The BEST Tings to Do in and Around Arches National Park

This post was written by Megan MacGregor, BMTM’s national parks expert.

Utah, 1912: A young Boy Scout named Indiana Jones tracks a pair of treasure hunters across a desert, a spire of reddish rock curving up toward the sky behind him. This famous introductory scene of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, filmed in Arches National Park, showcases the epitome of Utah scenery. 

Known as a “red-rock wonderland,” the national park garners its name from the 2,000 natural stone arches erupting from the desert across 119 square miles. While I didn’t visit Arches intending to locate lost treasure like Mr. Jones, I did discover that this unique gem of a place was unlike anywhere I’d ever visited in the continental United States. 

If you are planning to visit Arches National Park, here’s everything you need to know to get the best out of your next adventure:

How to Get to Arches National Park

Arriving at Arches National Park is half the fun. Located 230 miles outside of Salt Lake City, the park runs parallel to Canyonland National Park and sits right outside Moab, a desert town centered purely around tourism and outdoor activities. While most people fly into Salt Lake City International Airport, Grand Junction and Canyonland Regional Airports offer closer but more expensive options. 

When I planned this visit, I knew I wanted it to be a road trip (check car rental prices here). I guess the 230 miles from Salt Lake City wasn’t enough, because I flew into Denver International Airport and made the 355-mile trek to Moab — in one day. The seven-hour drive took me through Rocky Mountain National Park, where temperatures dropped to 55 degrees Fahrenheit and then rose to a whopping 114 upon entering Moab. 

I had two first impressions upon stepping outside: This was the hottest place I’d ever been in my life (and I’m from Florida, so that’s saying a lot). And there is orange dust literally everywhere. 

Anyway, I came for an outdoor adventure intending to explore both Moab and Arches, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Entering the Park and When to Visit

For high season in 2023, from April 1 – October 31 between 7am and 4pm, there will be a timed-entry system in place to help spread out the crowds. You can apply for a permit here. Permits incur a $2 reservation fee in addition to the park entry fee of $30, or you can use your annual parks pass.

One hundred and nineteen square miles might sound vast, but Arches is actually one of the smaller…