Arches National Park contains one of the largest concentrations of natural sandstone arches in the world. The arches and numerous other extraordinary geologic features, such as spires, pinnacles, pedestals and balanced rocks, are highlighted in striking foreground and background views created by contrasting colors, landforms and textures. The park covers 73,379 acres.

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General Information

Visitation

858,525 in 1997. Visitation is highest March through October; lowest in December and January.

Location

Moab, Utah

Address

Arches National Park
P.O. Box 907
Moab, UT 84532

Telephone

(435) 259-8161 (voice)
(435) 259-5279 (TTY)

Operating Hours & Seasons

The visitor center is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, and until 6 p.m., April through October; closed December 25.

Climate & Recommended Clothing

June through September temperatures may exceed 100F and December through February temperatures often drop below 32F. Temperatures may range 50 degrees in a 24-hour period, so dress accordingly. This is a desert and the conditions are very dry. Carry drinking water at all times.

Directions

The park entrance is located on Utah Highway 191, five miles north of Moab.

Transportation

Major airlines fly into Salt Lake City, Utah (five hours by car), or Grand Junction, Colorado (two hours by car). Two commuter airlines, Alpine Air and Redtail Aviation, fly into the Canyonlands Airport, 15 miles from the park, and from Grand Junction and Salt Lake City. Greyhound Bus stops 50 miles northwest of the park in Green River, Utah. Vehicle rental and taxis can also be arranged.

Fees, Costs & Rates

Entrance fee of $10 per vehicle for seven consecutive days. Camping is $10 per night for individual sites in summer; $5 from November through mid-March when water is off. Fees are charged for Fiery Furnace permits and guided walks.

Golden Eagle Passport

The Golden Eagle Passport is an entrance pass to any national park, monument, historical site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge that charges an entrance fee. It is a great convenience for those who plan on visiting several different areas that charge special fees. It is valid for one year from the purchase date. A Golden Eagle Passport may be purchased for $50 at any National Park Service entrance fee area or by mail. To order by mail, send check or money order (no cash, please) to:

National Park Service
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Room 138
Washington, DC 20242
Attention: Golden Eagle Passport

Where entry is by private vehicle, the Golden Eagle Passport will admit the passholder as well as any passengers. Where entry by private vehicle is not possible, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Eagle Passport will not reduce use fees, such as those for camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or cave tours. It covers entrance fees only.

Golden Age Passport

The Golden Age Passport is a lifetime entrance pass for those United States residents 62 years or older. These may be purchased at any National Park Service entrance fee area for a one-time processing fee of $10. The Golden Age Passport cannot be purchased by mail or telephone. Proof of age and citizenship or permanent residence must be shown at the time of purchase.

The Golden Age Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. When entrance is not via private vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder as well as children, spouse, and parents.

The Golden Age Pass grants a 50% discount to the holder on any federal use fees charged for things such as camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or tours. It does not, however, reduce the price of special recreation permit fees or fees for concessions.

Golden Access Passport

The Golden Access Passport is a free entrance pass to any national park, monument, historic site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge for those who are blind or permanently disabled. The Golden Access passport may be obtained at any National Park Service entrance fee area. Proof of a medically determined disability and eligibility for receiving benefits under federal law is necessary at purchase.

The Golden Access Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. Where entrance is not by vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Access Passport also provides a 50% discount on any federal use fees charged for services and facilities. It does not cover special recreation permit fees or fees charged for concessions.

All passes described above are non-transferable.

Facilities & Opportunities

Visitor Center/Exhibits

Located near the park entrance, the visitor center houses a museum and exhibits. A short orientation program is shown in the auditorium on the hour and half-hour. Information is available, and the Canyonlands Natural History Association sells books and maps in the visitor center.

Trails, Roads

The 48-mile round trip follows a paved road through spectacular scenery and leads to major park features. Hiking trails of varying length and difficulty lead to and through arches and into the heart of the park.

Programs/Activities

Regularly scheduled walks, guided hikes, and evening campfire programs by rangers are held mid-March through October. Check bulletin boards in the park for details. Reservations for the popular Fiery Furnace guided hike must be made in person at the Arches Visitor Center, up to 48 hours in advance. Also, check the visitor center for information on the Junior Ranger program for children ages 6 through 11.

Lodging and camping facilities

There is no lodging in the park. The Devils Garden Campground, 18 miles from the park entrance, has 50 tent and trailer sites, plus two walk-in group sites limited to tenting for 10 or more. Facilities include flush toilets and water until frost. You must register for individual campsites at the Arches Visitor Center between 7:30 and 8 a.m., or at the entrance station after 8 a.m. Group campsite reservations are available for the two group sites; call (435)259-4351 for information. The Arches campground fills daily mid-March through October, often by early to mid-morning.

Food/supplies

No food is available in the park. In the Arches Visitor Center, you may buy film and water containers, as well as informational materials.

Other Concessions/NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities and Opportunities:

There is a bookstore managed by the Canyonlands Natural History Association located in the visitor center. Concessionaires offer vehicle tours in the park by permit.

Accessibility

The visitor center is handicapped-accessible and there is one designated accessible site in the campground. All flush and vault toilets in the park are accessible. The new Delicate Arch Viewpoint and trail areas are accessible. See the Park Accessibility section for more information.

Recommended Activities & Park Use

The most common activities are sightseeing by car, hiking, biking along established roads only, picnicking at one of three designated areas in park, and camping. Join a ranger March through October at a talk, walk, hike or campfire program.

Reservations & Permits

Reservations for special tours or guides for groups are available if staff is available. Make requests as far in advance as possible by telephone or in writing.

