How to Visit Arches Arches National Park in a Day or Less

Not everyone can spend more than a day or even a day at the parks but still want to have a fulfilling park experience. Typically, my tour groups are in the parks for only a few hours since we have so much territory to cover. I’ll give a few tips in this article on ways to visit Arches National Park in less than a day and still go away feeling that you were able to get more than what you hoped for.

In 2022 Arches National Park implemented a temporary timed entry system to test how it can help manage traffic flow and reduce congestion with the objective of improving the visitor experience. (UPDATE) In 2026 the timed entry reservations requirement has been lifted.

Since the program was introduced, I’ve have visited Arches several times while guiding a Mighty 5 and Grand Circle tours, which gave me a good look at this new system, albeit commercial operators are exempt from the system required for individual travelers. For this reason, I cannot give a first-hand account of the process of using the new service other than how our visit to the park changed from previous years.

First, we were able to visit every planned stop without the normal challenge of finding parking, especially for a 22 ft. Sprinter van. The normal trouble spots that are generally the most difficult for parking, Windows District, Delicate Arch trailhead, and Devil’s Garden, were no problem at all. We found plenty of parking and the trails didn’t feel nearly as busy. I should mention here that we didn’t leave Moab until 8:00 AM, we normally leave at 7:15 or earlier when visiting Arches to beat the crowds.

We like this new system but it’s still early and the busier months ahead could prove a bit more challenging, but if it runs as designed, it should operate just as it did on the days we visited. Bottom line, we think the system has great potential and believe it could be a viable solution to reducing traffic and crowded conditions, just as we experienced on this day not just at Arches but also with other parks that are experiencing similar challenges.

My recommendations are to plan as far in advance as you can to book the date you want to visit and to fully understand how the system works. It may seem like an inconvenience and a bit of a hassle but compared to the congestion we’ve experienced in recent years this is a much-improved system for experiencing a day at Arches that will undoubtedly outweigh the trouble.

When we exited the park there was a lengthy line waiting to enter, nothing like we’ve seen in recent years, but still backed up. I believe this was simply the folks who had reservations for the one-hour window they reserved to enter the park. We’re sure there were a few uninformed visitors as well, won’t they be surprised when they get to the gate!

We suggest making your reservations early in the morning or in the late afternoon. Based on our experience, these are generally the times when fewer people enter most parks.

Here is a link to more information where you can learn about the new service and how to book a reservation. Timed Entry Pilot – Arches National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)