Best Time to Visit Arches National Park

Pick a month. Best months are in bold.

The best months to visit Arches National Park are February, March and November — computed from official NPS visitation (2021–2025 average), NOAA weather normals and daylight. May is the crowd peak (195,001 monthly visits); January is quietest at 19% of peak.

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Best months for fewer crowds

The quietest months at Arches, leaving out harsh weather and months when main access is typically closed.

Monthly crowd curve

Average monthly recreation visits, 2021–2025 (NPS Visitor Use Statistics). Amber bar = current month.

Arches month by month

Crowds: NPS Visitor Use Statistics, mean of 2021–2025 (2020 excluded as a COVID-19 anomaly). Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals, station ARCHES NP HQS, UT US (9 mi from park coordinates). Daylight: computed for the 15th of each month at the park's location. Methodology.

How many people visit Arches each year

Arches National Park had 1,511,740 recreation visits in 2025, 3% more than 2024 (NPS Visitor Use Statistics). The busiest year since 2015 was 2021, with 1,806,865. Over 2021–2025 it averaged 1,545,566 visits a year, which makes it the 21st most-visited of the 63 national parks.

Calendar-year recreation visits as published by NPS Visitor Use Statistics. 2020 is shown here but left out of the monthly averages above, because the COVID-19 pandemic makes it unrepresentative. See how every park compares: all 63 parks ranked by visits.

What to pack for Arches in February

Computed from February's weather normals — Arches's best month above. Visiting another month? Each month page has its own weather-computed list.

• Insulated jacket, beanie and gloves — nights average 29°F, below freezing
• Sturdy broken-in footwear, navigation and a basic first-aid kit — every park, every month

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Common questions

Arches month by month: notes from the park service

• January: January at Arches is cold, the park service says: highs average 30 to 50°F and lows 0 to 20°F. Big snowfalls are uncommon in the park, but even a little snow or ice can make local trails and roads impassable, and roads can close after a storm.
• February: February is one of the last quiet months at Arches before its busy season begins in March. Expect winter conditions: the park service puts winter highs at 30 to 50°F and lows near 0 to 20°F, and a dusting of snow or ice can make trails and roads impassable.
• March: For March at Arches, plan around parking rather than an entry ticket. The park service said no timed-entry reservation was needed in 2026 (its page has not yet said what 2027 brings), but it warns that the Delicate Arch and Devils Garden trailheads often fill for hours at a time, especially on weekends and holidays, and that cars may be turned away at the entrance when the park gets congested.
• April: April at Arches: plan around trailhead parking. The park service says the Delicate Arch and Devils Garden lots often fill for hours at a time, especially on weekends and holidays, and that vehicles may be turned away at the entrance when the park gets too congested.
• May: May is one of Arches' two temperate seasons, the park service says (spring, April through May), with daytime highs averaging 60 to 80°F. It is also busy: during peak visitation, spring through fall from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., expect long lines at the entrance and full lots, and when parking runs out the park may hold cars at the entrance for three to five hours.
• June: June brings summer heat to Arches, where the park service says temperatures often top 100°F and make strenuous exercise difficult. Hikers dodge it by starting at dawn, and in summer many trailhead lots are full by 7:30 a.m.
• July: In July at Arches, the park service warns that temperatures often pass 100°F. Plan to hike early (summer trailhead lots fill by about 7:30 a.m.) or save the park for evening, when it is cooler and the sunsets and dark skies come out.
• August: August at Arches is monsoon season: the park service says late-summer storm cells are violent and often cause flash floods, and roads can close after rain. Heat is the other hazard, with temperatures regularly over 100°F.
• September: From mid-September, Arches enters its second temperate season (through October), the park service says, with highs averaging 60 to 80°F and lows 30 to 50°F; temperatures can still swing more than 40 degrees in a day. It remains busy season, so a long line at the entrance is likely between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.
• October: October at Arches: no entry reservation was needed in 2026, but two things still had to be booked ahead. Devils Garden Campground takes reservations (up to six months out in peak season) and every Fiery Furnace hike, self-guided or ranger-led, needs one too.
• November: Two things at Arches need booking in November as in any month: Devils Garden Campground and every Fiery Furnace hike, self-guided or ranger-led. The park service says campsites in peak season can be reserved up to six months ahead.
• December: December is off-season at Arches: the busy months run March through October, so lines and full lots are less of an issue. Dress for winter, which the park service describes as cold, with highs of 30 to 50°F and lows of 0 to 20°F, and watch for ice, since even small amounts can make trails and roads impassable.

Each month page carries the full note and the NPS page it comes from.

Dive into a month

Comparing parks for the same trip? See how Arches ranks against all 63 parks in February, March and November.

Last verified 2026-09-24 · all parks