Basic Visit Recommendations

The basic road tour with stops at overlooks requires several hours to half a day. Allow more time for hiking or other activities.

Special Events & Programs

Annual Easter Sunrise Service is held in the park. Check bulletin boards for other special events or programs during your visit.

Visitor Impacts

Information on conditions and situations impacting the visitor is available at the Arches Visitor Center, near the park entrance.

Adjacent Visitor Attractions

Nearby public lands provide a wealth of outdoor recreational opportunities. Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park, Slickrock Bike Trail, and the Manti-LaSal National Forest are all within 50 miles of Arches National Park.

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History

Water and ice, extreme temperatures, and underground salt movement are responsible for the sculptured rock scenery of Arches National Park. On clear days with blue skies, it's hard to imagine such violent forces or the 100 million years of erosion that created the natural arches. The more than 2,000 catalogued arches range in size from a 3-foot opening - the minimum considered an arch - to the longest, Landscape Arch, which measures 306 feet from base to base. New arches are constantly being formed and old ones are being destroyed. Erosion and weathering are relatively slow, but they relentlessly create dynamic landforms that change through time. Occasionally, change occurs more dramatically. In 1991, a slab of rock about 60 feet long, 11 feet wide, and 4 feet thick fell from the underside of Landscape Arch, leaving behind an even thinner ribbon of rock. Delicate Arch, an isolated remnant of a bygone fin, stands on the brink of a canyon with the dramatic La Sal Mountains for a backdrop. Towering spires, pinnacles, and rocks balanced atop seemingly inadequate bases vie with the arches as scenic spectacles.

Native Americans utilized the area for thousands of years. Archaic people, and later ancestral Puebloan, Fremont, and Utes searched the arid desert for game animals, wild plant foods, and stone for tools and weapons. They also left evidence of their passing on a few pictograph and petroglyph panels. The first European explorers came looking for wealth in the form of minerals. Ranchers found wealth in the grasses for their cattle and sheep. John Wesley Wolfe, a disabled Civil War veteran, and his son, Fred, settled here in the late 1800s. A weathered log cabin, root cellar, and a corral remain as evidence of the primitive ranch they operated for more than 20 years. A visit to Wolfe Ranch is a walk into the past.

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Reservation Information

Camping Registration Procedures

Follow these instructions to ensure that you are properly registered.

• Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. daily at the visitor center; you must register before going to the campground. Occupy your site and pay your fee no later than 12 noon.
• At Devils Garden, find a vacant site. Vacant sites are those with no receipt stub in the green box at the site.
• Complete the receipt stub found on the fee envelope and place it in the green box at your chosen site. Clearly indicate the dates of your stay. Leave an item of little value at the site to indicate that it is occupied.
• Return to the campground entrance within 30 minutes. Deposit your fee in the self-service safe. Exact change is required; personal checks may be made out to National Park Service.
• Important! You may extend your stay only if you notify the campground host or a ranger by 5 p.m. on the evening before your originally scheduled departure.

Size Limits

Group size limits and nightly fees are as follows:

Arches National Park, Devils Garden sites, tents only:
Juniper Basin: 55 people, 10 vehicles, $3/person per night
Canyon Wren: 35 people, 7 vehicles, $3/person per night

Note: To save Juniper Basin for larger groups, groups of 35 people/7 vehicles or fewer will be assigned to Canyon Wren.

How Early May I Apply?

Requests for group campsites are accepted beginning the first business day in January for trips during that calendar year and must be sent at least two weeks in advance of trip start date. Unless you apply in January, campsite choices may be limited.

How To Make A Reservation

To make a reservation, complete an application or write a letter with the appropriate information and send it to the reservation office at least two weeks before your trip. You will receive a written response. Reservation requests are only accepted by mail or fax.

All reservation requests must include:

1. Name and address of trip leader, with daytime and evening phone numbers.
2. Dates and campsites desired, with alternates if possible.
3. The minimum number of people for all group sites is 11. If you arrive at the park with fewer than 11 people, you will not be able to use a group site.

4. Each reservation request must include a check or money order for $10, payable to the National Park Service, or a Visa or MasterCard number with expiration date. Faxed requests must include credit card information. Reservation fees are nonrefundable and do not cover nightly camping or park entrance fees.

Mail or fax to:

Canyonlands National Park, Reservation Office
2282 S. West Resource Blvd.
Moab, UT 84532
(435) 259-4285

Helpful Hints

Provide as many specifics and options for your desired trip as you can. Details such as favorite campsites or several possible itineraries will help in scheduling your trip. Let the park know whether you are willing to accept campsites or dates other than those you have listed, or whether you are willing to reduce the size of your group.

If questions arise about your application, the park will contact you by phone.

Calling the Park

Reservation office staff is available by phone to answer questions and assist with trip planning Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (MST), at (435)259-4351. When workload permits, phones may be answered until 4 p.m.

Reservations may not be made over the phone.

Additional Information

• No refunds are issued.
• Check out time is 10 a.m.
• Maximum stay is seven days.

There is a limit of 10 people per campsite. Do not share a campsite, and do not ask others to share theirs. You may not save additional sites for late-arriving campers.

Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Generators may be used from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4 to 8 p.m. Respect other campers; keep noise down at all times.

Volunteer campground hosts, when on duty, are available to answer questions or help. One is across the road from site No. 4, and one is in site No. 35.

For group campsite reservations for both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, mail requests to: Reservation Office, Southeast Utah Group, National Park Service, 2282 S. West Resource Boulevard, Moab, UT 84532-8000 or FAX to 801-259-4285.

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