Top Things to do in Arches National Park
The 7 Best Sights & Landmarks in Arches National Park, Arches National Park
One of the smallest parks, Arches is dominated by strange and beautiful sandstone arches which are illuminated at sunset.
1. Delicate Arch
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,859 reviews
A world-famous natural sandstone arch.
Reviewed By 355margotm
We hiked to Delicate Arch in November, starting early-ish in the morning of a sunny (but cool) day. The walk has a bit of everything - colonial history (a historic shack), pre-history (petroglyphs), slick-rock, clambering, ledges and - when you get around the final corner, the amazing Delicate Arch! It stands off to the side of a natural amphitheatre, and we couldn't imagine how it came to be formed. Amazing and beautiful.
2. Partition Arch
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 68 reviews
Reviewed By webcam13
If you were able to navigate the Devil's Garden steep section (after the Landscape Arch) then you simply MUST hike the short spurs to the Navajo Arch and the Partition Arch, which reminds me of a time portal opening:) When returning back to the parking lot, make sure you look back behind you for another perspective of the Partition Arch.
3. Arches National Park Scenic Drive
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 211 reviews
Reviewed By TravelingSoccerLoon - Saint Paul, United States
Not long after entering the park as you climb up the road through several switchbacks, you will experience spectacular sights throughout the drive. My favorite section was driving from Park Avenue through The Courtland Towers area. Balanced Rock is beautiful especially at sunset and is about a 30 min drive from the entrance. It takes about 40-45 min to drive to the end of the scenic drive at Devil's Garden Trailhead. As beautiful the sights are along the road, the highlights of Arches National Park involved getting out and doing some hiking including to Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch and beyond to Double O Arch, Broken Arch and the Windows area.
4. Wolfe Ranch Rock Art
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 69 reviews
Reviewed By leaholden - Menomonie, United States
I find this kind of thing amazing. Someone wrote/drew on the wall all those years ago and it's still here, and it tells the story of the people/area. It's an easy hike right by the Wolfe Ranch. This part of the hike is easy, going up to the Arch not so much.
5. Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 109 reviews
Reviewed By NatParkHikerJess - Peoria, United States
If you don't want to do the hike to the arch or climb at all to see it, the Lower View Point is great. It is a super short and flat walk from the parking lot. We did it in the heat of the day and it wasn't too much. Yes, the arch is far away, but with even my iPhone I was able to zoom in enough to get a decent photo. It was also cool to see all the people lined up up there looking like little ants. If you decide to do the upper viewpoint, you access it from here as well, but you do NOT access the actual hike here. I heard several visitors confused because they thought they could hike up from this lot.
6. Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 135 reviews
Reviewed By 155larryt - Milford, United States
The difficult, three-mile round trip hike to Delicate Arch was more that my wife and I wanted to take on at our age. We decided to try the viewpoints. I knew they were a distance from the arch itself so I wasn't sure if it was worth it. I'm very glad we did as I was impressed with the view from both lower and upper viewpoint even though we were at a distance. My wife was unsure about doing the half mile round trip hike up to the Upper Viewpoint. It is a steep climb and you need to watch your footing. There are stone steps in sections that help. The park rates it as an easy hike. With encouragement she made it. I felt the view was really impressive from up there. In photos and pictures you are always seeing Delicate Arch from, I guess you would say, the front side. At the viewpoint it seems you are seeing it from the back side. It is just as impressive, just a different angle. I used my telephoto lens to get some great photographs of the Arch.
7. Wolfe Ranch
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 10 reviews
Reviewed By shnpan - Birmingham, United States
This was a nice stop in Arches National Park. There were a few trails in the area but it was January so the hiking was icy and dangerous.
