Arches for Non-Hikers

The drive, the viewpoints, and the short walks that get you to real arches.

By Chris Hayworth, Nestward

Here's the good news: Arches is one of the easiest national parks to enjoy without a real hike. The park's own pitch ("over 2,000 natural stone arches, hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive rock fins, and giant balanced rocks") is mostly visible from the road or a short walk. You won't see Delicate Arch up close without earning it, but you'll see plenty of show-stoppers with sneakers and a water bottle.

The scenic drive is the main event

The park is set up for exactly this. The official "Enjoy Arches from the Road" route runs about 18 miles one way from the entrance to the Devils Garden trailhead, and the formations get bigger as you climb. Budget two to three hours round-trip with stops. A few highlights you can take in from the car or a few steps away:

• Park Avenue viewpoint: a dramatic canyon of tall rock walls right near the start. There's an overlook at the top; the trail down is optional.
• Balanced Rock: a school-bus-sized boulder perched on a pedestal, visible from the pullout. A flat loop around it is barely a third of a mile if you want to stretch.
• The Windows section: the best bang for your effort in the whole park (more below).
• Panorama Point: a wide-open pullout with no walking required, and one of the better stargazing spots after dark.

Short walks that actually reach arches

If you'll do a little walking, a few short, mostly-flat paths pay off big:

• The Windows: North Window, South Window, and Turret Arch sit along a wide, roughly one-mile loop with some gentle stone steps. This is the highest reward for the least effort in the park.
• Double Arch: across the parking lot from the Windows, a flat sandy path of about half a mile leads right under two enormous spans. Kids love scrambling on the lower rocks.
• Sand Dune Arch: a short, shaded walk that squeezes between rock fins to a hidden arch with a natural sandbox. It's a favorite with families and a good midday escape from the sun.

None of these require route-finding. If a path looks too rocky for your group, the viewpoints alone still make the trip worthwhile.

What you'll have to skip (and that's okay)

The catch: the iconic Delicate Arch close-up is a 3-mile round-trip climb with steep slickrock and no shade. It's genuinely strenuous. But there's a consolation: the Delicate Arch Viewpoint lets you see it from a distance with only a short, easy walk from the parking lot. It's far off, but it counts. Likewise, the Fiery Furnace is a maze of fins that requires a permit or a ranger-led tour and real scrambling. Skip it with kids or shaky knees.

Make it easy on yourselves

• Beat the line. The park is busy March through October. The NPS flat-out recommends entering before 8 a.m. or after 3 p.m. to avoid traffic backing up at the entrance. Late afternoon also gives you the best light.
• Start at the Arches Visitor Center. Restrooms, water, a map, and rangers who'll tell you which short walks suit your crew that day.
• Heat is the real hazard. Summer highs top 100°F and there's almost no shade. Carry more water than you think, even for short walks. Spring (April–May) and fall (mid-September–October) are far kinder, with highs in the 60s to 80s.
• Two more freebies. Kids can grab the Junior Ranger booklet at the visitor center, and clear nights here are some of the darkest you'll find. Panorama Point doubles as a no-walk stargazing stop.

Entry is $30 per vehicle, good for seven days. Arches sits just five miles north of Moab, so you can base in town and pop in and out around the heat.