campground is awesome and it's great for beating the crowds in the morning. Campfire wood is sold here by the campground host but there are otherwise no stores within the park's boundaries. 

Hiking in Arches:

Most of the hikes in Arches are pretty short with minimal elevation change. Where sturdy shoes with good traction to navigate the sections of slopped sandstone.

Delicate Arch - The best arch in Arches. The hike is about 3 miles roundtrip but with steady elevation gain on sloped sandstone. The trail ends at the base of Delicate Arch which is a jaw-dropping sight. If you only have time for one hike in Arches, this is the one to do. Read more about it here.

Devil's Garden - There are number of impressive arches found in the Devil's Garden.

The most famous is Landscape Arch - the longest arch in the park. The hike to Landscape Arch is flat but sandy. Massive chunks of rock have fallen from Landscape Arch in recent years - it may someday soon collapse entirely! Read more about the hike to Landscape Arch here.

The best hike in the Devil's Garden starts just beyond Landscape Arch, and goes to Partition Arch, Navajo Arch, and Double O Arch. There is a steep and slick section of rock just after Landscape Arch that you need to climb up to reach the other arches. It is easier to go up this section than to go down. This part of the hike can be scary and I have seen people turn around when they get to it, although most can make it up and down. If you want to avoid the steep section, this trail is actually a loop that can be accessed from the other direction on a longer loop trail. The full loop is worth doing if you have the time. Read more about it here.

Off the Beaten Track

Sand Dune Arch and Broken Arch are two cool arches near the Devil's Garden which are usually a little less crowded than the big attractions mentioned above. Sand Dune Arch is awesome and its always in the shade, making a great place for photography.

Corona Arch - This is a massive arch located near Moab, outside of Arches National Park. Its worth seeing if you are staying in Moab. Read more about it here.

Zion National Park

Best time to visit: Year Around

Recommended Hikes: Angel's Landing, the Narrows, the Subway, Kanarra Falls (Note the East Rim Trail is closed due to rockfall. Observation Point can be reached via the East Mesa Trail)

Ideal For: Hiking, Backpacking, Camping, Canyoneering, Rock Climbing, Biking

Where to stay: Campgrounds in or near the park, towns of Springdale or Hurricane, UT

Park Website - Park Map

Useful Info:

• Zion is open 24/7/365, and no reservations are currently required.

• Dogs - the general rule for dogs in national parks is that they must be leashed and are only allowed on paved areas, which includes parking areas, roads, and front country campgrounds. In Zion, pets are allowed on the Pa’rus Trail, which is paved, but not on any other park trails.

• Zion is less than a 3 hours drive from Las Vegas, which is the nearest major airport.

• Beginning April 1, 2022, hiking Angel’s Landing will require a permit. See more info from the park website here.

• The main Zion canyon is accessible via shuttle ONLY for most of the year. You can also enter on foot or on a bicycle.

• Flash floods are lethal in all of Zion's slot canyons - the park monitors storms and closes the Narrows when there is flash flood potential. Check at the visitor center for the latest information about potential flash floods.

• You can rent water shoes, hiking sticks, and bikes at stores just outside the park's south entrance. E-Biking the canyon is a great experience.

• Highway 9, which runs from the south entrance to the east entrance of the park, goes through a low clearance tunnel. Trailers and RVs require escort which is available throughout the day, but not at night. Read more about it here.

• Drinking water is available at the visitor center and other park buildings.

Zion is the most popular national park in Utah. The main canyon is the highlight of the park - towering sandstone cliffs that converge to form a massive slot canyon known as "the Narrows". Zion is a year-around destination and it’s usually crowded, especially on weekends. Winters are cold and summers are hot.

Must-See Attractions:

The entire main canyon is a must-see. All the shuttle stops are cool and worth jumping off at if you have time.

Angel's Landing - one of many famous rock formations in the main canyon. The monolith is best observed from shuttle stops 7 and 8 on the canyon floor. The hike to the summit of Angel’s Landing is outstanding - read more about it in the hiking section below.

the Narrows - a giant slot canyon more than 10 miles long, with sections that are just 30 feet wide and 1,000 feet high. Hiking up the river is the only way to see the Narrows - read more about it in the hiking section below.

Shuttle Stop 8 - the "Big Bend" shuttle stop offers views of vertical sandstone cliffs in every direction. There is a short trail between shuttle stops 8 and 7 that is incredibly beautiful and tranquil. This is the best place to see Angel's Landing and the Great White Throne from the canyon floor. 

Zion High-Country - Outside of the main canyon, the landscape features colorful buttes and mesas. These make for a great scenic drive on Highway 9, and potential for bighorn sheep sightings. Attractions in this area include Checkerboard Mesa, the Canyon Overlook Trail, and the East Rim Trail.

Where to Stay:

There are two campgrounds in the park, the "Watchman" campground can be reserved online in advance here. The "South" campground is available 2 weeks in advance online here. Both campgrounds are always in high demand.

There are private campgrounds just outside the park's southern and eastern boundaries. These are great options if the Watchman and the South campgrounds are full. 

There are hotel and BNB options in Springdale and Hurricane. Springdale is a tiny town just outside the park's southern boundary - the options here are nicer but more expensive. Hurricane is a larger town about 30 miles from the parks south entrance that has budget hotels.

Hiking in Zion:

Angel's Landing - The must-do hike in Zion. Angel's Landing is a challenging hike with a steep summit ascent, assisted by chains bolted to the rock for support. This hike is very crowded, especially on the steep sections near the summit. Get an early start to avoid the traffic jams! Angel’s Landing now requires a permit to hike which can be reserved here. Read more about the hike here.

the Narrows - The crown-jewel of Zion National Park. The Narrows are closed whenever the Virgin River is flowing at 150 cubic feet per second (click here for current water-flow levels). This happens throughout the spring months as winter snow melts off and occasionally in summer, fall, and winter during major rain storms. Fall and winter are great times to hike the Narrows with reduced crowds. Tough, water-friendly shoes are crucial and hiking poles or a walking stick are really helpful. You can rent all Narrows gear at stores near the park entrance.

Observation Point - This is a really popular hike to a viewpoint high above Angel's Landing. The hike is long for a single viewpoint, but there is some cool scenery on the way, especially near Echo Canyon. Due to a recent rockfall, observation Point is no longer accessible from the canyon floor. Hikers can still reach it from the Stave and East Mesa Trailheads.

the Subway - Day-hikers can access the lowest tier of the Subway with a long hike for which permits are required (reserve online here). Permits are available for the spring through fall months but they are very limited. Do not attempt this hike with shoes that can't get wet - hiking in the creek is often the easiest route. Read more about the hike here.

Zion High Country - Theres another cool canyon that runs along the park road East of the tunnel. It’s worth a hike if you are unable to get into the main canyon shuttles. Parking is along the roadside at various points.

Kanarra Falls - a really cool slot canyon with a photogenic waterfall. Kanarra Falls is outside the Zion park boundaries but its close to the Kolob Canyons section of the park. You can see Kanarra Falls and catch the Kolobs for sunset in a single day. The hike is partially in a creek so bring shoes that can get wet. Read more about the hike and finding the trailhead here. Beginning 2019, a permit is required to hike Kanarra Falls. Click here for more permit info.