The 7 Best Arches National Park Hikes

Arches National Park is a beautiful national park in southern Utah and is one of the most visited national parks in the US for good reasons! Arches National Park has over 2,000 natural arches, making it the densest concentration of natural arches in the world! It also has other stunning rock formations that will leave you feeling small in the best way.

One of the best ways to experience everything Arches National Park offers is to hike! And the best part? There are trails for all hiking levels! Whether you want an easy walk underneath an arch or a strenuous trail through sandstone fins, there is a hike in Arches National Park for everyone.

This guide has everything you need to know about the best Arches National Park hikes that should be on every bucket list.

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Tips for Hiking in Arches National Park

Reserve your timed-entry ticket for Arches National Park. Arches National Park has over 1.5 million visitors per year, so it is implementing a timed entry reservation system to help with the increasing crowds. The tickets are first-come, first-serve, so I recommend getting yours early during their release schedule.
Start or end your day with hiking. It is very hot in the summer, and the hiking trails have little to no shade. I recommend planning your hikes for the early morning or late afternoon to avoid hiking in the midday heat.
Pack food and a lot of water. Arches National Park does not have any places to buy food or water, so I recommend packing your snacks, meals, and water for the day. If you are driving, you can bring a cooler with everything you need! Packing your food will also allow you to stay in the park rather than fighting the traffic to get back in. It is also crucial to bring a lot of water since the park gets very hot.
Bring a lot of sunscreen. Since the trails in Arches National Park have little to no shade, it is crucial to wear and pack sunscreen!
Always remember to leave no trace. It’s crucial to pack out what you pack in and leave no trash. Some spots have trash bins, so you can easily throw your trash away. If they don’t have trash bins, you can throw your trash away at a nearby gas station or convenience store.

What to Pack for Hiking in Arches National Park

Hiking Boots: If you want comfort and support on your trip, hiking boots are the go to.
Hiking Socks: Having moisture-wicking and comfortable hiking socks are just as important for exploring.
Hiking Backpack: You need something to carry all your food, clothes, and anything else you need while adventuring, so having a supportive hiking backpack is crucial.
Hydration Reservoir/Water Bottles: While hiking or just exploring, it is important to have enough water! I always pack a hydration reservoir.
Jackets: The weather is unpredictable, so I always pack a rain jacket and insulated jacket.
Ten Essentials: The Ten Essentials are crucial for hiking!
Microspikes: If you plan on winter hiking, you will need to bring microspikes.
Snowshoes: Also if you hike in the winter, you may need snowshoes.

The 7 Best Arches National Park Hikes

Delicate Arch Trail

Length: 3.2 miles

Elevation Gain: 630 feet

Difficulty: Moderate

Delicate Arch is one of the most iconic and picturesque arches in Arches National Park. The 64-foot tall arch sits on a cliff overlooking the park and nearby mountains, making it an epic spot! Although there are three ways to view Delicate Arch, the best way to get up close and personal with it is to hike the 3.2-mile trail.

The hike to Delicate Arch passes by a small ranch built in the early 1900s by John Wesley Wolfe called Wolfe Ranch and a petroglyph panel. Then the Delicate Arch Trail begins to climb up a steep rock slope for 500 feet, and the top provides beautiful views of the surrounding area in Arches National Park. Delicate Arch Trail weaves along the top until reaching the iconic Delicate Arch.

Delicate Arch Trail is one of the best Arches National Park hikes, and the trail always has crowds. I recommend visiting at sunrise to have fewer crowds and better light to view this beautiful arch!

delicate arch hike in arches national park

the best arches in arches national park

Park Avenue Trail

Length: 1.8 miles

Elevation Gain: 300 feet

Difficulty: Easy

Park Avenue is one of my favorite Arches National Park hikes because it is relatively easy, and the views are stunning! Park Avenue is one of the first stops on the Arches Scenic Drive and has an easy 1.8-mile trail where you can get an up-close and personal experience with Three Gossips, Courthouse Towers, Queen Nefertiti, Queen Victoria Rock, Organ, and Tower of Babel. You can see all these from the Park Avenue Viewpoint, but I highly recommend hiking the trail.

