Is winter a good time to visit Arches National Park?

Winter is certainly a great time to visit Arches National Park. With fewer crowds, cooler temperatures, and a beautiful dusting of snow resting on the red rock formations, Arches in winter is a dreamy place.



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The best time to visit Arches National Park is April through May and September through October, when daytime temperatures average about 60 to 80 degrees. In the summer, temperatures can exceed 100 degrees, which can make exploring the park's trails very uncomfortable.

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Avoid the Crowds While the peak seasons of spring and summer see around 200,000 monthly visitors, winter only sees about 40,000 visitors per month. With fewer people visiting Arches, you won't have to worry about finding a parking spot or waiting in a long line to enter the park.

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Arches National Park average temperatures in winter during the day are around 40°F (5°C) and down to around 17°F (-8°C) on a night. It can be sunny but you need to ensure that you have plenty of layers, a thick fleece, warm jacket, winter hat and gloves especially around sunset and early morning.

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Note: You're not always going to encounter snow on your visit to Arches National Park in winter. Often, the snow will melt within 2-3 days or even within a few hours. But your best chance of photographing snowy arches is during December or January.

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Most people coming to Arches fly into these airports: Canyonlands Field (CNY) (11 miles from the park entrance) Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT) (109 miles from the park entrance) Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) (230 miles from the park entrance)

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Without a doubt, Delicate Arch is the most famous natural stone arch in the world. Referred to as The Arch by many arriving visitors for whom it is No. 1 on their must-see lists, Delicate has an allure that is hard to explain but impossible to deny. The light opening beneath Delicate Arch is 46 feet (14 m) high.

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The La Sal Mountains provide Moab with a snowy backdrop and a fantastic winter playground. Plenty of winter adventures await, including cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Enjoy everything from short part-day adventures to multi-day excursions like skiing between backcountry yurts.

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Yes, the driving distance between Zion National park to Arches National Park is 355 miles. It takes approximately 5h 29m to drive from Zion National park to Arches National Park.

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The only fully-paved road in Arches is Scenic Drive, a 25-mile, out-and-back road that passes the majority of the park's viewpoints and trailheads. If you're tight on time or don't enjoy hiking, you could drive the park—stopping 10 minutes at each viewpoint—in about three hours.

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Under normal conditions, Salt Valley Road is passable in two-wheel-drive vehicles and affords views of Klondike Bluffs and Tower Arch before heading out toward Interstate 70, but during periods of rain, this road may become undriveable. All other roads in the park require high clearance and four-wheel drive.

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Bryce Canyon National Park is open year-round. In winter, the visitor center has reduced hours and is closed on holidays. Check the park's website or call to find out about current conditions and closures. Roads, trails, overlooks and other areas may close due to hazardous conditions, and some are closed all winter.

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Arches National Park lies at a higher elevation above sea level as compared to Moab. This means the latter can be warmer during summer. There's no doubt the arches in Utah are impressive. But they're not as stunning as the rock formations throughout the Moab desert.

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Yes. A timed entry reservation is required to enter the park even if you have an existing pass. Annual passes cover the payment of entrance fees, so annual or senior pass holders only need to pay the $2 reservation fee.

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Moab's weather is as varied as its landscape. The typically mild winters in the lower elevations provide perfect conditions for hiking, golfing and bicycling while the higher elevations offer skiing and snowmobiling. An occasional winter snowfall in the red rock valleys creates an awesome color contrast.

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To get to Delicate Arch, it is a 3-mile round trip hike with 480 feet of elevation gain. This hike, plus time to view the arch, takes most people 2 to 3 hours. The National Park Service describes this hike as difficult.

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Arches National Park charges an entrance fee. You may purchase a 7-day pass (valid only at Arches) or an annual pass (valid only at Arches, Canyonlands, Hovenweep, and Natural Bridges) by selecting from the four choices below.

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Best Things To Do in Arches National Park
  • Arches Scenic Drive. There is one road that travels through Arches National Park and that is Arches Scenic Drive. ...
  • Park Avenue. ...
  • La Sal Mountains Viewpoint. ...
  • Balanced Rock. ...
  • The Windows and Turret Arch. ...
  • Double Arch. ...
  • Garden of Eden. ...
  • Hike to Delicate Arch.


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Visit Arches from the Road If you don't have the time or ability to hike, don't worry! You can still see many famous arches and rock formations from the scenic drive. You can drive the park roads and visit viewpoints to see some notable features of Arches National Park.

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