There are two places you can start the Park Avenue Trail- Park Avenue Viewpoint and Courthouse Towers. The trail follows the canyon floor past the beautiful rock formations mentioned above. Once you get to the second parking lot, you can turn around and hike back the way you came. This beautiful trail will quickly become one of your favorite Arches National Park hikes!

park avenue hike in arches national park

The Windows and Turret Arch Loop

Length: 1.2 miles

Elevation Gain: 150 feet

Difficulty: Easy

The Windows and Turret Arch are in one of the most beautiful areas in the park and have three arches you can hike in one loop. The 1.2-mile loop brings you to Turret Arch first, where you can walk into the huge arch. Then the trail crossed over to North Window, where you can go up and into it. Finally, the trail loops you around to South Window, which you cannot get into, but you can enjoy the epicness from beneath it.

You can either walk back to the parking lot the way you came or finish the loop via the Primitive Trail. I highly recommend hiking the Primitive Trail because it is a great way to enjoy the beauty of these arches without the crowds.

This area of Arches National Park is one of the most popular, and parking can be a nightmare. I recommend coming here for sunset because there are fewer people, and it is one of the best sunset spots in the park!

Double Arch Trail

Length: 0.6 miles

Elevation Gain: 100 feet

Difficulty: Easy

Across the parking lot from the Windows and Turret Arch stands the tallest arch in Arches National Park! Double Arch is 112 feet tall with two arches, and yes, it is epic. And the best part? You can hike underneath the arches on a 0.6-mile round trip trail! Hiking into Double Arch will make you feel small in the best way! This easy Arches National Park hike should be on every bucket list!

the best 2-day moab itinerary

Devils Garden Trail

Length: 7.9 miles

Elevation Gain: 1,100 feet

Difficulty: Difficult

The Devils Garden Loop is at the end of Arches National Park and is the longest and most strenuous trail in the park. It is what many people consider the only “hiker’s hike” in the park. The loop is about 7.9 miles with over 1,000 feet of elevation gain and brings you past many arches. If you want to hike the entire trail, I suggest planning for 4-6 hours, especially if you want to take your time. You will also need A LOT of water because it becomes extremely hot on this trail.

The first part of the trail is well-maintained and brings you to Landscape Arch, Pine Tree Arch, and Tunnel Arch. These three arches are the most popular ones on the trail, so you will likely be with many people. Once you get past them and see Primitive Trail signs, the trail becomes less maintained and more rugged. The fun part!! The trail brings you to Partition Arch, Navajo Arch, Black Arch, Double O Arch, and Private Arch.

If you are up for a challenging hike, you will not be disappointed with the Devils Garden Loop! And you will quickly see why it is one of the best Arches National Park hikes.

devils garden hike in arches national park

Landscape Arch, Pine Tree Arch, and Tunnel Arch

Length: 2.7 miles

Elevation Gain: 470 feet

Difficulty: Moderate

If you do not want to hike the entire Devils Garden Loop, have no fear! You can see three of the most beautiful arches in the area on a 2.7-mile hike. The trail to Pine Tree Arch, Tunnel Arch, and Landscape Arch is easy to follow and well-maintained.

The hike begins at the Devils Garden Trailhead and travels on the Devils Garden Main Trail before turning right towards Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch. Once you enjoy both of these arches, you will follow the trail back to the Devils Garden Main Trail until you reach Landscape Arch. Wall Arch is also a short distance from Landscape Arch, so you can add a fourth arch onto the hike if you are up for it!

landscape arch hike in arches national park

Sand Dune Arch, Broken Arch, and Tapestry Arch Loop

Length: 2.8

Elevation Gain: 320 feet

Difficulty: Easy/Moderate

Sand Dune Arch, Broken Arch, and Tapestry Arch are beautiful and unique arches you can hike together on a 2.8-mile loop! The trail begins at the Sand Dune Arch trailhead and brings you to Sand Dune Arch first. Sand Dune Arch is a unique arch because it is between sandstone fins!

After you take in the beauty of Sand Dune Arch, head back to the trail and turn right to continue to Broken Arch. The trail will come to a junction, where you will continue right to Broken Arch. Broken Arch is not broken, even though you would think it is because of its name. It is a tall arch that has been worn thin over the years but is still standing strong!

The trail then continues to Tapestry Arch, which is much less visited than the others but just as beautiful! The arch stands tall against a sandstone fin with what looks like two smaller arches next to it. The final portion of the loop brings you past Devils Garden Campground and back to the Sand Dune Arch trailhead.

If you do not want to hike to these arches in one loop, you can hike to them separately. Sand Dune Arch has the easiest trail of the three if you are looking for an easy hike in Arches National Park.

sand dune arch hike in arches national park

If you are visiting Arches National Park, this guide is the perfect place to find bucket list items! It has everything you need to know about the best Arches National Park hikes.